Getty Bruce Arians believes the Bucs can play better.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians did not hold back during his postgame press conference calling his squad a “dumb football team” after their surprising loss to the Washington Football Team. Arians added that ultimately the team’s lack of awareness is a reflection of the coaching staff.
“Energy and passion is very fixable, the penalties, they got to get corrected sooner or later,” Arians stated during his November 14 media session. “I mean, first play of the game we’re shifting, and we jump offsides and they don’t even run a play and we jump offsides. Just the stupidity has to go away if we’re gonna go anywhere. …That has nothing to do with ability, it’s all about execution and being a smart football team. We’re a very dumb football team and that’s a reflection of the coaches.”
The Buccaneers had a manageable six penalties against Washington, but Arians is concerned about the pattern of mistakes that has happened during the first half of the season. Tampa Bay ranks near the bottom of the NFL at No. 26 with 7.2 per game. If there is any sliver of good news, the Bucs are trending downward over the last three games averaging 6 penalties per contest.
Here is a look at Arians’ full postgame press conference.
ALL the latest Bucs news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bucs newsletter here!
Arians Described the Bucs’ Performance vs. Washington as ‘Baffling’
Arians admitted the Buccaneers’ play the last two weeks has been “baffling.” The Bucs coach praised the team’s practice habits but has no answers for why it is not translating to their performances in games.
“That display was very reminiscent of the last one, baffling to me after the week of practice I watched these guys have,” Arians noted. “That we could play that poorly. We played with enough passion and energy for about eight or nine minutes. To win games in this [league], we got to show up on Sundays. We’re doing a hell of a job Monday through Friday, but we’re not showing up on Sundays.”
Arians on Brady’s Interceptions: ‘Had Nothing to Do With the Receivers’
Arians also made some pointed comments about Tom Brady’s performance. The Buccaneers coach was asked if the receivers were partly to blame for Brady’s interceptions, but Arians pointed the finger at Brady.
“Had nothing to do with receivers, it was him [Brady],” Arians added.
Brady went viral himself for abruptly ending his press conference minutes after it started. The legendary quarterback had few answers for how the Buccaneers lost to a team that was 2-6 and without their best player (Chase Young) for most of the game.
“We just never really played on our terms, so played from behind the whole game and they played a good game out [there],” Brady told reporters. “They they had a good plan.”
The Buccaneers get an extra day of preparation as they do not play the Giants until Monday Night Football. Tampa Bay is once again a heavy favorite as the Giants opened as an 11.5-point underdog, per Covers.com. The line has now moved down to as low as 10.5 at some books.