NFL 2011: Summing up the Buccaneers

Not good.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered through a miserable 4-12 season just one year after narrowly missing the playoffs with one of the NFL's youngest teams.

What happened?

Part of the problem stemmed from roster risks the team took entering the season. 

First, the Bucs parted ways with Cadillac Williams, who signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Rams in the off season.   That left the Bucs with LeGarrette Blount, Earnest Graham and untested Kregg Lumpkin to tote the pigskin.  Blount serves as an ungainly third down back at this point in his career.  Graham was the best backup option before an injury ended his season.  It may be more than a coincidence that the Bucs failed to win another game after Graham's injury.

The Bucs also allowed middle linebacker Barrett Ruud to depart in free agency.  That move disappointed relatively few Tampa Bay fans, as Ruud had acquired a reputation among fans for making a sure tackle after the runner had gained good yardage.  But the Bucs replaced Ruud with rookie Mason Foster, who ended up playing like a rookie.  Tampa Bay's linebacker corps ended up a major weakness during 2011.  Having Ruud probably would have helped.

The Bucs lost on those roster risks, but they don't come close to fully explaining the porous defense and turnover-prone offense.

Quarterback Josh Freeman threw almost four times the number of interceptions he threw last year.

The defensive line improved its pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but other teams usually ran on the Bucs at will, often breaking runs of 10-20 yards or even longer.

The offensive and defensive problems complemented one another for the worse.  The offense found many ways to cough up the football, and the defense excelled at giving up an early score, which would put pressure on the offense to throw the ball. 

All in all, it made games tough to watch this season.  So what about next season?

Josh Freeman and coach Raheem Morris won me over with their performance the first two years.  But this third season forces scrutiny on Morris' coaching ability.  He served as defensive coordinator for a defense that often just couldn't compete.  And he was using players he says he likes.  So something's deeply wrong.  My take:  The defensive line and defensive backfield have talent.  The linebackers have athletic ability but aren't getting the job done.  The defense needs better tackling across the board.  Straighten out the defense and the offense will probably turn the ball over less frequently.  That probably means personnel moves at linebacker and safety if Cody Grimm and Tanard Jackson can't stay healthy and/or clear of league suspensions.

It's not an easy call, but in ownership's shoes I give Morris another year to establish whether 2010 or 2011 was the fluke.