Please excuse the Buccaneer fan base if we don’t get all misty eyed at a victory. Even if it is an overtime victory with a field goal that sets and NFL overtime record. We’re not saying it doesn’t feel good to get off the losing streak and back to 500 at 3-3. But when we miss kicks, dominate until the 4th quarter, and leave the door wide open for the worst team in the league to tie the game, and force overtime, the tears are just not flowing.
This will be the strangest thing I say today but sometimes, when so many of a teams weaknesses are exposed, or because of injuries, the victory really can feel like subtraction by addition. The only thing that hurts more than a loss, is a loss in which we beat ourselves. There were positives sprinkled throughout the game. The defense played inspired. The offensive and defensive lines both played above average, and the clock operator started and stopped the game in a punctual manner. The bad stuff like Cantanzaro suddenly forgetting how to kick extra points, the offense going into “prevent” mode in the 4th quarter, and Jameis holding onto the ball for 63 seconds looking like a deer in the headlights are things that must be fixed if we are going to take control of our destiny and win the NFC South this season.
In year 3 under a coach we should see the right things being done on a consistent basis. I will save that thought for another time. Suffice to say, if the Bucs start doing the right things more consistently, and the wrong things less, we will not only be more grateful for the Buccaneers success, but maybe even be joyful in the victory.
