Negative Records Mark the 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

by Sander on Jan 2, 2012 9:08 AM EST in Commentary

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have just ended their season on a down note: another blowout loss. As the Bucs move into the offseason, the fans won't remember this season very fondly. And they shouldn't, given the number of negative records the Bucs set or nearly set this season. A short list of those terrific achievements, and a reminder of why Raheem Morris is likely to be fired today.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers set a franchise record for points given up in a season, notching 494 of those points on the season. This broke the 1985 team's previous record of 448 points.
That record means the Bucs are now tied for fourth place on the all-time NFL list of points given up in a season. They are tied with the 2009 Detroit Lions. Only the 1981 Baltimore Ravens, the 2008 Detroit Lions and the 1966 New York Giants have ever given up more points in a season.
This also means the Bucs gave up the most points in the NFL in 2011.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers led the NFL in turnovers in 2011, giving away the ball 40 times on the season.
Josh Freeman led the NFL in turnovers in 2011 with 27: 2 interceptions and 5 lost fumbles. He didn't lead the NFL in interceptions, though, as Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 23.
The 2011 Bucs are only the third team in franchise history to lose 10 straight games. The 1976 and 1977 teams both lost ten straight games as part of the franchise's 0-26 start.
The Bucs' -207 point differential ranks third worst in franchise history. Leeman Bennett's 1986 team had a point differential of -234, while the 1976 expansion Bucs had a point differential of -287.
Surprisingly, the Bucs didn't have the worst point differential in the NFL this year: the St. Louis Rams managed a point differential of -214. Yes, this means the 2011 Bucs have a worse point differential than the 2011 Indianapolis Colts.
The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers allowed at least 40 points in four different games, which ties the 1976 Bucs for most games giving up at least 40 points.
The 2011 Bucs lost by at least 27 points four times, tying the 1976 team's record.
The 5.01 yards per rushing attempt given up by the 2011 Bucs is a franchise-worst record. It ranks second worst in the NFL in 2011, behind the Oakland Raiders.
The Bucs' 346 rushing attempts are the second lowest total in franchise history, behind only the 1982 Buccaneers - who operated in a strike year, playing just 9 games.
The 2011 Bucs' total rushing yards margin of -1,039 yards is second worst in franchise history, behind only the 1976 Buccaneers - again.

These are just the records I could find using Pro Football Reference's awesome search tools. I'm sure the Bucs managed more negative records, but these are bad enough for me.

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Stink all around

Worst Bucs defense ever.

And despite adding two shiny new DEs we had less sacks than last year.

Yugly.

by aakks on Jan 2, 2012 9:14 AM EST reply actions

And this is why Olson should never get another NFL job

The Bucs’ 346 rushing attempts are the second lowest total in franchise history

Yugly.

by aakks on Jan 2, 2012 9:15 AM EST up reply actions

I hardly fault them for the lack of a pass rush.

I think Clayborn will be an above average player and Bowers looks like he could be the same. Not All-Pro level, but good.

As you can always expect come from behind victory is when you least expect it.

by Buc Wild on Jan 2, 2012 9:15 AM EST up reply actions

I'm not down on either of them going forward, nor Bennett either

but to see that we still didn’t have as many sacks as last year when Stylez was our top DE is just depressing.

Yugly.

by aakks on Jan 2, 2012 9:16 AM EST up reply actions

Fewer opportunities to rush the quarterback

Also, the defensive line doesn’t play like a unit, and had no interior pass rush for almost the entire season, allowing QBs to step up and scramble around too easily. That’ll get fixed with more experience.

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by Sander on Jan 2, 2012 9:18 AM EST up reply actions

ONE MORE YEAR! ONE MORE YEAR!

As you can always expect come from behind victory is when you least expect it.

by Buc Wild on Jan 2, 2012 9:14 AM EST reply actions

One more year of mediocre play?

Ynet – comrade Morris must go.

by Cracker Ball on Jan 2, 2012 9:29 AM EST up reply actions

mediocre would be 8-8 this is pure garbage

Rahdumb the clown and the not ready for prime time players are the worst team in Buc history, the 1976 squad gets a pass cause they were an expansion team, there is no excuse for this garbage!

by bucfanlostiniowa on Jan 2, 2012 9:50 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

On a different note...

Sander, I did not know you were a fan of Mexican food.

My offer: If you come to San Antonio, I will take you to have Mexican food guaranteed to be off the charts. Best you will EVER have. Come when we play DAL, and I will buy the tickets and take you to the game. We can get beat up by the thug DAL fans together.

by Cracker Ball on Jan 2, 2012 9:58 AM EST reply actions

If I ever find my way down there, I'll take you up on that offer

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by Sander on Jan 2, 2012 9:58 AM EST up reply actions

Viking helmet?

As you can always expect come from behind victory is when you least expect it.

by Buc Wild on Jan 2, 2012 10:01 AM EST up reply actions

A lot of those aren't records...

they’re 2nd worst or 3rd or 4th. Records indicate THE most or THE least. Only a couple fit that bill. Of course, this was a record setting year around the NFL, mostly on offense. Drew Brees set MANY records for offense production and Tom Brady was right there in case Brees didn’t get it. Same with TE yardage and TDs. Graham and Gronkowski both topping old records. Many team records were set as well. Matt Flynn set a single game record for the Packers that Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre couldn’t acheive. The Raiders set a new high for penalties in a year. So many records broken throughout the NFL, and yet people still question that the lack of off-season had any impact. Yeah, I think it did, and it mostly impacted the defenses. So did the new CBA rules limiting contact in practice. Tackling was pretty bad throughout the NFL this year. If broken tackles were an official stat, I bet this year would set a new record for broken tackles too.

by Bruce McRae on Jan 2, 2012 10:49 AM EST reply actions

Add to the records....

Cam Newton with rookie QB rushing TDs and passing yards. Jared Allen set a Vikings record for sacks and was extremely close to the NFL record. David Akers set a record for FGs in a season.

by Bruce McRae on Jan 2, 2012 11:23 AM EST up reply actions

I briefly saw during the 49ers-Rams game

that the Rams were tops in the NFL with ~105 broken tackles (this was during the 2nd quarter), with the Bucs being right behind them.

For comparison, SF only had ~15 broken tackles on defense, fewest in the NFL.

Now on Twitter @Carcillo_

http://twitter.com/#!/Carcillo_

by FloridaownsFSU on Jan 2, 2012 11:24 AM EST up reply actions

That would make sense

the 49ers are a veteran defense less likely to be affected by the off-season. As a whole though, I’d say that tackling was at an all time low this year. It was ridiculous watching all the scoring highlights of players breaking tackles. Having NFL Sunday Ticket, I got to watch a lot of games and all over the NFL broken tackles were a problem.

by Bruce McRae on Jan 2, 2012 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

I agree with your assessment on tackling in the NFL this year.

I too have Sunday Ticket & watch a lot of games. There were a lot of teams tackling poorly (to my eye anyway), but we were easily one of the worst.

by RuudAwakening on Jan 2, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

honestly

after that 2nd pitcher of PBR yesterday, I could have sworn I was going to witness the greatest comeback in NFL history. But alas, all for naught.
This season sure brought back memories of the good ’ol days.

Beware!!

by Creamsicle Power on Jan 2, 2012 3:35 PM EST reply actions