Bucs Fired Off 32 Blitzes
December 21st, 2010
There’s no question who Raheem Morris’ favorite reindeer is.
By former Bucs defensive end Steve White’s count, Raheem was “Blitzen” 32 times against the Lions on Sunday. No sacks, but today we did learn the Bucs separated Lions third-string quarterback Drew Stanton’s shoulder in the first half.
In his must-read Bull Rush column on his Passing on the Game blog, White starts off his long critique of the Bucs defense with a take on the blitzes.
Oh and boy did Coach Morris call them.
32 by my unofficial count.
And yet after all that the Bucs still didn’t have any sacks, no interceptions, and very few pressures.
If you can’t play your base defense eventually its going to come back to haunt you.
It wasn’t as if the Lions came in with some kind of exotic blocking scheme. They ran basically what the last few Bucs opponents have run at them, zones, split action bellies and Iso belly cut backs (AKA The Saints’ play). And yet the defense still hasn’t seemed to fix it.
White goes on to explain about about how those blitzes are intended to cover up some serious problems. He identified Myron Lewis and Elbert Mack a guys forced into action who just isn’t ready. Again, Joe suggests you grab a cold one and read the whole thing.
Joe’s really not sure why the blitzes weren’t working. They should have had more success. The Bucs were coming after a third-stringer, and righfully so, but couldn’t force a turnover or take the guy down.
Hopefully, Matt Hasselbeck won’t be as sharp as Stanton was Sunday.
December 21st, 2010 at 2:25 pm
I bet if Steve White was the DC, our defense would much more impressive.
Raheem seems to just be mindlessly calling plays on the sidelines.
December 21st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
and they even gave Stanton a third degree separation in his shoulder. He went in the locker room beofre the half and got a shot. Even with that we couldnt get a sack. Oh well, we have to do better if we want to win the NFC Championship and go to Dallas.
December 21st, 2010 at 3:08 pm
With the __ pick in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select, ___ ___, DE, ___.
December 21st, 2010 at 3:33 pm
It’s not the play calling, it’s the damn personnel. 32 blitzes and not one sack means NOBODY is winning the one on ones….. 2011 draft, FA and a healthy roster should strengthen this D significantly…
December 21st, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Lol yep bucfanjeff. Just fill in the blank with best one available.
December 21st, 2010 at 3:58 pm
2001 is a long time ago now.
Last time we drafted a LB in the first round was Derrick Brooks, everyones favorite player.
We should do this again.
December 21st, 2010 at 4:43 pm
I wouldn’t be opposed to taking a LB like Ayers or Lewis if the top DE’s were off the board already. However I would much rather take DE in the first, (Kerrigan or Jordan) and then address LB in the second (Hightower maybe?) However if we double dipped on DE in the second I would not be upset either and could even address LB in the third with someone like Sheppard.
December 21st, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Typo in your link to Steve’s blog there, Joe.
December 21st, 2010 at 5:12 pm
defensive ends are busts far more often than linebackers its the biggest reason the league is moving to 3-4 sign free agent defensive ends and draft a linebacker in round 1 getting your moneys worth on a round 1, 4-3 defensive end has become the diciest proposition in drafting defense id like to see the,bucs sign one or two younger free agent ends even if they are not big names anything is better than trotting crowder, bennett, moore out there again. try hitting on a DE in 2nd or later but quite frankly i would rather go oline in second
December 21st, 2010 at 6:05 pm
We should be ok as long as the next two QB’s do not have a seperated shoulder.
December 21st, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Why do the Bucs blitz at all with this defense? Because the blitzes never get through. None of the Bucs linebackers can pass rush. They are all pure Tampa2 linebackers. The Bucs would be better off just dropping everyone into coverage on every passing down and rushing with a 4 man front. What do you call that ? Oh wait, its called the Tampa2!!! Its time to get back to it. If you want to run a 3 man front and blitz your linebackers then DO IT RIGHT AND SWITCH TO A 3-4 DEFENSE!!! Go out and sign\draft pass rushing OLB’s and do it the right way. This jack of all trades\master of none defensive scheme is starting prove its not the answer. Raheem needs to pick a defensive identity for this team and go all out with it. I don’t care what defense it is. As long as its not this split personality scheme they have now.
