NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians was not happy with his team’s performance, especially after he feels was a great week in practice.

“It’s very disappointing,” Arians said, via ESPN. “It’s very alarming to watch the energy at every practice and show up with a lack of execution and energy that it takes to win on Sunday. We’ve got a lot of soul-searching to do.”

Arians focused on the mental errors and feels his team didn’t show up prepared to play on Sunday. Penalties and interceptions put the Buccaneers in an early hole they couldn’t dig out of. 

“Energy and passion are very fixable,” Arians said. “The penalties — they’ve gotta get corrected sooner or later. The first play of the game — they’re shifting and we jump offsides. They don’t even run a play and we jump offsides. The stupidity has to go away if we’re gonna go anywhere.”

Arians said the team is not very smart mentally, and that’s a direct reflection on himself and his coaching staff.

“It has nothing to do with ability. It’s about execution and being a smart football team. We’re a very dumb football team. And that’s a reflection on the coaches,” Arians said.

• rians added the team didn’t want QB Tom Brady throwing downfield much because he didn’t think the protection would allow it. (Rick Stroud)
• Buccaneers CB Richard Sherman will be out a while with his calf injury that he sustained during pregame warmups. (Greg Auman)

Falcons

Falcons QB Matt Ryan said he has to move forward from his worst passer rating since 2008 in Sunday’s 43-3 loss to the Cowboys.

• Falcons HC Arthur Smith was stoic at the podium after a loss to the Cowboys: “We didn’t do hardly anything well, clearly not prepared coming in.” (Tori McElhaney)

Panthers

• Panthers HC Matt Rhule said that RB Christian McCaffrey did not tweak his hamstring. A spotter in the booth buzzed down to have him checked for a head injury, in which he was ultimately cleared. (Joe Person)
• Rhule would not commit to QB Cam Newton starting next week against Washington, but did add: “We brought Cam here to play.” (Person)
• Rhule also demurred when asked about what 2022 holds for Newton and the Panthers: “[It’s] just about today — just about this year. We wanted to do what we could to win this game, then win the next one. We’ll worry about next year next year.” (Peter King)
• On Monday, Rhule added Newton will get first-team reps this week. (Person)
• Newton said he was thrilled to be back with the team: “I am almost floating at an all-time high energy. It’s almost scary.” (David Newton)
• Panthers CB Stephon Gilmore might have dislocated his finger on Sunday, which is why he exited the game briefly after a pass breakup. (Person)