Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano has urged his side to avoid doing anything that may result in them being suspended.

Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson was handed a one-match ban yesterday for a helmet-to-helmet hit on New Orleans Saints running Darren Sproles during Sunday's match between the two sides.

"As I tell the guys, whether you think it's a penalty or not, it's called, so it's a penalty," Schiano told reporters.

"That's really the issue. If something is going to be called, we have to avoid it. It's hurting the football team. By the same token, I want our guys to play hard.

"I don't think anybody is intentionally trying to do that. We just have to be more and more aware of that situation and make sure we avoid that as much as we can."

Tampa Bay went on to lose the match 16-14 when a last-gasp Garrett Hartley field goal gave the Saints a dramatic victory.