TAMPA — Nobody has suggested the Bucs should have somehow anticipated the chaos of the past two weeks, with their season opener at Miami postponed until November by Hurricane Irma and players spread all over the country last weekend before returning Tuesday to prepare for this week's opener against the Bears.
But coach Dirk Koetter was a bit defensive in addressing the delay before Sunday's game — as much as a full calendar month since the last playing time for some players — by reminding that his team would have handled playing time in the preseason differently if it had known what was ahead.