It’s time for PewterReport.com’s 2-Point Conversion post-game column, which features two statements, two questions and two predictions based on the latest Bucs game. Tampa Bay lost another heartbreaker, this one in overtime at Seattle, 40-36, when the team’s young secondary couldn’t stop Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson, who threw five touchdowns. After the game, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians was proud of his young players, but that matters little as the team lost its fourth straight game to fall to 2-6 on the year.
2 BIG STATEMENTS
STATEMENT 1: Tampa Bay’s Young Defense Gets Shredded – Again
The Bucs have invested a lot of draft picks to address the secondary, including three selections this year in cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean and safety Mike Edwards. Last year, general manager Jason Licht spent two second-round picks on M.J. Stewart and Carlton Davis and a fourth-round pick on strong safety Jordan Whitehead.
The problem is that this secondary is too young and too inexperienced. If you haven’t been watching all season as quarterback after quarterback has piled up 300-yard game after 300-yard game, Seattle’s Russell Wilson shredded the secondary for 378 yards and five touchdowns and no interceptions in the Seahawks’ come-from-behind 40-34 overtime win.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said. “At one time we had six rookies out there on defense and they were fighting their asses off. This was an NFL game for some of them and they got broken in pretty good.”
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