Rick Stroud: Why are the Bucs 3-7? Don't blame the defense.

TAMPA, Fla. _ The 12th man was beating the Bucs. It wasn't an extra player that the Saints utilized on defense. The majority of fans in the north end zone at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday were dressed in black and gold and screaming so loudly that center Ryan Jensen couldn't hear the snap count.

So on second-and-goal from the New Orleans 1-yard line, Jensen snapped the ball before Jameis Winston was prepared, resulting in a fumble he recovered. On the next play, Winston fired a touchdown pass to running back Peyton Barber.

It happened again in the fourth quarter on a third-and-goal from the 1. Jensen snapped the ball too soon, throwing off the timing of a play that led to Winston's fourth interception.

"Ryan just couldn't hear," coach Bruce Arians said. "Instead of turning around to look, he snapped it. The same thing with the second one. We talked about it on the sideline. For a veteran player, that's inexcusable."

In fact, three errant and ill-timed shotgun snaps by Jensen have resulted in two fumbles, one lost and an interception. The first came when Jensen snapped the ball off Winston's facemask in Tennessee. The Titans recovered at the Bucs 10, setting up the first touchdown in a 27-23 loss.

The Bucs are last in scoring defense, allowing 31.3 points per game.

But the offense, with its 18 interceptions and seven lost fumbles, is just as responsible for the 3-7 record.

"The more pressure on our defense is our offense giving the damn ball up inside the 20 to put our defense in that situation to give up those points," Arians said. "So it's not all defense when you give up the ball inside the 25 four times in three weeks. That's not on the defense. They did a helluva job two weeks ago turning those into field goals and this one was a touchdown on the first play."

It's some of the Bucs' best and highest-paid offensive players _ Winston, Jensen and left tackle Donovan Smith _ who are letting them down.

Everyone knows Winston, who is making $20.9 million this season as the NFL's 22nd highest-paid player, has struggled to protect the football. But the Bucs offensive line has had trouble protecting Winston. He has been sacked 36 times, the most in the NFL. At this pace, he would set the team record with 57.

Smith has allowed a team-high four sacks in 10 games. He signed a three-year, $41.25 million contract before this season, with $27 million guaranteed. Jensen is the sixth-highest paid center in the NFL with an average salary of $10.5 million.

"I think, again, I don't know they're all his," Arians said of Smith. "Sometimes we're holding that ball back there. He gets credit for the sack."

The Bucs are on track to average less than 100 yards rushing for the third straight season.

Is it all on the offensive line? No.

On Winston? Not entirely.

"It's a combination," Arians said. "Bad blocking and not getting open. He's done a good job the last three weeks of throwing the ball away. Some of it is on him trying to make plays early in the season and he's finally adjusted to getting rid of the ball, some left-handed. I'd rather see it right-handed but he's getting rid of it."

Winston is on pace for 649 pass attempts, which would shatter Brad Johnson's 2003 team record of 570. The Bucs clearly are putting too much on his shoulders. But the habit of turning the football over deep in their territory is what's killed the Bucs this season.

Arians had said that only 10 of the 18 interceptions can be traced directly back to Winston. While holding other players accountable, it seems as if there are too many alibis for Winston.

"I think coach will always have my back, but as a team collectively, we know we all have to get better," Winston said. "We know we're all in this together. The better we can eliminate all turnovers period, whether it's coming from me or anybody else, it's always my fault, right? It has to be, I'm the quarterback. If we can eliminate them period, there won't be (anyone) to point fingers at."

Many will continue to place the blame solely on Winston, who has the most turnovers in the NFL since he entered the league. But it's really been a team effort.

When the season began, Arians said the Bucs didn't have to rebuild, they just had to reload. Was that realistic?

"Very realistic," Arians said. "We just haven't done it on Sundays. It's not a talent issue. It's a performance issue. We're turning the ball over."

The losing has also created a home-field disadvantage. When you have to use a silent count in your own stadium, well, that's kind of offensive.

"We control that," Winston said. "So we've just got to get on a roll and start winning some games so we can show well."