Explosive Plays
September 22nd, 2017
Stingy defense.
Winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is a big believer in explosive plays.
Other than turnovers, Koetter believes, explosive plays are the biggest factors in determining a winner or a loser of a game. It’s a huge reason why the Bucs beefed up their receiver corps in the offseason.
Well, thus far this early season, it seems no NFL team is better at defending explosive run plays than the Vikings. That is the nugget dug up by data-driven, limousine-ridin’, jet-flyin’, kiss-stealin’, data-analyzin’, Bucs-film-studyin’ Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times.
@tometrics: After two games, the #Vikings are the only team that has not allowed an explosive run play (12 or more yards).
This is not good because the lone weak spot on the Bucs roster is running back. And it seems the Vikings stifle run plays. Not a good matchup.
So it seems if the Bucs are going to win Sunday, it will be on the shoulders of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. Just for reference here, when Jameis threw 35 or fewer times in a game last year, the Bucs were 8-4. When Jameis threw over 35 times, the Bucs were 1-3.
Also, per Bassinger, the Vikings are fourth in the NFL in allowing fewest explosive plays combined by air (16-yards or more) or on the ground (12-yards or more).
September 22nd, 2017 at 9:17 am
Would like to give the Vikings a dose of what other teams give us…..short passes…….screens to Djax, Hump, Sims, Howard & Brate with a sprinkle of long shots to Evans and Djax.
Djax & Sims can produce YAC……
September 22nd, 2017 at 9:17 am
Last year was last year. Winston has a plethora of legit weapons now. ME13. DJax, Brate, OJ, Hump, Godwin, Sims…
As long as the Oline is giving Jameis some time to work with – this team will win more games than it losses even if the opposing D’s have success taking away our run game.
Doug Martin comes back in 11 days and will shore up our run game if it proves lacking between now and then (which is likely because the Vikings and Giants both have formidable fronts).
September 22nd, 2017 at 9:32 am
Otw bro.
September 22nd, 2017 at 9:41 am
Watch out for Chris Godwin this week!!!
September 22nd, 2017 at 10:18 am
It’s always on the shoulders of Jameis.
September 22nd, 2017 at 10:39 am
IDK, Joe. I don’t think the Bucs are relying on explosive run plays now. Not until Martin gets back at least.
Minnesota gave up 8 explosive pass plays versus the Saints and the Steelers. This is where the Bucs will look to exploit. They also gave up 2-3 huge pass interference penalties. Watching them vs the Steelers the only reason Pittsburgh didn’t have more explosive pass plays was due to the fact that they took the foot off the pedal and just relied on field position and clock management to finish the game.
A team doesn’t require explosive plays to run effectively. Pittsburgh was gashing them for runs of 6-9 yards at the end of the game. Hopefully, that is is what Barber will do late.
September 22nd, 2017 at 11:03 am
tnew I favor what Ben said to the media after the game in the locker room. Something about we’re not trying to be peaking right now,just wanna get wins early in the season.
September 22nd, 2017 at 11:10 am
Agree with all of the above.
If Barber can run for his average( 4+ yards), then that will be sufficient to make them respect the run. I think Rodgers and Barber will be a good duo.
Then we dice them with a great duo. Brate and Howard.
If those 4 are effective, and I think they will be, then Desean will get solo coverage enough times- to burn them deep on occasion.
I dont think anything can stop Mike Evans from getting around 100 yards. And Chris Godwin should be a factor.
The real issues will be be, if Grimes can play, and can we pressure the QB.
Particularly if its Bradford.
I believe we can stop their running game. Our weakness is going to be getting pressure on their QB, before they can pick on Hargeaves- is still seems to be struggling.
Especially if Grimes is out
September 22nd, 2017 at 12:12 pm
it’ll be exciting to see Rhodes on Evans. He’s shut down most teams #1 WRs but Evans is just such a beast that in 1 on 1 i think he’d win a lot of the battles.
Their other CBs aren’t bad either; but good luck to 40 year old Newman trying to cover Djax or Godwin if we can get those matchups. Howard/Brate also should be able to get in favorable situations.
September 22nd, 2017 at 12:13 pm
This morning both Torry Holt and the other guy on the NFL Sirius network picked the Vikings over the Bucs. I turned the show off and may not listen again until next week when they have to eat crow.
