This isn’t the same Bucs teams we’ve seen the last two seasons. They have struggled to stay on the field on offense and get off the field on defense, particularly on third downs. Slow starts have plagued both sides of the ball and contributed to last week’s unexpected loss to the Steelers. After an 11-5 season that culminated in winning Super Bowl LV in 2020 and a 13-4 record last year, this Bucs team is a disappointing 3-3 after Week 6.

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

Speaking to Bucs team Reporter Casey Phillips on his weekly radio show Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was disappointed by the way his defense played against the Steelers. The former defensive coordinator said that’s not the way he expects his guys to play. And to make matters worse, it wasn’t just one guy, but multiple players that contributed to the defense’s struggles. Bowles had especially disheartening comments about the final series in which the Steelers converted on two pivotal third down plays.

“That was the most heartbreaking thing of the whole game other than the busted play,” Bowles said. “It was a different guy on each play. It’s something we’ve been running since training camp. Since we’ve been here and we’ve busted each play accordingly. That was the most depressing thing about the defense. Not closing it out to give the offense a chance to get the ball back to win the game.”

On the season the defense has surrendered 39 third down conversions on 89 attempts (43.8%). Not awful, but not the kind of numbers you want to see with the talent on this defense.

Perhaps the most discouraging part about the conversion numbers are plays in which were third-and-long situations. They rank dead last in that category allowing 52 percent of third down conversions on third-and-6 or longer.

Bucs Offense Struggling Even More Than Defense On Third Downs

But it’s not just the Bucs defense that is struggling on third downs, the offense hasn’t found its groove all season. Sure, injuries have played a part, as has integrating three new interior lineman, but the team lacks identity. Most of it is largely due to poor execution and play-calling. The Bucs offense is a paltry 31-of-82 on third downs (37.8%) this season, and even more alarming is their 28% on third-and-longs, which is good for 25th in the league. Not being able to sustain drives has been an Achilles heel for this offense this season, and it’s something that needs to turn around and quickly.

“We’re off the mark as an offense,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to coach it better and we’ve got to play it better. We were bad on third-and-short, even third-and-inches. Third-and-one, we’ve got to find a way to get one yard. We’ve got some tough guys up there and we’ve got to understand what we are, who we are going forward. As opposed to trying to make a whole bunch of different plays and we’ve got to be better at that.”

Even when the Bucs have been able to sustain drives and get down into the red zone the offense has stalled. For the season they have gone 9-of-18 (50%) in the red zone, tied for 20th in the league, and have only scored over 30 points once in a losing effort to the Chiefs.

On Sunday, the Bucs settled for three field goals in the red zone from the 12-, 9-, and 6-yard lines respectively. Not ideal efficiency from an offense that averaged 30 points a game in 2020 and 2021. Execution and play-calling have been an issues but just not being on the same page has hurt as well.

“Lack of execution,” Bowles said. “We just got to get on the same page. We keep saying that and saying it, but the time for talking is over. We understand that and we’re going to work out butts off at it and we’re going to get back to work.”

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

To his credit, Bowles acknowledged the elephant in the room – first down play calling. With a penchant for first down runs, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich has put the Bucs offense in disadvantageous positions trying to make up yards on second and third down. Often leading to third-and-long situations. With the pressure quarterback Tom Brady has been under this season, those long downs and distances have been harder to complete.

“I think it’s more than that – it’s more than third down, red zone, short yardage,” Bowles said. “I think it’s first down – there are plays within that that cause those things, there are penalty setbacks that go along with that on both sides of the ball. Then we’re not executing at the end and we’re putting ourselves in these situations – we have to get out of these situations, we have to learn to get out of these situations. We have to coach them out, they have to play their way out. We’ve discussed that going forward and there are things we’re doing in practice to try and correct those things.”

The Bucs have an opportunity to turn things around yet again with a struggling Panthers team. It’s going to take the team being on the same page and executing at the level they are capable off. With two tough opponents coming up, including one on short rest, and a trip to Germany the Bucs need to right the ship quickly.