The PR Bucs Monday Mailbag is where PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook answers your questions from our @PewterReport Twitter account. You can submit your question each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag.

Question: So many questions, but let’s go with what’s up with all the off coverage lately? What has changed compared to the end of last year and don’t you believe that if you have lead with under five minutes, it’s up to the defense to win regardless of what has happened throughout game?

Answer: The question of the Buccaneers playing more soft coverage is something we as a staff talked about in our latest Pewter Nation Podcast, but we really don’t know the answer to that other than we suppose Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles felt it was the right call at the time. Clearly it wasn’t on Thursday night, as Bears quarterback Nick Foles was able to find the open receiver with relative ease in the second quarter, especially if the pressure sent didn’t get home. It was too easy at times for Foles, who showed early in the first quarter that he isn’t them most accurate downfield quarterback. That is why it was surprising that the staff allowed coverages that encouraged easy, shorter completions and got Foles into a rhythm, knowing he is a notoriously streaky player. We won’t get a chance to speak to Bowles until later this week, but I am sure someone will ask him about those coverages specifically.

Bucs DC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But as you said, when you have a lead it is the defense’s job to close out the game. This defense needs to continue to grow and develop that killer instinct. We saw it somewhat in the previous wins when the Panthers, Broncos and Chargers got the momentum back at some point in the second half but the Bucs defense was able to come up with the big stop and takeaway. That didn’t happen on Thursday night.

But while it is the job of the defense to close to it out with a lead, the Bucs offense bears responsibility as well. It is its job when it has a lead and the ball inside of five minutes to not give it back to the opposing team’s offense. The Tampa Bay offense had a chance to do that against Chicago but poor play-calling, poor time management and poor execution by the offense gave the Bears one more chance and resulted in the Bucs’ loss.

Question: What’s it gonna take for this team to stop killing themselves with penalties? This is an 11-year problem. The fact that’s it’s an 11-year problem is insanity. That accountability chart better be loaded with not just players, but coaches, too

Answer: Head coach Bruce Arians told the media following the game, and again on Friday morning, it is on him. I am not sure exactly what he can do however. This isn’t little league football where coaches tell a guy to go take a lap for every mistake they make. Or maybe they can. But I am in agreement that this has been a theme for several years and it is no surprise that the Bucs haven’t had but two winning records since 2008. Self-inflicted wounds and losses go hand in hand in all sports, but penalties are killers, especially in football.

I am certain that the players are constantly being reminded of it, and the coaches harp on it daily. I just don’t know what else they can do to cut the numbers down. The Bucs aren’t cutting a player say like Donovan Smith mid-season to make a point. Then who do they bring in to play left tackle?

Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There are a number of reasons players commit penalties. Sometimes players just get beat because they aren’t good enough talent-wise to stop the person in front of them. Other times they get lazy and sloppy in their technique. Another reason is, players aren’t in very good shape, particularly with offensive linemen, or they are just undisciplined from a mental standpoint. And sometimes it is just bad luck. Officials could probably call some sort of penalty on every play in the NFL. Learning to hide their penalties better and not be quite so obvious helps.

One other issue that isn’t brought up enough is the lack of consistency by the referees across the league. Different crews call different penalties with more or less frequency than other crews. At the same time, the teams know which crews will be handling their game long before kickoff and they have a complete breakdown of which crew calls for example, more holding or pass interference penalties than other sets of officials.

Question: Any chance the Bucs move Tristan Wirfs to left tackle next season and get a new right tackle? Or you see them drafting/signing a left tackle to replace Donovan Smith?

Answer: I believe there is a very good chance that could happen as far as moving Tristan Wirfs to the left side in 2021. Of course the plan and the hope of the organization was to have Smith have his best season in 2020 and not have to make a decision in the offseason on Smith’s future. But without a dramatic turnaround, I think it will be very difficult for the Buccaneers to bring Smith back at his $14.25 million number in the final year of his contract next year.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Through five games he leads the entire NFL in penalties with seven, including three holding calls. Add in his less-than-stellar pass protection in some games and average run blocking efficiency, the team may opt to look elsewhere, including moving Wirfs to the left side in 2021.

Question: Will Ronald Jones II have 1,000 yards this year? And can Tom Brady throw it to our incredible wideouts instead of our stone-handed RBs?

Answer: Ronald Jones II is on pace for 1,148 yards, and if he stays healthy I don’t see why he won’t eclipse the 1,000 yard mark and maybe even get 1,200 or more yards. He has clearly shown the last two weeks that he is the best pure runner on the team, and like many backs, gets stronger as the game goes on. The added muscle and weight this offseason makes him a player that opposing defenses don’t necessarily want to see coming at them full steam in the fourth quarter of a game.

RB Ronald Jones II – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

And while Brady wants to get the ball in the hands of the wide receivers as much as possible, he has made a career using running backs as receivers and that won’t stop anytime soon. The running backs just have to be better catching the balls from Brady. Hitting running backs out of the backfield is basically an extension of the running game and also gives defensive coordinators one more thing to think about when calling coverages.