Buccaneers plagued by slow starts this season Ira Kaufman, The Tampa Tribune, published 13 October 2014 Slow starts have frustrated the Bucs and their supporters during a 1-5 getaway, and Sunday was certainly no exception. Opponents have outscored Tampa Bay 72-17 in the opening quarter and the Bucs have lost the past 15 times they yielded the first points of the game. “We put ourselves in bad situations, getting down so early,’’ RT Demar Dotson said, referring to Sunday’s 28-0 deficit after 15 minutes. “That forced us to pass the ball, pass the ball, pass the ball, trying to get points on the board. That really takes away from our offfense.’’ The Ravens took most of the crowd out of the game with a 224-yard blitz in the opening quarter that featured 11 first downs and crisp execution on third down. “They just came out fast and we started off really slow,’’ said Bucs receiver Louis Murphy, who led all players with a career-high seven receptions, including a 3-yard catch that capped Tampa Bay’s scoring. “We just kind of got behind the eight ball and it was kind of a snowball effect.’’ Bucs get extra week to regroup before Vikings The Bucs now have two weeks to regroup for their next game, a home matchup against the Vikings. The timing of the bye week drew mixed reactions in the locker room. “It’s probably good and bad,’’ said rookie wide receiver Mike Evans, who caught four passes for 55 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown. “Everybody can get healthy and get themselves ready to beat Minnesota, but it’s tough to head into the bye week after a game like this.’’ Center Evan Dietrich-Smith is hoping the break can help Tampa Bay players and coaches develop a winning strategy. “We’ve got a bye week coming up and we can take this time to reflect,’’ he said. But David’s initial reaction to the week off was one of disappointment. “Bad timing, horrible timing,’’ he said. “I’d play again tomorrow if I could. But you never know, maybe we do need this bye to recuperate and make adjustments.’’