Three video games into the season, the priority with Zac Robinson’s offense goes past Tampa Bay merely needing extra time to study one other system. The Bucs are averaging simply 279.3 yards per recreation, have allowed 13 sacks, and have transformed solely 14 of 43 third downs. For an offense with Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving, Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, there was little or no consistency or id.
Safety has turn into the largest drawback, and Sunday in opposition to Minnesota confirmed how every thing is beginning to compound. Mayfield was sacked six instances and hit 12 instances, whereas the Bucs transformed simply two of 17 third downs. The offensive line was additionally accountable for a number of expensive penalties. Cody Mauch and Graham Barton have been referred to as for holding on consecutive performs after Tampa Bay reached the Minnesota three-yard line, ultimately forcing the Bucs to accept a area objective. Luke Goedeke later had a holding penalty wipe out an 85-yard landing to Godwin, whereas Payne Durham erased a Mayfield first-down scramble with one other maintain.
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These errors fall on the gamers, however Robinson has to seek out methods to make life simpler for an offensive line that clearly will not be dealing with what’s being requested of it. Tampa Bay wants extra fast throws, transferring pockets and ideas that punish aggressive go rushers. As a substitute, Mayfield has incessantly been requested to attend for routes to develop behind safety that has already confirmed unreliable. Mayfield deserves some duty too. He has held onto the soccer too lengthy on sure performs whereas showing too desperate to abandon the pocket on others. That mixture has made the safety look even worse. When Mayfield doesn’t belief what’s creating downfield, he begins creating outdoors the play’s construction, which modifications the place the offensive line expects him to be.
The dearth of offensive id turns into much more apparent within the pink zone. Tampa Bay entered Week 3 changing solely 37.5 p.c of its pink zone possessions into touchdowns. Towards Minnesota, A’Shawn Robinson’s interception gave the offense the ball on the Vikings’ 22. The Bucs gained simply two yards and settled for a area objective. Robinson was introduced in with vast zone ideas, movement, and play motion anticipated to enrich Irving and Mayfield. As a substitute, the operating recreation, safety and passing ideas have not often labored collectively. Tampa Bay has gifted particular person items, however the offense has not constantly put these items in positions to succeed. Three video games don’t outline Robinson’s tenure, however 13 sacks, poor third-down manufacturing, red-zone struggles, and repeated safety breakdowns are sufficient to lift questions concerning the match. With Jalon Daniels doubtlessly taking up, Robinson now has to show he can regulate his scheme to his gamers relatively than anticipating them to regulate to it.
This text initially appeared on Bucs Wire: Why has Zac Robinson’s offense struggled to seek out its id?
