Coach Lovie Smith thinks his Tampa Bay Bucs are more of the team that took a 24-0 lead Sunday than the one that got outscored 31-6 afterward.
The record says the Bucs are both.
“That football team that played in the first half, we’re that team,” Smith said in his day-after press conference Monday. “We’re, unfortunately, also that team that played in the second half. I think we’re more along the lines of what we saw in the first half.”
Of course, a coach is going to identify more with the successful chunk of the game instead of the one that got away. The truth is that the Bucs are left with one of the most painful losses of their history.
“There were contributing factors to Washington’s comeback. A successful onside kick – the first one converted in the NFL this season – hurt. So, too, did 16 penalties for 142 yards. So, too, did being unable to score a touchdown instead of a field goal late.
“We didn’t line up properly on that (onside kick,” Smith said. “I’ll just go on that. [We] didn’t execute the way [we wanted]. It starts with us first, as coaches. We didn’t have the guys lined up in the right position on that play. It’s kind of as simple as that. Great kick whenever you get it. Big play in the game.”
Smith was careful not to lay the blame only on his secondary. A lack of a rush contributed.
“When things happen with coverage, I think you have to be careful with just saying what happened in the secondary,” Smith said. “That was a combination. To me, just coverage and for an offense to get passing yards in general it does start up front first. We didn’t get the type of pressure we needed to get. It’s as simple as that.”
Smith took responsibility for the goal-line sequence that could have put away the game late.
“We would like to have back that (goal line) sequence,” Smith said. “We didn’t handle the situation. It wasn’t on Jameis or anything like that. It starts with us as coaches. We didn’t put the guys in the best position to be successful in that situation. That’s about all I can say. It’s on us; we didn’t put the guys in the best position there.”
Smith suggested that his team’s lead wasn’t as large as it appeared.
“No matter what we call it, we had a 24-0 lead,” Smith said. “But, 24-0, that’s early in the game and, really, it was 17-0, they were driving and we got a defensive touchdown. So it was a little bit closer [than it seemed]. But 24-7 in the second half. Now, I’m going to go all the way down to a six-point lead at the end of the game. One stop. So, what it takes, that’s what we’re missing right now. That’s what we’re trying to find. Composure or just somebody stepping up and making a play in the situation.”
The mood at One Buc, Smith said, was terrible.
“It’s miserable around here,” Smith said. “We’re in a dark place today. But we won’t be for long.”
The Bucs’ own contributions to their demise stings particularly. It was the fifth time in six games that the Bucs have had 10 or more penalties.
“We’ll keep working to try to get that message on those,” Smith said. “Whatever those numbers you told me there, it isn’t resonating yet, but it will some kind of way. And some of the penalties you see, you can live with a little bit. You shouldn’t have that many. Sixteen for 142 yards, it can’t be that.”
The other team scoring 31 points in just over a half? It can’t be that, either.
Getting an onside kick? It can’t be that. Not scoring the game-winning touchdown? It can’t be that.
And that emptiness after a game?
It can’t be that, either.
