Bucs can’t figure out how to win

TAMPA — Booger McFarland, the former Buc, said something last week on the “Mike & Mike’’ radio show right after the Bucs blew a seven-point lead in the closing minutes of a 30-27 loss to the Bills that dropped them to 2-4 heading into today’s home game against NFC South rival Carolina (4-3).

He said the Bucs have not yet learned how to win. He’s right. There are still way too many games that the Bucs should win and don’t, and it’s hard to find an explanation for why.

That’s because the Bucs never lose for the same reason.

One week, the defense collapses. The next week, the offense does nothing. Another week, the kicker misses a field goal.

Maybe there really is something to simply not knowing how to win.

“The art of winning a football game is something that is learned,’’ said McFarland, who works for ESPN. “You can be the most talented team, you can have the best players, but there is going to come a time in every game where you have to know how to win and how to make plays.’’

McFarland then looked at the Buffalo game. The Bucs had that game won. Then they stopped making plays.

The Bucs gave up a long pass. Committed a penalty. Gave up a TD. Got the ball and fumbled on the next play.

In just a few moments, the Bucs went from winners to losers.

“This team has to go through the growing pains of losing some of those tight games,’’ McFarland said. “That way they’ll appreciate and understand the effort and mental toughness that it takes to win in the NFL.’’

The old Bucs had to go through it. McFarland remembers listening to veterans Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp tell stories about learning how to win in the NFL. They talked about winning a game against the Chargers in 1996. They made plays that they hadn’t made before.

Tony Dungy, the coach in 1996, said the turning point was actually a few weeks later, when the Bucs threw a giant wrench into Washington’s postseason plans.

Either way, Dungy doesn’t see it as learning to win but learning you’re going to win. There’s a difference.

“Some teams never exactly figure out how they’re going to win, what their formula is,’’ he said.

The old Bucs had a formula: Play defense. Protect the ball. Score just enough points. Then play more defense.

The problem is, the 2017 Bucs still haven’t figured out a formula. They don’t have an identity.

“I don’t think they know how to win with this group quite yet,’’ Dungy said. “They want to be explosive on offense. They’ve got Doug Martin back. What does it mean? Are we going to be a running team, or is Jameis (Winston) throwing it all over the field? Are we a bend-but-notbreak defense, stop people in the red zone, make people kick field goals? What’s the plan?”

Having no plan is great plan for losing. a