December 21st, 2010 at 7:16 pm
I want to see the Bucs sign 25 year old DE-Minnesota Ray Edwards(6.5 sacks,8.5 last year +4 in playoffs) and 24 year old DE-Carolina Charles Johnson(9.5 sacks this year). Both guys fit the youth movement perfectly and its so much less of a gamble then drafting DE in the first round. Obviously the UFA\RFA status of many free agents is up in the air with the current labor situation but if guys like these do end up being available the Bucs need to pull the trigger. GMC and Suh were considered “once a decade” sure things. I don’t believe that label applies to any of the DE’s in this years draft and I don’t want to wait\hope for the crapshoot that is a round #1 DE to develop into an impact player for this team.
December 21st, 2010 at 8:00 pm
A couple things to think about….
First, is it possible these blitzes aren’t working because some of these guys are in the wrong gap???? Steve does say that Barrett Ruud was pretty much the only guy that was where he was supposed to be consistently. If Okam is in the wrong place, the Blitz might just run up his backside. Did Watson or Hayes or Hayward Blitz the wrong gap? Again, we’re talking about a group of guys that has limited playing time and is without their most productive DT. Double team Miller into the gap the Blitz is coming. No wonder it didn’t work.
Second, it’s ridiculous to think we’ll get any of the “free agents” that aren’t “free agents” yet. Just like the Bucs have a list of players in the teens that will become free agents, so do other teams. Some will be re-signed with the original team before free agency hits. Just because they’re in the last year of their contract does not make them free agents this spring. Teams will hold on to the guys they can, if and when a CBA is announced. Probalby half or less of the supposed “free agents” will be available when the time comes, especially the big name ones.
December 21st, 2010 at 8:24 pm
BamBam-
Ray Edwards will almost certainly be available from everything I’ve read. He’s only 25 and has 19 sacks so far the last 2 years(counting 4 in last years playoffs) He won’t be as expensive as Julius Peppers was last year and is just now entering the prime of his career. And I believe my post made it perfectly clear that the status of any free agents is pending what happens with the labor situation. As far as the blitzes not getting thru the problem is that the Bucs don’t have pass rushing linebackers. They were drafted to be cover 2 linebackers. Unless the Bucs are going to go out and draft a Clay Matthews type linebacker I don’t expect to ever see them blitzing succesfully on a regular basis. These Tampa 2 linebackers just aren’t good blitzers. Derrick Brooks wasn’t much of a blitzer and Monte Kiffin rarely did so in Brooks day. Partly because the front 4 got so much pressure on their own but also partly because guys like Derrick Brooks and Shelton Quarles just really weren’t anything to write home about as blitzers.
December 21st, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Gitarlvr,
But you have to say that when they came it was effective and someone got hit. VERY HARD. The Bucs defense isn’t very physical and you are right the identity of the LBs (Ruud) is soft but smart;like trying to knife around linemen to avoid contact.
December 22nd, 2010 at 12:05 am
All im saying is that when your HOF linebacker has only 13.5 sacks to show for 14 seasons in the league then its pretty clear how much stock the Buccaneers have been putting in pass rush ability when they draft their linebackers. Brooks also had 25 career INT’s which is extraordinary for a linebacker. Thats what guys like Barrett Ruud and Geno Hayes were drafted for. To make plays in the passing game in the Cover 2. These guys don’t fit the scheme Raheem is trying to play. The Bucs need to go back to Monte Kiffins style of defense and let these backers do what comes natural to them or acquire pass rushing linebackers in the offseason if they want to blitz backers out of a 3 man front. Quite frankly, its easier to change the scheme back than it is to get a new set of linebackers.