The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got walloped on primetime TV Sunday night by the New Orleans Saints. Bruce Arians' club got taken to the woodshed in every facet of the game in the 38-3 loss.
"We got our ass kicked pretty good," Arians told reporters Monday after watching the film, via NFL Network's James Palmer.
Despite losing the division series to the Saints and falling behind their division rival in the NFC South race, Arians doesn't believe the failure will rock his veteran squad.
"I don't think our confidence is shaken one bit," Arians said.
The blunt coach said the linebackers and safeties didn't play well against the Saints' chain-moving offense. On the other side of the ball, Tom Brady was battered with New Orleans teeing off on the 43-year-old QB. Arians noted that Brady made some good throws but added that the interception when it appeared TB12 and Antonio Brown weren't on the same page was "just a poor throw."
As for Mike Evans' lack of production -- as he was once again shut out when matched up one-on-one with Marshon Lattimore and earned just four catches for 64 yards otherwise -- Arians said that the wideout was open, but the ball went elsewhere, or pressure got to Brady.
"He didn't get targeted. That's all. Mike was open," the coach said.
Teams lose games. How the Bucs were bodied by a division rival should be concerning if you're a Tampa fan. But Arians' group isn't a youthful bunch. Brady & Co. should move on swiftly with the Panthers and Rams on tap the next two weeks. The season still sits in front of a playoff-caliber team, even if they keep laying eggs in primetime.
