Bucs scout officials as much as they do opponents

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians admits this year's spike in penalties creates a coaching challenge.

Across the NFL this year, we're seeing a significant spike in penalties. Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has noticed.

That's why Arians is making sure his team is as prepared for every week's lineup of officials as they are the opposing team.

Back in April, Arians hired former NFL official Larry Rose to assist with knowledge and interpretation of the league's seemingly ever-changing rules, and their subsequent enforcement. Rose has 40 years of officiating experience, including 17 seasons as a side judge in the NFL.

For Arians, the current landscape when it comes to penalties creates a challenge for coaches and players alike.

"It is a challenge," Arians said Friday. "You try to coach it by the rules. That's why I hired Larry. We show videos of our own penalties every week, and what this crew will call, and how they call it, and try to give our team as big a scouting report of the officials as we do the other team."

The Bucs have been flagged 20 times through two games so far this season, tied for the third-most in the entire NFL. 

Bucs fans will be hoping the continued focus on preparing players for the officials as much as their opponent will start to pay off in the form of less than 10 penalties per game.