The Buccaneers' defense has had its share of problems through the first two games of the season, and missed tackles have been near the top of the list. Tampa Bay has been one of the worst tackling teams in the NFL through two weeks. It is an issue that has been noticeable on film and has allowed opposing offenses to turn manageable plays into much bigger gains.
The problems started against Cincinnati in Week 1. Following the loss, Todd Bowles mentioned the number of tackles Tampa Bay left on the field. The defense had opportunities to limit yards after the catch and get Cincinnati off the field, but too many plays continued because the first defender could not finish, and those same issues carried over against Cleveland. One of the biggest examples
came on Denzel Boston's 55-yard touchdown reception. Tampa Bay had defenders in position to limit the play, but Boston was able to break free and take it the rest of the way for a touchdown. In a game the Bucs eventually lost 23 to 19, plays like that made a major difference.
The missed tackles have also undermined some of the things Tampa Bay has done well defensively. The Bucs held Cleveland to just 44 rushing yards on 23 carries and 267 total yards. The defense was not consistently getting pushed around, but mistakes at key moments prevented those numbers from translating into a win. That makes tackling an important area to watch against Minnesota, as Kyler Murray is already difficult enough to contain because of his ability to escape pressure and extend plays. Justin Jefferson can also turn a short completion into a big gain if defenders fail to bring him down immediately. The Bucs have been in position to make plenty of these plays. The bigger issue has been finishing them.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs continue to miss tackles at alarming rate
