Monday, 4 a.m.
Oh, brother.
Oh, no.
Oh, here we go again.
The stumbling, fumbling Tampa Bay Bucs fell to 0-3 Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, inviting their fans to moan "oh, my heavens." Theys bumbled around, drawing flags and making wayward passes, until they lost to the Minnesota Vikings 23-16.
By now, the Bucs should be used to the feeling. They've lost 10 of their last 12 games.
The Vikings sacked quarterback Baker Mayfield six times. Mayfield hit only 17 of 34 passes for just 217 yards on the day. He finished with a dislocated thumb, which could cost him playing time.
"We're 0-3 and we're a game out of first place, so we have to get our stuff together," coach Todd Bowles said afterward. "We hve to reach down. to do more, to a coach, to a person, to a plalyler. We have to do more and figure out what we can do. How can be be better adn come back tomorrow ready to go."
The Bucs commited six penalties for 62 yards, one a holding call on Luke Goedeke that erased an 85-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin.
The Bucs fell behind 10-0 quickly. The Vikings drove 40 yards for a 54-yard field goal bil Will Reichard, then followed it with an 86-yard punt return by Myles Price.
The Bucs came back tot the game on a 40-yard pass from Mayfield to Ted Hurst III and 28-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin,
The Vikings went ahead for good on a 41-yard scoring pass from Kyler Murray to Jordan Addison.
McLaughlin added two more field goals to bring the Bucs within a point at 17-16. But Reichart kicked two field goals of his own for the final margin.
The Bucs are 0-3 for the first time since 2014, when Lovie Smith was the coach.