Monday, 4 a.m.
Do you consider the defense of the Tampa Bay Bucs to be a strong one?
A second question: Why?
Oh, I know the stats have the Bucs in the top third of the league. But numbers don’t tell the story as much as the key moments of Sunday’s 16-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, a loss that knocked them out of the lead in the NFC South.
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Considering the problems with the offense — the Bucs can’t run a lick — it invites a fresh view of a team that is 3-3 and sinking.
"We were ready to play," said Bucs' coach Todd Bowles. "We were prepared to play. We just didn't execute.”
The Falcons drove the length of the field in 45 seconds to pull out the game on a 51-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo. It was another series of breakdowns by the Bucs, who were close only because of Atlanta’s three fumbles in the Bucs’ red zone.
"We were not sluggish," Bowles said. "Penalty-wise, it was very sloppy. And there was a lack of execution at critical times. Two-minute, defensively, in the red zone on offense. And we've got to be better going forward."
All afternoon, the Bucs had been dodging bullets with the Falcons deep in their territory -- they recovered three fumbles in the red zone on first downs -- but the final drive beat them.
Atlanta had 401 yards, including a pair of 46-yard passes. On the winning drive, quarterback Desmond Ridder hit Kyle Pitts on a 39-yard pass on second-and-10.
Still, the three turnovers allowed the Bucs to hang around. The team had tied the game on a 36-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin. Baker Mayfield had a 31-yard scramble on the drive.
The Bucs, however, had little else to throw at Atlanta except Mayfield. He threw for 275 yards, but the team ran for just 73 yards (including the 31 by Mayfield).
The result puts the Bus in a swirl as they compete for a weak-but-crowded AFC South race. At 3-1, the Bucs looked to be in good shape. Now? Not so much. A 3-3 team is competing for the draft as much as the playoffs.
Ridder fumbled on first-and-goal from the Bucs’ 10, first-and-goal from the Bucs’ 1 and first-and-goal from the Bucs’ 10. If the Falcons score in those instances, the game would have been a blowout.
"We came into this game knowing their rush defensive is statistically in the top of the league," said Mayfield. "We had a few different runs. But yea;h, we have go be able to get shots called."
All of that must leave a Bucs’ follower nervous. They have no running game, a shaky defense and they’re penalty prone.
The Bucs travel to Buffalo on Thursday night at 8:15 p.m.