September 22nd, 2017 at 12:15 pm
BUCS-24 VIKES-10…..GO BUCS!!!!
September 22nd, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Two Words. RED ZONE. I know this team can easily make it’s way from our one yard line to any team in the NFL’s 20 through the passing game. If you’re not gonna make it in the end zone on an explosive play, you gotta make good plays to get TDs inside the red zone. Plain and simple.
September 22nd, 2017 at 12:38 pm
Man I hope the defense can shut the Vikings down like they did the Bears. Give DC only 20 yards and 4 turnovers and people are gonna start talkin and teams are gonna start shakin.
September 22nd, 2017 at 1:08 pm
Associated Press
The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes, Le’Veon Bell ran for 87 yards and the Steelers kept the Minnesota Vikings in check during a 26-9 victory on Sunday.
AGAIN….there are stats and there are stats and there are FACTS!!
Big Ben hit Martavis Bryant with a 27 yard TD pass in the first half of that game.
I’m generally a fan of Bassinger and his stats and interpretations but this is just bogus. First the sample size is waaaaay too small. Secondly the average of those stats was effected by the Vikes victory over the winless and hapless Saints.
I don’t know about you guys but I consider two TD’s in the first half to be explosive plays. A TD pass from outside the red zone…a 27 yarder is explosive enough for me.
September 22nd, 2017 at 2:54 pm
“Explosive” running plays are fairly meaningless. It’s much more frustrating for a defense to give up 4-6 every play as Buc fans can attest from past experience.
Grinding it out wears out and demoralizes a defense more than an occasional rushing gash.
That said, this game will come down to turnovers and who has the better passing game.
What fans enjoy about football and what wins football games can be two different concepts.
I watched coaches films of both Vikings games. Their O does not scare me (discount their Saints game; the Saints may have the single worst defense I have ever seen in the NFL). Their D does concern me because they look a lot like the Bucs: stout up the middle, fast LB’s and capable DB’s.
The Stillers had *zero* problem with the Vikes O and the Vikes D was a non-factor.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:00 pm
@stpetebucsfan
You must just love to hear yourself talk. Of course that TD was an explosive play, anything over 20 yards passing is considered explosive. But, how many explosive plays did the Bucs have against the sorry Bears? Not many. There is no reason why the Bucs shouldn’t start out 2-0, unless Keenan lights our defense up again. Winston has looked a little off this year in the Preseason and the first game though. Something tells me we aren’t going to score more than 20 points in this game so we are going to need the defense to step up again. Minnesota has a better offense than Chicago so I don’t expect the Vikes to score less than 10 points.
Wouldn’t have said anything but you had to comment on me wanting to wait and see how they play after 5 or 6 weeks. All you did was prove my point but tried to make me look stupid because you didn’t know what I was talking about. The defense may have to carry this team for a couple games until the offense starts clicking. Don’t think James is use to his new toys yet and is a little inconsistent at times. Accuracy still looks like a problem for Winston, not sure yet. Playoffs or BUST for the Bucs this year though, no excuses! You need to win the games you play against the teams you may be tied with come Playoff time. I don’t expect us to win the Division but expect to be a Wildcard team. We should win at least 10 or 11 games this year. Go BUCS!
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:07 pm
Big stinky calls out st Pete for talking too much, and then proceeds to write a novel. Lol.
I’m not worried about explosive run plays because we don’t have those anyways. If we can pick up 3 – 6 yard runs, we’ll be just fine.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:49 pm
Stinky Pete’s an Elder Statesmen here bro. Going at him is going to garner a response from someone most of the time. Not saying anyone is beyond that but Pete one of a few guys I would pick for competition against other fanbases when it comes to knowledge and writing format in regards to nfl football.
September 22nd, 2017 at 8:30 pm
If this game is on Winston, we are in trouble. Hopefully we can run the ball and our defense force 2 more turnovers than we have. Also Everyone Griffien will eat up Donovan Smith. IMO, JW throws 2 picks and has a sack fumble due to pressure from EG.IMO less than 30% chance we win this one. Vikings won’t beat us, we’ll beat ourselves.
September 22nd, 2017 at 8:39 pm
I think the fundamental question in ALL of our games this year will be, do we trust Winston?