The Bucs’ disappointing start to the year has sucked much of the optimism from what the team could accomplish this season. Tampa Bay has stayed close in each game, but entered Sunday 0-3. They had another chance facing a 1-2 Packers squad that has looked disappointing in their own right.

Green Bay still did enough to squeak out a win, beating the Bucs 17-14 to drop them to 0-4.

Here is what was most disappointing in Week 4.

HC Todd Bowles

This is a given at this point. For the weeks he was not included in the most disappointing columns, some things do not always need to be said to be understood. The Bucs are lifeless four weeks into the season. As much as Todd Bowles wants to stay calm on the sideline, the product on the field is just as stoic and bland. There is no energy outside of A’Shawn Robinson in the pre-game huddle. The product on the field resembles a group that is out of sync and already seems resigned to its fate.

Slipping to 2-11 in its last 13 games must show the Glazers that it would be a disservice for Bowles to lead this team in 2027.

OC Zac Robinson

Every offensive play is a struggle for the Bucs offense. Things look way harder than they should at this point in the season, and that falls on Zac Robinson. Robinson’s playcalling was already questionable coming in, and he did little to change that. He finally got Sean Tucker a couple of carries, but otherwise, it was the same old, same old.

The unit’s bread and butter is screen passes, and anything outside of that looks sloppy.

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels and RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It all started from the first offensive drive, when Bucky Irving had 5-yard and 3-yard gains. Rather than sticking with the run on third-and-2, they ran a play that was dead on arrival with Jalon Daniels. The beginning of the game is supposed to feature a thought-out game script, but there is just no thought with what this offense is doing.

The wide zone run scheme does not fit around this offensive line’s strengths, and what is this passing game? Where is the innovation? Chris Godwin Jr. does not get the ball enough, Emeka Egbuka is an afterthought, and Ted Hurst III is good for one big play a game. Kenny Gainwell has added nothing, and with all these pieces, the lack of success is on Robinson, plain and simple.

QB Jalon Daniels

So much for Jalon Daniels providing a spark. Daniels had moments as a mobile quarterback, running eight times for 55 yards, but he looked every bit like an undrafted free agent making his first NFL start. His two interceptions were both poor decisions, and his accuracy was middling. He finished the game 19-of-27 for 148 yards, a touchdown and those two picks.

Bucs Pass Rush

Do the Bucs have outside pass rushers? I’m not so sure. Yaya Diaby has significantly regressed to the point that he is not even a solid rotational rusher. What has Al Quadin-Muhammad done in red and pewter? Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey were supposed to be a 1-2 duo, but they can’t even make a slight dent against a Packers offensive line that was the brunt of jokes for signing veteran guards off the street this week. If they don’t get any pressure facing fourth-string offensive linemen and guys off the couch, when will they?

Suddenly, the 37 sacks they had last year doesn’t seem so bad.

Six sacks four games doesn’t cut it, Todd Bowles.

For being someone who exotically blitzes pass rushers, there must be the realization none of it is working.

Bucs Run Defense

One would have thought the Bucs run defense would be the one defensive positive. Considering how successful it has been, surely they would find a way to stuff backup Packers running backs like Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks, right?

Not so fast.

Johnson had a 31-yard scamper, while Brooks added a 27-yard run. So much for slowing down an underwhelming Green Bay run game.

Bucs Offensive Line

The Bucs’ offensive line looked dejected across the board entering the locker room at halftime. You would have thought this team was getting blown out by the looks on their faces.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

They failed to improve in pass protection or establishing the run. The interior offensive line still looks as bad as it has been to start the year. While the Packers might not have had as many sacks, that was a product of Jalon Daniels being elusive enough to escape them this week.

CB Keionte Scott

Keionte Scott had a tough assignment covering Matthew Golden on fourth-and-goal, and he failed to cover the route well enough for the Bucs to get a defensive stop. It seemed predictable the Packers would target that side of the field lining up wide receivers in a bunch formation, but Scott could not defend Golden one-on-one, making it a 7-0 game.

Also, look at the replay below.

Why is nose tackle Vita Vea doing dropping in coverage?

*sigh*

TE Cade Otton

Why did the Bucs give Cade Otton a three-year, $30 million contract, exactly?

Even when wearing gloves, Otton struggles to consistently catch passes. He was open up the seam for a chunk gain in the second quarter but dropped a catchable ball from Jalon Daniels. As the jack-of-all-trades starting tight end, all of his trades are admittedly below-average.

His contract is just the latest misfire by the front office doling them out.

ILB Alex Anzalone

Sunday was the latest disappointing effort from Alex Anzalone. The veteran linebacker had minimal presence on defense, finishing with just two tackles. In addition, Anzalone was called for a defensive holding penalty on third-and-4 that gave the Packers a fresh set of downs.