The Bucs haven’t just lost three straight games. They have been soundly outplayed in all three contests. They also lost 48-3 in San Francisco this year.
In the latest disaster, the Bucs were trounced by Houston 37-9 in front of a half-empty stadium.
“I’ve never been so despondent after a loss,” cornerback Ronde Barber said after the game via Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune.
This is supposed to be a “Youngry” team full of effort. But coach Raheem Morris said he saw too many “loafs” against Houston, questioning his players’ effort. Morris is responding by making them practice in pads as much as allowed.
“On defense we had some issues with effort on some of the big plays, the two big plays,” Morris said Monday.
“These are the types of losses that cause the local papers to look hard at the man in charge. For the first time, Morris is taking heat about his own job.
“If you’re the Glazers and see a team cart-wheeling to the Earth in a fireball, crashing in front of an ocean of empty seats, in a market where the sports dollar is stretched thin, you may feel compelled to act,” Henderson wrote Tuesday.
We find it hard to believe Morris’ job could be in jeopardy because of the team’s strong 2010 season and young roster. Lose enough blowouts, however, and we suppose anything is possible.