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Reinhold Matay/Associated Press

Grade: F (55)

Speaking of basements, welcome to rock bottom, folks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the recipients of the lowest grade of the NFL's 32 teams from our panel, a flat-out, big, red, glaring F.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. After making a number of big free-agent signings (including quarterback Josh McCown and defensive end Michael Johnson), the Buccaneers were supposed to be a vastly improved team in Lovie Smith's first season at the helm.

Instead, this may wind up being Smith's only season at the helm.

That's because the Buccaneers have been bad in every facet of the game. They rank 31st in total defense, surrendering almost 400 yards a game. They're equally putrid on offense, with only the Oakland Raiders gaining fewer yards per contest.

McCown was horrible before getting hurt, and then he was benched in favor of Mike Glennon, who has since been benched in favor of McCown again. Johnson has been either injured or invisible.

It's gotten so bad that Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who has been a rare bright spot for the team in 2014, told ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas that he feels the team has become too used to losing.

"Everybody's frustrated, but I don't think anybody's upset enough with losing," McCoy said. "It's like, 'OK, we had a lot of good plays, and they came back. They won. Now on to the next.' No, we've got to stop that."

Still, Smith insisted after last week's loss to Cleveland that the Buccaneers are headed in the right direction:

There's no doubt we're headed in the right direction, but you say that about four games ago. We have to find a way to win a game is what we have to do. And that's what we haven't been able to figure out. And we're running out of time. We're at the halfway point in our season now. It's about November football, playing your best ball right now, and we haven't.

Tell yourself whatever you need to, Lovie. We're not buying it.