The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are working to repair their defense.
TAMPA, Fla. - The Bucs return to work humbled and determine to correct issues that lead to their worst defensive performance in the Todd Bowles/Bruce Arians Era.
"We haven't done that in a long time here," said Bucs defensive tackle Will Gholston. "We really take pride in that stuff. It's frustrating for sure, but as I said you can't keep thinking about it. We've got somebody else. They're about to run that thing right down the shoot. We've got to strap up and go."
Having to be on the field for 80 defensive plays against the Chiefs wore down what had been the most stout defensive in the first three weeks of the season.
"We just have to do better getting off the field," stated Bucs safety Antonie Winfield Jr. "They were high in 3rd downs. They completed a lot of them, so we have to do a better job of executing the game plan, just getting off the field."
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Getting back to stopping the run is where it has to start for the Bucs' defense. A defense that was ranked in the top 3 in the NFL in each of the last 3 seasons. The Falcons will be a solid measuring stick. They come to town with the fourth-best running game in the league, but they'll be without the leading rusher Cordarrelle Patterson.
Tom Brady at Buccaneers practice.
"They're going to be different," said Bucs outside linebacker Shaq Barrett. "They still have some younger guys, who have been carrying the load pretty well. Splitting time with them. I think they will miss him, but I think the young guys going to step up and leave their mark."
Along with surrendering the most points since Todd Bowles took over the defense in 2019, the Bucs have lost three straight games in Raymond James Stadium dating back to the playoff game against the Rams. Losing a home is something the Bucs only did once in the regular season in 2021.
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"Being in front of the home crowd is supposed to do something to us – inspire us and make us come out there and play the way we’re supposed to play but we fell short the last two games," explained Barrett. "I’m excited to be able to get back there and get things going the right way."
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice for an upcoming game.
"It’s a long year and we have a lot of prepared guys on our team, so I’m confident in our ability to kind of come together as a team and put it together," said Godwin. "We’ve got a lot of great guys on the team. As long as we stay committed to each other – stay committed to the process – I think we’ll be fine."
"I'm really excited," stated Gholston. "I'm trying to contain myself. "It's going to be real fun. It's going to be a hard-nosed game. I like that."