Bucs Defensive Tackles Led League In Sacks
April 19th, 2015
One of Akeem Spence’s three sacks last year.
Jason Licht wasn’t joking when he suggested the Bucs are emphasizing their pass rush up the gut of the offensive line.
There’s data behind him.
Tampa Bay defensive tackles were tops in the NFL in sacks with 18 last season. The stat emerged during an “insider” segment on Buccaneers.com.
For those wondering, Gerald McCoy had 8 1/2 sacks to lead the way. Clinton McDonald (five) and Akeem Spence (three) were next.
On top of that, former Pro Bowler defensive tackle Henry Melton, an offseason acquisition, should add plenty of juice to the group.
Lovie Smith said several times last year that his edge rushers should be doing great things with what they were getting inside. Lovie seemed stunned that only Jacquies Smith could make the most out of the disruption caused by McCoy and others. Ghostly Michael Johnson, of course, was lost for all but five quarters.
A fully healthy McCoy, progression from Spence and McDonald, and Melton contributing in limited work, could tee up the Bucs’ unheralded edge rushers for careers seasons. That’s the goal.
April 19th, 2015 at 11:10 am
It’s like the harder we try to get pressure off of the edge, the less successful we are at it. Can winston play DE?
April 19th, 2015 at 11:16 am
“Can winston play DE?”
Maybe!
April 19th, 2015 at 11:28 am
I say we just take out the defensive end positions cause it’s not helping. Extra line backer and cornerback #MichaelJohnsonwasTerrible
April 19th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Wow. That seems so hard to believe.
April 19th, 2015 at 12:27 pm
I was really encouraged by Spence’s improvement last year. Could it be that a late round pick by Dummynick actually works out. W should know by this year.
Not surprised by this stat .Don’t be surprised to see Melton coming off the edge if the Bucs don’t get another pass rushing DE.
April 19th, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Winston could actually beef up and try to play DE if he really wasted to…. However, he’d still be a little slow for a DE. <—— Wow.
April 19th, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Typo *wanted to
April 19th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
The DT sacks are great, but I’d like to know how their QB pressures stack up against the rest of the leagues DTs
April 19th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Great question BuccaneEric,I tend to believe their is more value in pressures if you ask me.
April 19th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
I gotta think if our dts led the league in sacks that they are probably up there with pressures as well. I like spence. Melton is a blue collared hard worker. I think Lovie will make it a point to get that edge rush going consistently.
Fowler at number 1 with glennon starting?
April 19th, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Keep wishing the the original Kevin,keep wishing. And let me guess,you’re a gator..
April 19th, 2015 at 4:54 pm
The original Kevin, I thought that too but I remember when we signed Micheal Johnson he only had 3 or so sacks the year before but they said he was near the top in pressures. The two don’t alway correlate I guess
April 19th, 2015 at 8:12 pm
Leonard Williams would fit our GMs thinking. The thought of Williams and GMC together would put way more fear in opposing teams. More than any other combo in the league. Our D would be top level again which is what won us our only Superbowl. No to Jameis…take the best player in the draft and enjoy the next decade.
But I do realize the chance of Jameis not being our pick at #1 is very unlikely. I don’t want that to happen. But it doesn’t matter what I want. I just want to see the Bucs to win again.
April 20th, 2015 at 4:10 am
Williams is a dt in a 4-3 McCoy would be a better de in a 4-3. But that’s desperate measures putting McCoy on the outside. If we had McCoy n Williams in the middle offenses would run outside all day lvd can’t be everywhere. We need a speed rusher so dangerous he’d make the qb step into McCoy. We have Melton n I think him n McCoy will own the interior line. We need a de michael Bennett would’ve been perfect with his edge setting. Big body with deceptive speed n pass rush.
April 21st, 2015 at 12:57 pm
Of course they should have …the defense spent the more time on the field than the offense did .. And that is a FACT …LOL @stats that are skewed