Former Buccaneer Great Thinks Team Lacks Motivation
One of the most beloved and all-time great Buccaneers shared his thoughts on what the team is lacking in a recent short video with The33rdTeam.com after the Bucs' loss to the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday.
Barber did choose his words smartly when discussing the Buccaneers' issues, but he also stated what many can almost tell from outside the organization. Barber spoke on the things many know: there is something going on with the coaching, the team definitely doesn't look focused or even motivated to be out there, and Tom Brady is distracted with all of his personal life issues going on at the moment.
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Even though Barber believes that Brady is distracted, he points towards the coaching as possibly being a bigger issue.
“What is kind of questioning me is, are the coaches giving him the right plays, or are they giving the team the right plays?” Barber asked. “Are they preparing the same way as they have in the past?”
Even with the obvious change of head coaches, the offense (especially the play-calling) should not have changed all that much as OC Byron Leftwich has worked in that role the past few seasons with Brady at the helm.
The Bucs have also not been able to sustain drives on offense and do not look sound on the defensive side of the ball - not filling the right gaps or making tackles when needed. Per Barber, this is due to a lack of motivation by the players.
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"To me, that speaks to motivation,” Barber said. “That speaks to me, actually, waking up in the morning and getting ready to do your job on a day-in and day-out basis. And this just does not look like that team right now.”
The Bucs have been criticized by others this season as well and this will continue to be the case until they can turn things around. With one of the most talented rosters in the NFL it is hard to conceive that this will in fact be the ceiling of the Buccaneers this season, but with all the issues occurring at the moment it just very well may be.
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