Dungy Says Bucs Will Stop The Run “Eventually”
September 21st, 2011
Former Bucs guard Ian Beckles (1990-1996) posed an interesting question to Father Dungy during The Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620 today.
Beckles asked Father Dungy whether as the co-godfather of the Bucs defense he cringes watching the current Bucs try to stop the run.
Dungy said it will the Bucs’ run defense will come in time while the Bucs recover from the Jim Bates Experience.
“What it is is just experience with the system,” Dungy said.
“…I think they’re re-learning some of those lessons. I really do believe they have the right pieces in place. It’s just going to be a matter of getting down the reads and the reaction. I think the defensive line they’re putting together, they’re going to be a team that stops the run eventually.”
The Bucs have been better against the run in both games this season, though not enough to call them average on rush defense. Raheem Morris himself this week praised Sean Jones and Cody Grimm for containing Adrian Peterson and preventing him from breaking off huge gains.
Joe can only pray that streak continues against the Falcons.
September 21st, 2011 at 6:30 pm
He’s an optimistic guy, hope that that is not all that is. Hope that the bucs fulfill this projection.
September 21st, 2011 at 6:42 pm
I don’t dungy is referencing the defense recovering from the jim bates experience, more so than he is just the fact that this whole D line is Green. No starter has more than a full season of experience.
And while Foster certainly shows more of a tendency to hit the hole than Ruud every could, he still hasn’t figured out how to do it well yet. Dekoda Watson needs to give him some pointers. He sure looks way better than Black does, injury or not.
September 21st, 2011 at 6:42 pm
they have tha talent on tha front 4. It’s only a matter of experience that they will need which in time will come when they get more games under their belt. Also, Starting Dekota will help that as well
September 21st, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Joe here,
@Leighroy — Actually, Dungy specifically referenced changing defensive coordinators midseason, aka Bates.
September 21st, 2011 at 8:23 pm
I know the Bucs were good enough at stopping the run during our 02-03 heyday, but I certainly don’t remember any of the Colts teams of the Dungy and Post-Dungy eras being anything but awful against the run.
Maybe that’s why Dungy’s teams have, at least recently, been so bad against the run. He just hopes it’ll come with time.
Maybe not.
September 21st, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Joe, any word if Dakota Watson gets the start over Quick Black?
September 21st, 2011 at 11:18 pm
Well Joe, in that case I disagree with Dungy. That was almost 2 years ago, and the only 2 members of the D-line who are left and really played in the “experiment” were Roy Miller and Tim Crowder, who were a rookie and a player signed in Week 2 respectively that year.
Maybe Dungy said it, but I don’t buy it.
September 21st, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Honestly, I never thought the Bucs were great at stopping the run in their hey-day. If memory serves me correctly, we were always susceptible to the run and seam passes to the TEs. The only reason that worked so well for the late 90’s early 2000’s teams was because teams couldn’t consistently put together 10 play drives without making mistakes and that’s what they forced them to do. They would force teams to run without fumbling, and pass without getting intercepted. If they could do that, it was all about keeping the play in front of you and limiting yards after contact/catch. Force long drives. Most teams will drop a pass or miss a block ending a drive early and we’d stop them or only give up a FG. I think that’s the idea of this defense as well, but they must perfect fundamental tackling first. To do that, they need Black off the field and Watson starting. The young D-line needs to make tackles when they get opportunities. That’s when they’ll be successful like the hey-day D.
September 22nd, 2011 at 8:45 am
The Bucs are ranked 31st against the run. How is this par??
September 22nd, 2011 at 11:23 am
If I remember correctly, Back in ’96 Derrick Brooks had the luxury of having Hardy Nickerson as a teammate and mentor!!! Derrick was able to learn the position from a great linebacker!!! It took Brooks and Sapp some time to evolve into what they eventually would become!!! We will see this defense grow and evolve before our eyes!!!!! When they become a solidified and bonified”UNIT”, LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!