LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl picks Gerald McCoy and Kwon Alexander responded to some scathing criticism from Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp this week, when he called the Bucs' 2017 defensive performance "disgraceful."

“I don’t listen to the outside noise," said Alexander, who's in Orlando, Florida, this week taking part in his first Pro Bowl. "I don’t care who’s talking about our team. He had his run and we’ve got ours. This is on me, my defense. We’re gonna get to where we need to be. They weren’t perfect when they first got here. We’re gonna get the job done. So he can just stay over there…”

In an interview with Spectrum Sports, Sapp said, "I'm lost. I'm as lost as any fan. And I know defense when I'm looking at it. It just doesn't make sense."

"It really does not make sense what they're doing on a play-in, play-out basis," Sapp said. "But, hey, somebody is making a lot more money than me doing it. So I'm gonna hope that they can fix it because what we saw this year was disgraceful, absolutely disgraceful."

Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp talks to the Bucs' Gerald McCoy before a preseason game last August. Sapp offered pointed criticism of the Bucs' defense in an interview. Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire

Alexander's point about the Bucs' defense when Sapp first arrived in Tampa in 1995 is valid. Sapp had three sacks in his rookie season and didn't reach double digits until Year 3. Linebacker Derrick Brooks, who was drafted that same year, was playing out of position as a strongside linebacker and struggled at times. The Bucs went 7-9 and finished fifth in the NFC Central. It was an experience Sapp has referred to as a "three-ring circus" under coach Sam Wyche. That was the year before Tony Dungy arrived.

“It’s tough, but we’ve been hearing it," Alexander said of the criticism. "We’ve just gotta overcome it and just do our job. Then when we do our job, they’re gonna be all on us. You know how that goes.”

McCoy, who at times has shown an aversion to criticism, did not take Sapp's comments personally. Sapp has been a mentor to McCoy since he was drafted by the Bucs in 2010.

“Me and Sapp, we’re good friends and he knows I take a lot of his advice," McCoy said. "But Sapp is Sapp. Sapp is gonna say what he wants, how he feels and he’s always been that way. He [doesn’t] hold his tongue. If that’s how he feels, then that’s fine."

"I mean, obviously we weren’t doing well," McCoy said. "We gave up too many points, too many yards and didn’t make the playoffs. One thing you can say about the teams that are in the Super Bowl and played in the NFC Championship is all four of them have really good defenses. So it’s just a motivator. Whatever we’ve gotta do to make sure our defense gets to that next level.”

Sapp's comments also appeared to be directed more at defensive coordinator Mike Smith and his scheme, a factor that McCoy hesitated to address directly.

“I’m not the coach. I just play," McCoy said. "I do what I’m told. I do what I’m coached to do. If that’s the scheme that I’m in, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. I’m not the coordinator. He’s gonna have to take that up with Coach Smith.”

Super Bowl LII Coverage The Eagles upset the Patriots to secure their first Super Bowl victory. • Eagles take crown » | No Pats' comeback »

• How Eagles beat Pats at their own game »

• Inside 'Philly Special' fourth-down call »

• Tom Brady was brilliant, left broken »

• Officiating grades » | All the records »

• The biggest moments from the game »

• What should Philly do with Foles? »

• Now what? Execs debate Pats' future

• 'Bettor X' cashes in on big Eagles bets »

A year ago, the Bucs were being lauded for retaining Smith, who helped orchestrate an impressive defensive turnaround late in the season that enabled them to win five straight games and finish just shy of the playoffs.

“I love Coach Smith," McCoy said. "I think some things could be different. I think he could switch things up. But a lot of it was us -- just guys trying to do too much, guys being out of place. If we get some more guys up front and get some guys on the back end and we’re gonna be all right.”

Smith did show a willingness to adapt his scheme this year, something not every coordinator does. When the Bucs were shorthanded because of injuries to their front four, they began using rookie strongside linebacker Kendell Beckwith as a stand-up rusher at the line of scrimmage, resulting in a 3-3-5 package, allowing them to play nickel with their back end but keep all three linebackers on the field. It produced mixed results.

“The ultimate goal is to win," McCoy said. "So Coach Smith is not going out there giving us a game plan where he thinks it’s not gonna work. He’s giving us what he thinks is gonna work. I trust him. He’s a smart guy. He’s had success with defenses his whole career. He’ll get it fixed. He’ll give us the right scheme. We’ve gotta go out there and execute.”