The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now 0-3 after falling to Kyler Murray and the Minnesota Vikings, and they have really become specialists in beating themselves. And like in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals in which the Bucs also fell short in a close game against a flawed opponent, the Bucs defense actually held up its end of the bargain against the now undefeated Vikes, as it was the offense that, once again, let the team down.
Baker Mayfield continues to be a huge talking point for Bucs fans, as he has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL immediately after signing a big contract that the Bucs were seemingly - and rather wisely, if that's the case - reluctant to give to him. And so paying Baker now looks even worse, especially if Jason Licht was reluctant all along.
But Mayfield's contract isn't the only thing the Buccaneers are regretting already after three games. Atlanta Falcons fans had warned Buccaneers fans about their offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, and a coach making a lateral move for the same position with a division rival should have raised eyebrows. But Bucs fans figured two things here: 1) Robinson wanted to jump ship to a better team and quarterback and then 2) that nothing could be worse than the job Josh Grizzard did as offensive coordinator last season.
Zac Robinson looks worse than Josh Grizzard as Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator
Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, Z-Rob has been even worse than Grizzard. There have been more screen plays and negative passing plays dialed up by the offensive coordinator, and it feels like even the offensive line, which was considered the team's best unit, has regressed severely since Robinson took over.
Look, Mayfield would have been struggling with anyone running the offense against the Minnesota Vikings and their constant pressure, but if there were any lingering doubts about Robinson, then they were sealed by how the Bucs performed in Week 3.
Robinson is so uninventive as a play caller. He struggles to scheme players open, he can't shade protections for Mayfield, and he relies on bubble passes that aren't even effective. His ideas don't work for the personnel the Bucs have, and if there were hopes he would be the one to help Cade Otton break out, the Buccaneers faithful have not seen them.
His offense is overly predictable, as Vikings players were calling out before the play when Tampa Bay would be running the ball -- apparently due to a tell in pre-snap motions that has been a problem dating back to his days as the Atlanta Falcons' playcaller.
Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins is balling out for the undefeated Las Vegas Raiders after working with Zac Robinson in Atlanta, and it's hard not to point to leaving Robinson for better coaching as a big reason why Cousins is playing much better for a Raiders team that doesn't even have as good skill position players as Atlanta did all around.
Similarly, Michael Penix Jr. looked like a new man in his first game away from Robinson in a blowout win for the Falcons last week.
It's starting to feel like the Bucs made a mistake by hiring Robinson, and they are paying the price with one of the NFL's worst offenses.
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