The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

This decision comes a day after the Buccaneers fell 34-29 on the road to the struggling Atlanta Falcons, who sat at 1-4 entering this contest. With the loss, the Buccaneers have now lost three consecutive games, quickly erasing what was a promising 2-0 start led by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Tampa Bay now ranks 20th in yards allowed per game (439.8), and last in scoring defense (34.6). A unit that consists of Lavonte David and Gerald McCoy shouldn't be struggling this much, so the Bucs' decision shouldn't be all that surprising.

Smith is the first coordinator to get fired in the 2018 season. The former Atlanta Falcons head coach (from 2008-14), landed Tampa's DC gig for the 2016 season, but the unit never got it going under his leadership.

Tampa Bay ranked dead last in yardage last season and in a tie for 22nd in scoring defense. Smith inherited a very young and talented group when he first took the defensive coordinator role, but the results just didn't show.

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Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa's defense was virtually non-existent in their Week 1 48-40 victory over the New Orleans Saints. It fared well in Week 2 against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, a 27-21 victory.

But the Buccaneers have surrendered at least 30 points per game in each of the last three games now, and they stand little chance at catching the 4-1 New Orleans Saints for the NFC South lead.

Jameis Winston and the young Bucs went 9-7 in 2016, breathing new hope and optimism into the long-suffering fan base. But instead of building upon that, the Buccaneers slipped to the bottom of the NFC South, and they'll have to scratch and claw to avoid the division basement once again.

Smith's firing is the first major change on the coaching staff. If the Bucs continue to fall apart like this, more will surely follow Smith out the door.

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