There’s no other way to say it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers performance as a whole on Sunday Night was an absolute failure. They were shut out by their most hated rivals, who have now won seven-straight regular season games against them.
Sure, the New Orleans Saints only managed three field goals against the Bucs. The defense is the one part of the game where Tampa Bay actually showed up. However, if you told anyone that the Bucs would only allow 9 points, those same folks would have said the Bucs win in an easy blowout.
Tampa Bay was supposed to be fed up with the continued failures and being bullied at the hands of the Saints. Embarrassed after last year’s 38-3 humiliation on Sunday Night Football. Tired of the loud mouths on the defensive line and attempts to get under their skin by defensive backs who have to get an edge to make up for an ability to just win straight up on talent.
Evidently, the bluster was all from the Bucs and what the Saints have been saying may actually be true. The Saints have lost earlier this season to the two also ran teams in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. Yet, the reigning Super Bowl Champions couldn’t after having two chances to do so.
Yes, the Bucs lost starting receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans as well as lead running back Leonard Fournette during the game. Injuries happen in a game of course. Could it be more of an indicator that Tampa Bay was just not as tough as New Orleans?
An unbiased observer might say that as Tom Brady was running for his life and being constantly hit all night by the visitors in white. His frustration in throwing his tablet on the sidelines late in the game was a microcosm of the whole night. It summed up the feelings of Bucs fans as well who expected much more than the failure that was put on the field for a national television audience.
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