On the eve of Sunday’s game at New Orleans, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter stood in front of his team with one request.

“Somehow, someway,” he said, “We need to get more points than the Saints.”

“I said it could be 55-54 or it could be 7-6,” Koetter told reporters on Monday. “In my mind, right then, I was thinking it would be closer to 55-54, but we’ll take it any way we can get it. You should never apologize.”

Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter and QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Getty Images

Sunday’s 16-11 win was a display of complimentary football, best illustrated by a defensive stand that began at the 50-yard line before halftime. After a botched kick return, subsequent safety and shanked punt, the defense stood tall and prevented the NFL’s No. 1 offense from claiming momentum. The Bucs held New Orleans to a field goal, capping off the stand with a sack by Robert Ayers.

And just when it seemed the Saints would take the lead in the fourth quarter, special teams and more defense came through for Tampa Bay. Punts inside the 5-yard line and two interceptions sealed the fifth straight victory.

“Well, I think in the last two games, San Diego and New Orleans, resiliency has been a key word and complimentary football has been something that we’re building on,” Koetter said.

The Bucs leader, an offensive coach by trade, added that he’d like to see the offense get “more involved in the compliments,” and that it starts with him. Tampa Bay totaled 288 yards Sunday, struggling to punch the ball in the end zone early and put the game away late. The Bucs have scored nine offensive touchdowns during the five-game streak. 

Though some would pin the inconsistency on injuries, Koetter was adamant that personnel wasn’t the issue. “The guys who are out there are good enough to be here and good enough to be playing,” he said, instead attributing the offensive setbacks to “a variety of things.”

“There’s something different on every one of them,” he said, first pointing out the missed touchdown to Russell Shepard in the fourth quarter. “Sometimes it might be a play call, might be execution, might be a penalty or a combination of all those things. Trust me, we’re working hard on it over on that side of the building as we speak.”

There’s another way to look at the disparity between offense and defense, though. The former is not playing to its full potential, yet the rest of the team is picking up the slack and finding ways to win. Imagine if the Bucs can get all three phases in sync.

“It’s very concerning, but at the same time, I know how these guys can play on offense,” Koetter said. “And I know when we get there – at least these last two games – they didn’t need to be this close if we’re playing better on offense. But we didn’t, and we still won.

“We can’t forget, the object of the game is to win.”