The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have yet to win a game this year, and part of the reason is the horribly inconsistent play of their defense. Veteran leaders have taken a backseat to non-producing rookies, and it is starting to become a concern.
It is becoming clearer that losing Mike Evans and Lavonte David is hurting far more than expected, but when free agent Alex Anzalone continues to make errors and miss tackles, the onus of turning it around falls on other leaders.
Antoine Winfield Jr. is a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro, but through two games this season, he doesn't look like much. In fact, his presence on the field is hardly noticed at all.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers must push safety Antoine Winfield harder if they are going to win
We don't want to dog Winfield. He has 13 tackles, and nine of them are solo. He has one hit on the QB but no sacks. Winfield is playing average at best, and that's not what Tampa needs from a veteran who has played at an All-Pro level throughout his career.
Against the Bengals and the lowly Browns, Winfield is giving up an average of 15.5 yards per coverage completion. He has allowed two completions, but has only been targeted twice.
Is this just a case of him doing his job quietly and handling those things that come his way? It's hard to tell because he isn't making the impact that fans expected him to. His statline is bland. The 13 tackles stand out, but there are no passes defended and no QB pressures on three blitzes.
Again, we expect a leader to rally the team and make plays, but so far the quiet start to the season is as loud as Jeremiah Trotter's pick-six against the Bengals.
If the Buccaneers are going to turn their season around, they will need to do so with the help of their top players; that includes Winfield. It's not enough to just do his job; he has to prop up those around him as well, take the team on his shoulders, and move them forward.
On the other hand, no one on the Buccaneers' defense is playing at the lowest of expectations. Rueben Bain Jr. is a non-factor, Anzalone is a liability, and even Vita Vea isn't playing at the same level of disruption that he has in the past.
Wins and losses come from a team's effort or lack of effort; then you weigh the production. The production of Winfield just isn't good enough.
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