TAMPA, Fla. — His mostly tranquil bye week included a few days with family at his lake house smack in Georgia’s solar plexus. But in its waning stage, Bruce Arians’ time of decompression was pre-empted by disarray.
The Falcons shocked the Saints. The Broncos embarrassed the Cowboys (the day’s biggest surprise to Arians). The Rams lost to a Titans lineup devoid of Derrick Henry. This given Sunday turned out to be a doozy.
“There’s so many things — watching those games (Sunday) — that we can learn from,” Arians said Monday, following a brief indoor practice at AdventHealth Training Center.
“We talked about that this morning, showing up for work every day and being ready to play.”
Among the most well-chronicled components of the Bucs’ historic 2020 title run was how their bye week was preceded by a swoon (three losses in four games) and followed by a surge. They were 7-5 when their bye (the franchise’s latest since 1990) arrived in Week 13, then reeled off eight wins in a row, including three consecutive road playoff triumphs.
Now, they’re hoping the developments of the last two weekends — their Halloween debacle in New Orleans and Sunday’s rash of upsets — can trigger a sequel in 2021. If not a nine-game win streak to end the regular season, at least a more disciplined approach and fewer lapses in intensity.
“Just staying focused and playing disciplined football,” center Ryan Jensen said Monday.
“That’s what’s been hurting us a little bit in some of these closer games that we’ve had, and obviously hurt us two weeks ago in New Orleans. But just playing more disciplined football is what we’re going to have to do, and that comes from players holding other players accountable and just making sure we’re doing the right thing.”
Accountability flowed from the top down Monday. Veteran team captain Lavonte David told reporters he had a “personal conversation” with fellow inside linebacker Devin White on the penalties he amassed against the Saints that cost White more than $25,000 in fines from the NFL.
David said Arians also addressed the team’s self-infliction, which reared itself routinely in New Orleans (11 penalties, 99 yards). The Bucs’ 580 penalty yards are the NFL’s second-most behind only the Browns (602), who have played one more game.
“It’s just the basic thing — no Bucs beating Bucs,” David said. “That stuff is just old. We can’t have that creeping back up for us to be the team we want to be.”
A similar commitment to cleaner football was established following last season’s 20-19 loss to the Bears in Week Five, when they were flagged 11 times for 109 yards. From there, Tampa Bay averaged only 3.9 penalties for 29.2 yards in their last 15 contests.
After the Week 13 bye, efficiency also peaked. In the eight games that followed the off weekend, the Bucs totaled five turnovers, matching their total from the three games before the bye.
Fast forward to 2021, and the Bucs again find themselves rested, re-calibrated, and possibly replenished at their most decimated position.
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who dislocated his elbow in the season opener, is practicing again and could return to game action at some point this month. Veteran corner Richard Sherman (hamstring) should be available for Sunday’s game in Washington after not playing against the Saints.
Additionally, the remainder of the regular season slate is favorable, with only two of Tampa Bay’s nine opponents (Saints, Bills) currently over .500.
Can another surreal stretch run really ensue? Perhaps, but only if they’ve learned a lesson from the last two weeks.
“Any given Sunday, man,” David said.
“Our expectation is to win every game, but we can only do that this week,” Arians said. “So our expectation now is to practice as hard as we can to eliminate the mistakes that we’re making in games, and play better each week.”
