Sep 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith looks on in the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium. The Titans defeated the Buccaneers 42-14. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Well, is there anything I could say to make you feel better about what happened yesterday? No, it wasn’t a dream (more like nightmare); you can’t open your eyes and wake up like it didn’t happen.
I don’t really know what exactly to say about the disaster that began the Bucs 2015 season, but I can say this: that was all on Love Smith. Let me repeat myself: that was ALL on Lovie Smith. There’s no other explanation to why the Bucs came out so stagnant and unprepared.
Smith owned up to that fact after the game, saying he was completely out-coached, but then asked everyone to not overreact to just one game. I get that, but what happened against the Titans felt like four games.
Things were so out of hand that Marcus Mariota didn’t even play in the 4th quarter. That’s right, the Titans were so bored with the Bucs they decided to treat the final quarter like a 5th preseason game.
With all the talk about being “Tennessee Ready,” Smith got Bucs fans believing that he had his team prepared. That was obviously not the case. A few players (to be named later) played like they knew they were in the NFL, but most of the team looked like they had never been on a football field before.
This is one of those games where coaches, players and fans don’t even want to watch the film and just move on to next week. I could just say everyone and everything about the Bucs was bad and be done.
If you can handle re-living the beat-down, though, I have 5 takeaway from the Bucs 42-14 loss to the Titans.