My Take Mini Rant: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Someone should tell the Buccaneers that the season has started.  They seem to still be in first gear.  There is no reason for the Bucs to be this bad, this early in the season.  At this point they should still have fresh legs and optimism about the season, it's just week 3!  But tonight, they seemed to be sleep walking through much of this game against the Atlanta Flacons. A division rival none the less.  There is not a team in the NFL that should be down 35-0 in the first half.  No team should be that much Better than any team.  All teams have elite athletes.  So for the Buccaneers to get dominated in that way is alarming.  A lot of people expected this to be a playoff team.  It is not!  At least not now it isn't and it is a long way from being a playoff team.  We all thought Lovie Smith would settle the ship and get the team on smoother and more consistent waters.  That hasn't been even close to being the case.  The offense looks DOA and the defense (though decimated by injuries!) has been uninspiring and lifeless.  They give up big plays but don't make any big plays.  The special teams has even been dismal.  The constant threat of being released usually keeps the special teams competing hard and limiting mistakes.  I guess these guys all have 100% guaranteed contracts because they don't seem to be playing with their hair on fire.  Coach Lovie has to find a way to strike the right cord with this team or  get ready to draft Marcus Mariotta.  Not a bad consolation if you are gonna suck anyway.