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TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith on Monday, one day after a 34-29 loss to Atlanta Falcons.
Linebackers coach Mark Duffner will serve as the interim defensive coordinator. Duffner had previously served as defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2001-2002.
"I have the utmost respect for Mike Smith as a man and a football coach," Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said in a statement. "These decisions are always difficult, but our goal is to ensure that we do everything possible to help this team succeed.
As As During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During During We We We We We "I want to thank Mike for all the hard work and passion we have for a long time."
The Bucs Defense surrendered 416 yards of offense against the Falcons and allowed them to go 3-for-3 in the Sunday red zone. They fell to 2-3 after an electrifying 2-0 start. But things cooled when the Bucs' high-powered offense slowed.
Two weeks ago against the Chicago Bears, the Bucs allowed second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to throw six touchdown passes in a 48-10 loss demoralizing.
The Bears game was so bad that an online petition was set up by fans calling for Smith's firing. Koetter and the Bucs were criticized when the team did not make a change during the week. Media members questioned whether or not Koetter would fire Smith considering their history, having worked together with both the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007 and the Atlanta Falcons from 2012 to 2014.
Through five games this season, Smith's defense was giving up 439.8 yards. By comparison, train head coach Lovie Smith was fired after his defense gave up 354.7 yards per game over two years.
This season, the Bucs ranks: points per game (34.6), passing yards per game (356), red zone touchdown percentage (94 percent) and opponent quarterback rating (80) – the highest since QBR was first tracked in 2006.
The problems with Smith go back much farther than that. Sunday was the 20th time Smith's defense surrendered over 400 yards of offense in 37 games. They also surrendered 306 explosive plays, third-most in the league during that span.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Bucs have also generated the lowest NFL rate since it was named defensive coordinator, generating pressure on just 23.1 percent of dropbacks.
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