Buccaneers defensive drive analysis, game six

A forced fumble returned for a defensive touchdown that made the score Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Washington 0 early in the second quarter. The Bucs' offense scored 23 points on the day. Yet Tampa lost the game. Job description for playing defense is to prevent the other team from scoring. Allowing 31 points to be scored runs contrary to such a job description.

Tampa Bay's Basic stats before the game

Defensive Passing:  4^th (202 yards/game)

Defensive Rushing:  25^th (120 yards/game)

Points Against Average:  31^st (29.6 ppg)

Washington's Basic stats before the game

Offensive Passing:  23^rd (230 yards/game)

Offensive Rushing:  17^th (107 yards/game)

Points For Average:  28^th (19.5 ppg)

Here is what transpired in the game for the offense:

The defense gave up more passing yards than what Washington usually creates as well as gave up 11.5 more points!

Please note that the yards statistic for Drive analysis only measures the drive length, not necessarily the gross yards accrued due to penalties pushing back the offense and the offense making up those loss yards. Thus, explaining the discrepancy between Game Stat total yards and total yards in the Drive Chart.

The defense gave up five long drives. Of those five drives, four of them came in the second half. All four consecutive second half drives resulted in 24 points. In the second half, the Bucs' defense did not stop the Redskins offense at all. Zilch. And yet head coach Lovie Smith says this is a team loss. I am astounded with that comment as it displaces where the deficiency is.

There was a huge step backward in third down efficiency from the defense as it allowed 20% more than the previous game. This is not the type of production you expect from a team coming off from a bye week. All five 3rd down conversions occurred in the second half.  ESPN has the play by play recorded.

Washington Drive 7:  1 for 1.  Result: Touchdown

Washington Drive 8:  1 for 1.  Result:  Touchdown

Washington Drive 9:  2 for 3.  Result:  Field Goal

Washington Drive 10:  1 for 1.  Result:  Touchdown

Taking a step back to reflect after the Washington game, the defensive game looks more and more disgusting. For the past three games, the defense has allowed 30 or more points. For the past three games, the defense is allowing more and more yards. For the past two games, the defense is allowing five long drives of 50 yards or more.

To help pad the disgusting play, the Red Zone efficiency is abysmal.

This deficiency in Red Zone defense is forcing its offense to keep scoring in order to have a chance to win. Against New Orleans and Jacksonville, the Bucs offense had to score often to have earned the win despite the high rate of failure in the Red Zone for the defense.

Out of sheer curiosity, I did a breakdown of points allowed per half. Outside from the first game, the consistent pattern found here is that the opposing team is putting up more points in the second half than in the first half. Going into the second half, the Bucs had a lead in the Houston and Washington game. But look at the last three games, the defense is allowing 20.3 point per game in the second half!

I have heard LVD say it is an easy fix many weeks ago. I heard HC Lovie Smith say it is a team loss in the post game interview. Yet all the facts I see reveal there is no easy fix and the defense is the ultimate culprit. Is the team lying about its production, play, reflection, and implementation? Because it feels as though they are because nothing has been fixed defensively because they are allowing the opposing team to score at will. This display of disgrace by the defense was coming off from a bye week; Washington did not have a bye week.