Matchup Problem
October 19th, 2011
It seems the Bucs will have a massive matchup issue to correct when the Bucs host the Bears in London Sunday, and it has nothing to do with Adrian Clayborn’s choice of British gruel.
Of course the Bears have Matt Forte, whose forte is running the damn ball very well. But where Forte runs the ball is the matter of concern brought up by ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas.
Chicago running back Matt Forte has been particularly effective when running to the right side (the left side of the defensive line). Forte has gained 291 yards when running to his right, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That’s the highest total in the NFL and Forte is 77 yards ahead of the next person in that category.
Couple that with the fact that Tampa Bay’s defense is allowing a league-high 8.2 yards per carry on runs to the left side of its defensive line and the Bucs could have a big problem.
Eight yards a carry? Just who is running the Bucs defense, Jim Bates? Eight yards a carry is hideous and is simply unacceptable for an NFL defense.
Good grief, if teams are rushing for that amount of yardage on the left side, Joe would be inclined to move Mason Foster out there.
October 19th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Yes, it’s time to panic.
/sarcasm
October 19th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
We would have to look at the breakdown. The two games that had big running problems had a few long runs, that could bring the average way up. It would be interesting to see the long runs and what side of the ball they went to. The Bucs have shut down some very good backs this season, I do not see any reason for them to sto-p this week…of course I thoguht that before the SF game as well, but I think that lesson was learned.
October 19th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Other than Gore for a game and AP for a half, the Bucs have been very good in run defense.
I see the same game plan here as they did against INdy, Saints, and ATL: shut down the run with the front 7 on the way to the QB and leave the secondary out to dry.
The secondary is getting better. Talib should get better. TJax should. Biggers HAS.
Cutler takes mostly 5 – 7 step drops. As long as they shut down the run, they will pound him.
I see a Buccaneer beat down this week.
BUCS 27
Cubs 13
October 19th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
any official word on Chad Spann, joining the team looks like a nice change of pace back and crazy legs, dude doesnt stop running after contact, looks decent.
October 19th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Weird how every poster ignored the whole point of that post.
It’s Quincy!! No surprise there.
October 19th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
8.2 yards?!?! Reminds me of that song ‘Stop the Rock’ but it sounds like “Stop the run! You can’t stop the run! Can’t stop the run…” song by Apollo 440
October 19th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Yastinkas is dead wrong. Do the math for yourself.
Week 6 Saints:ran right of Center 9 times for 14 yards. (1.55 average)
Week 5 49ers: ran right of Center 17 times for 90 yards (5.29 average)
Week 4 Colts: ran right of Center 9 times for 4 yards (0.44 average)
Week 3 Falcons: ran right of Center 8 times for 23 yards (2.87 average)
Week 2 Vikings: ran right of Center 20 times for 107 (5.35 average)
Week 1 Lions: ran right of Center 13 times for 24 yards (1.84 average)
October 19th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
I knew something was fishy. That is Bennett’s side. Bennett wouldn’t allow that.
So I did the research and Yastinkas is full of spit. Bucs allowed 3.1 average when opponents ran to the right side/defensive left. He is talking about a matchup problem that does not exist. I don’t know how that guy has a job.
October 19th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
These numbers seem off, but Black is without a doubt a liability. The sooner he’s replaced, the better (too bad he wipes with $100s ever since he left Dominik’s office in July)
October 19th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
@Capt.,
You are one of my favorite people on this site, but you are starting to become to Quincy Black as Thomas is to Gerald McCoy. Lay off the guy a little. First of all, the stats are totally incorrect (I was trying to find a way to check on it, because it sounded wrong – but Mauha beat me to it). Second, he just made the play that won us the game against the Saints. Constantly bashing the same guy over and over (especially when the information is totally wrong) is not the way to do things.
October 19th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
It’s actually 2.89 yards a carry. Even lower after I triple checked. He is now even more wrong.
I was thinking perhaps he attributed the number to the wrong side(not very professional but, this is Yastinkas we are talking about) Low and behold the average of the left side is 4.63.
Keep in mind there are still 7 QB scrambles on us this year totaling 50 yards(and they might all be to the right considering most of our pressure comes from the defensive right/Clayborn forcing the QB to scramble to his right). But that doesn’t turn the average to 8.2 and it has nothing to do with Matt Forte! I swear this guy pulls stuff straight out of his butt.
October 19th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Yasinskas also said in that post on his NFC South Blog that the left side of the Bucs D line is usually manned by Michael Bennett and Gerald McCoy. Yes, Bennett plays the majority of snaps as the LE….but most of the time I recall seeing McCoy line up on the right side, next to Clayborn. The DT on the left side is usually Miller or Price. I could forgive most of the “experts” for being clueless….but Yasinskas’ job is to focus on 4 teams, and he can’t even do that properly.
October 19th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
@Big Marlon lmao I just smashed him on the ESPN comments for that too lol
You are absolutely correct. The guy has no business being anywhere near a football team, field or even a football itself…. which I guess makes him perfectly qualified to be an ESPN sportswriter.
He is, by far, the worst sportswriter in America.
October 19th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
@Mauha Deeb thx, I was going to do the research but you beat me to it. Yasinskas is horrible, where’d they find this idiot.
October 19th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
Everyone, sshhhhhh! Obviously Yasinskas is feeding misinformation to our opponents.
October 19th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Left side of D line stats are for losers, Joe. I thought everyone knew that.
I’m actually much more worried about Forte being a pain in the receiving game. We don’t really have anyone that can cover him man to man. Our best bet, like with any QB, is to hit Cutler in the mouth early and often.
October 19th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
can we start before the game?
October 19th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
Best part of this weekend, the wife is a native of Chi-town, loves her Bears, I hate the Bears, I was a Packers fan as a kid so I have an innate hatred of the Bears. Can’t wait for the stomping to begin.
October 19th, 2011 at 11:28 pm
Tampa needs to game plan Chicago like Detroit did. Pressure Cutler non stop, stop the run, and Tampa Bay wins.
October 20th, 2011 at 1:29 am
Sigh. So let’s disregard the whole two years of Quincy being decent in Tampa and focus on the Vikings game where Quincy was at his absolute worst? Now that Quincy got a big contract I too hope he justifies it with solid LB play, but to brand the guy a liability based on one bad half is moronic.
And Capt. Tim, how do you feel after knowing that stat by the ESPN guy was garbage?
October 20th, 2011 at 9:00 am
Great, we have another Bobby posting now??? I’ll have to change my screen name. This article had nothing to do with Chad Span.