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Buccaneers fire DC Mike Smith

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith, the team announced in a statement on Monday.

After six weeks, the Buccaneers' defense ranks second-last in yards allowed per game (439.8), and the unit is giving up a league-worst 34.6 points per game.

Tampa Bay finished 2017 dead last in yards allowed per game (378.1). That led to a busy offseason, with the team's front office bringing aboard defensive linemen Jason Pierre-Paul, Vinny Curry, Beau Allen, and first-round draft pick Vita Vea.

Yet the defensive struggles have continued. The Buccaneers gave up 40 points to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, surrendered another 30 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3, allowed 48 points to the Chicago Bears in Week 4, and the Atlanta Falcons lit them up for 34 points on Sunday following a bye week.

The Bucs' offense ranks second in yards per game (448.6) and first in passing (368.4). However, due in part to the defensive issues, Tampa Bay has dropped its last three games.

Smith, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2008 to 2014, went to Tampa in 2016 and helped the Buccaneers' defense improve from 26th to 15th in points allowed. As a result, he was a hot head coaching candidate. However, the past season and a half have doused those flames.

Smith was the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Linebackers coach Mark Duffner has been named as his replacement.

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