It was a statement game for the Bucs on Sunday against New Orleans. Unfortunately the statement was, this team isn’t very good.

The Bucs dropped their eighth game of the season to the Saints by a score of 28-14. While not mathematically out the playoffs, the road to playing in January just got considerably more difficult.

Below is our list of the most disappointing players. Take a look and see if you agree and add your thoughts in the comment section below.

T Donovan Smith
Normally, in a contract year, a player puts his best work on tape. Donovan Smith has done just the opposite, and has actually had his worst season so far in his career.

In this game, it started with a holding call and false start in first half. Despite the hold, Smith still gave up the sack. Smith added another hold later in the second half. The crazy thing is, despite the subpar season, Smith is still going to get paid this offseason. Whether it is in Tampa is yet to be seen.

C Ryan Jensen
Jensen became the highest paid center in the NFL this past offseason. Through 13 games in 2018, he may be the most overpaid and overrated center in the NFL.

Jensen was called for a hold in second quarter, and on the same drive got an unnecessary roughness call backing the Bucs up 15 more yards. Then late in the fourth Jensen gave up a sack to Sheldon Rankins. The Bucs expected a much better center than they have gotten with Jensen this season.

K Cairo Santos
Here we go again. We have seen this movie all to many times over the last few seasons in Tampa Bay. Just when you think the Bucs have solidified their kicking game, something like this happens. After making his first three field goals and and 13 extra points, Santos missed a 46-yarder in the first half and then a 40-yard attempt in the third quarter. Those six points would have come in handy…

Punt Team
Having a punt blocked should never happen in the NFL. On Sunday, it did, and really swung momentum in the wrong way in the Bucs’ loss to the Saints. In the third quarter, the Saints got backup quarterback Taysom Hill free who blocked the Bryan Anger punt. The Saints went onto score their first touchdown of the day (and a two-point conversion) to make it 14-11, at that point.

Offensive Play-Calling
I get trying to establish the run. You want to eat some clock and limit Drew Brees’ time on the field. But what do they say the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. When your quarterback is your leading rusher two weeks in a row, well, the run game just isn’t working. And where did Mike Evans go? At the 4:00 minute mark of the fourth quarter he only had three receptions. How do not get your $16.5 million receiver more involved? 14 points against any defense is awful. 14 point against a team you dropped 41 on in Week 1 (one defensive score) is inexcusable.

DT Gerald McCoy
Late in the game I had to double check to make sure McCoy was even still playing. Without reviewing the game again, it is hard to get a total grasp of McCoy’s game, but going by the stat sheet it wasn’t pretty. McCoy ended the afternoon with one assist. One. The key to affecting Brees is to pressure him up the middle, as he rarely gets wide and loves to step up in the pocket. The Bucs rarely got any inside push from McCoy or rookie Vita Vea.