The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty to hang their hats on after the first half of their preseason game against the Steelers. 

The first half obviously went in favor of Pittsburgh, but Baker Mayfield looked good and most of Tampa's depth players looked like they are up to the task of competing in 2023. 

However, there was one major weakness for the Bucs that was pretty obvious from the opening snap; the coaching.

Now, the play-calling in the run game was just as unimaginative as it was under Byron Leftwich over the past few years, but we aren't even going to harp on that right now due to the fact that it is still the preseason.

We are all used to that. What we aren't used to is a team lacking discipline like this Bucs team has tonight.

Well, perhaps we are used to that after watching a Todd Bowles-led Bucs team for the past year.

Tampa accounted for six penalties in the first half, and the sheer number of preventable penalties (illegal formations) should be cause for a major red flag on this coaching staff.

Guys blocking in the back or messing up when the plays are going on is one thing. The speed of the sport can be hard to keep up with when the emotions are high. But setting guys up in the wrong spots over and over again stems from coaching, and that is unacceptable.

Everyone already knew the coaching staff was going to be the biggest limiting factor for this roster coming into the season. We may not have planned for it to pop up in such a way during the preseason, but at least no one has to get surprised later in the year now.

Todd Bowles needs to turn it around soon if he wants to save his job. The second half has to be better.

Important Buccaneers players have perfect preseason start

Couldn’t look much better.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports