The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made their game against the Cincinnati Bengals look a lot better than it actually was. It's a game they could have won, but instead it was a game they let get away, and part of the problem was on the shoulders of free-agent addition Alex Anzalone.
The Buccaneers linebacker was heralded as a physically dominant defensive player. Throughout camp and preseason, that's what he showed; on Sunday, Anzalone was anything but.
Anzalone recorded 7 tackles on the day, but for most of the game, he didn't look like the player he was billed as.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense collapses against the Bengals
Anzalone was only able to corral two solo tackles. He was out of position on a handful of plays, but he also allowed offensive linemen the opportunity to get to the second level and take him out of the play. While he is the best that the Buccaneers have at that level, the Bengals were able to isolate him and keep him off balance.
Overall, his play was inconsistent. He made little impact in stopping RB Chase Brown, put no pressure on Joe Burrow, and lord knows what the defense was thinking while trying to cover veteran TE Mike Gesicki. The former Dolphins tight end posted 5 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Anzalone wasn't the only one who didn't get off to a fast start in week one. Rueben Bain Jr. was credited with just one tackle, and it wasn't a solo credit. Bain and Anzalone have been the talk of the entire offseason, but neither of them gave fans the first impression they had expected.
Bain can get a bit of a pass given he is a rookie, but Anzalone needed to set an example. He has to get better quickly, as the Buccaneers' defense is going to ride and die on his ability to create problems for the offense.
The best player on defense was clearly Josiah Trotter, who totaled 11 tackles, a sack, a pass defensed, and a pick-six TD that got the Buccaneers back in the game and gave them hope.
Tampa will return home to host the Cleveland Browns in week 2. It will be a good opportunity to get back to their style of football. The Browns were blown out by the Jaguars in week one; there is no reason why the Buccaneers can't do the same.
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