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The Bay offense? What Tampa Bay offense? There is none. Ask why and you get a number of different reasons, perhaps the best coming from their veteran offensive tackle, Mike Current:
"I can't tell you. I just don't know. I just know it is very embarrassing, especially since we spent the week concentrating on scoring.
THE BAY BUCS had their second straight scoreless game in a 23-0 loss to the San Diego Chargers Sunday afternoon. Furthermore, they never mounted a serious challenge, causing San Diego defensive coordinator Jackie Simpson to chuckle and admit, "I'd like play a 14-game schedule against them."
It is a consensus of opinion that the problem lies with the line and that there is little the quarterbacks or the running backs can do about the situation. 'We are obviously not getting the job done," said Current. "San Diego's defenders wore right where the X's were drawn on the board last week. From a standpoint of coaching, we couldn't have been more prepared, yet we couldn’t do the job."
Starting tackle Dave Reavis wag hurt early in the game and Coach John McKay thought his absence might not have hurt since there were tackle replacements. Current said Reavis' leaving hurt, but he said the two remaining tackles, he and Steve Young, had no opportunity to get tired. “Hell, we didn't run enough plays to get tired' ho said.
OTHERS, LIKE running back Essex Johnson and tight end Bob Moore, hinted that changes might have to be made up front. "During the preseason' said Johnson, "we had some veterans up there. Now we're going with young people, and they're making mistakes. An offensive team can’t have consistency when, on one play, one breaks down and then another and another. We may have to make some changes.
"It's no picnic," admitted the 30.year.old Johnson, "but you have to feel next week will be better. The future is really important to an expansion club but, of course, I'd like to see it (winning) happen quickly."
Moore said the offensive line "has some things that have to be worked out. "For whatever reason," he said, seem to be playing too cautiously. Everybody seems to be afraid of making mistakes and our offensive psyche is not yet positive."
McKay used three quarterbacks in an attempt to get something started, although he admitted the offensive breakdown was not the fault of the quarterbacks. "IF HE RUNS the play we call and hands off, and the play loses three yards," McKay said, "it's not the quarterback's fault."
Starting quarterback Steve Spurrier had little to say after the game. He was apparently not happy with sitting out the second half and with McKay's habit of calling every play from the bench.
Asked if his feelings wore hurt by being replaced first by Larry Lawrence and then by Parnell Dickinson, Spurrier said, "Yeah. Yeah, sure I was... yeah, what else can I say?"
About the play-calling from the bench, he said, "I'd better not say anything. Talk to me next week."
And he walked away.
DICKINSON, WHO broke a 46-yard run on his first offensive play, was cheered by the fans hanging over the tunnel to the locker room as the Bucs limped in after the game, while Spurrier, the last player to come through, was resoundingly booed.
But Dickinson, despite getting no commitment from McKay about whom he would use as a starter next week against Buffalo, indicated he was not planning on winning the starting job that easily. “I came here to start," he said, "but every player goes through a time when it's his time to sit and learn. Right now, it's my turn to sit."
Dickinson said he had no gripes about McKay's play-calling. "What he says goes," he said. "If he's satisfied, I'm satisfied.'.'
Lawrence was anything but satisfied with his play, which included a ludicrous interception of a screen pass to set up a San Diego field goal. “I WANTED TO put my best foot forward,"' he said figuratively, "and instead I stepped backwards and sprained my ankle. I guess I was too nervous. I threw that screen four feet too high, and I guess that's indicative of what happens when you have too much juice running through your body. To sum it up, I'd say the defense left its hearts on the field and I left a pile of dog manure and then stepped in it."
"But all we need is a little more work, right Larry?" piped up Dickinson from the adjacent locker.
"A little more work and a little more rhythm," answered Lawrence. "A little more soul, Parnell, that's what we need."
That's the problem. At the moment, the Buccaneers' offense has absolutely no soul.
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