Leftwich: 'Everybody wants to throw dirt on the Bucs'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich doesn't think the team deserves all the criticism it's received this season.

"I think you guys overexaggerate because we look different," Leftwich said Thursday, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. "The numbers say we're not that far off. ... For some reason, everybody wants to throw dirt on the Bucs."

Tampa Bay entered the 2022 campaign as one of the favorites in the NFC after winning 13 games last season and the Super Bowl two years ago. However, it hasn't met those expectations, especially on offense.

The Buccaneers, who claimed the NFC South title last Sunday despite being only 8-8, rank 24th in scoring, 11th in yards, and 20th in expected points added per play.

"When you really listen to people talk about us, it's emotions talking," Leftwich said, per Auman. "That's not really people that are watching us, watching us get better every week."

He added: "I know it looks bad to everybody, but I think we're the 12th-best offense in the league. Ain't that something? We still have a long way to go."

Leftwich does see flaws in his offense, though.

"We're awful from third down and red zone," he said. "It's disappointing, those two things, for us as a team with who we have."

Tampa Bay's offense ranks 22nd on third down and 25th in the red zone this season, scoring a touchdown in just 51.1% of its red-zone trips.

The Buccaneers are coming off a win over the Carolina Panthers in which they scored at least 30 points for only the second time this season. Tampa Bay, which has already clinched the No. 4 seed in the NFC, closes out its regular season against the Atlanta Falcons before hosting a wild-card game.