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After owning one of the worst defenses of the NFL in the first six weeks of the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making a change.
Defensive coordinator Mike Smith has been fired from his post, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (NFL Network) said Monday, according to informed sources of the move.
Linebacker Mark Duffer will serve as acting CD.
The team then confirmed the move.
"I have the greatest respect for Mike Smith as a man and as a football coach," coach Dirk Koetter said in a statement. "These decisions are always difficult, but our top priority is to do everything possible to help this team succeed.As I have said in the past, the problems we encountered as a team are never the fault of one person.It is a collective effort between coaches and players.We all understand that it is a result-oriented profession. and our results so far are not up to our standards.I would like to thank Mike for all his hard work, hard work and passion that he has shown here every day and I wish him a lot. of success. "
Smith joined the Bucs in 2016 when Koetter was named head coach. Since Smith took power in Tampa, the Bucs have dropped 20 games of 400 yards, mostly in the NFL. The Colts and 49ers (who are heading for the MNF) are as follows.
Of the 20,400-yard games played, there were 416 total yards on Sunday in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons – 346 yards to Matt Ryan's pass and 70 yards allowed.
While the Bucs have improved their defensive front this season, including scorer Jason Pierre-Paul, the Tampa back is still one of the worst in the NFL. The defenders of the Bucs have often been put in bad positions, have been the subject of miscommunication and have played some suspicious stratagems.
For six weeks, Smith's defense was ranked 32nd in points per game allowed (34.6), 32nd yards per pass allocated by tipping (355.6), and 31st by the number of yards allowed per game (439.8), and totaled 9 bags in total (28th overall) while being the fifth stingiest defense (84.2 YPG).
Tampa has yielded more than 400 yards in each of five games this season.
With a high-flying offense, it is arguable that the Bucs could be ahead of their division if they would have given only 350 yards per game and 25 points per game – averages close to the NFL.
It's strange to leave Smith this week. Given that their departure was scheduled for week 5, if the move had taken place earlier, the changes might have been more significant. Nevertheless, Tampa will try to adjust on the fly.
A 2-3, if the series of defeats is extended with matches against the Browns and Bengals, it could be Koetter who will be the next to go out in Tampa.
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