Another 3-4 Defense
October 22nd, 2015
Concern is swirling in the head of a former Bucs defensive end. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
After getting walloped by the Browns and their 3-4 defense during the preseason, the Bucs opened the regular season against three consecutive 3-4 defenses.
The offense sputtered in two of those games.
Former Bucs defensive end Steve White hopped on WDAE-AM 620 today and expressed his concern about how Tampa Bay will fare Sunday against the Redskins’ 3-4.
White wondered aloud how second-year left guard Kevin Pamphile will fare, and White was emphatic that he believes some of the Bucs’ success against Jacksonville came because they faced a 4-3 defense.
A major key, per White, is the Bucs’ secondary simply capitalizing on the gifts certain to be served up by Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“We have to catch those. We have to find a way to get our secondary to play well this week for a change,” White said. “We need interceptions. He’s going to throw the ball to us. It’s just a matter of if we catch it.”
White also is concerned the Bucs’ offensive line will struggle versus ferocious Redskins pass rushers Chris Baker and Ryan Kerrigan.
Regardless, White calls Sunday a “winnable” game for the Bucs and one they have to win, “or there’s going to be a lot of grumbling going on, and rightfully so.”
Amen to that last paragraph.
October 22nd, 2015 at 11:39 am
We have fans that will grumble anyways Joe even if they win.
October 22nd, 2015 at 11:49 am
Not a complaint department. –Joe
October 22nd, 2015 at 11:57 am
grumble grumble grumble buuurrp
October 22nd, 2015 at 12:40 pm
LOL @ the open disrespect of Kirk Cousins and 4-3 defenses. Bet they wouldn’t be saying that if he was Tom Brady. If 4-3 defenses are easier to beat, especially 4-3 cover 2, why are we still running 4-3 cover 2?? A random cover 2 I can understand, or cover 2 in the red zone where it belongs, but every play absolutely not. Throw it deep to Mike Evans when he’s matched up against a shorter safety, that’s what he’s best at. This ain’t rocket science, it’s common sense. If it don’t work, throw it out, if it does work, keep doing it.
October 22nd, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Another thing, if we’re going to draft tall receivers, we need to draft an offensive line that can block long enough for those tall wide receivers to get downfield first.
October 22nd, 2015 at 12:57 pm
It seems a repeat pattern to go into every game with this attitude of losing = absolute end of the world.
Bucs Fan #7423 already in full blown panic mode before game has started.
Omg the 4-3 is dead and we only run cover 2!
Omg our O-line isn’t good enough! Oh no!
Meanwhile; in reality; the best defense of the last few years has been a 4-3 defense (Seahawks). In reality; the Bucs do not run cover 2 all game whatsoever. In reality; the bucs actually DID DRAFT OFFENSIVE LINEMAN. And it’s the strength of the team at this point on offense lmao.
But hey why be a “realist” when it’s more fun to make up things to be negative about?
October 22nd, 2015 at 1:25 pm
@Joe
Dudes, Kerrigan is hardly a “ferocious” pass rusher. He’s a carbon copy of Justin Smith from the Bengals and 49er’s imo. Gives ferocious and relentless effort, but as far as being a “ferocious pass rusher,” I’ve never seen it.
October 22nd, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Hip Hip huray!!! Joe finally showed us some D on the message board!!! Trolls beware!!!@Elio T…
Let’s hope Joes is setting the tone and showing the right kind of leadership for Tampa going forward!!! Reminder, ignore Trolls and feeding their negativity… If you have to reply don’t address them directly… Thank You all for continued good reading… Just don’t hose the message board with stupid conversation…
Kudos again Joe 🙂
October 22nd, 2015 at 4:44 pm
How many times does it have to be explained to you people (#7243):
WE DO NOT RUN COVER-2 ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY. NOT EVEN CLOSE
(I thought if I yelled, maybe it would sink in. Probably not though).
October 23rd, 2015 at 9:19 pm
Austin Seferian-Jenkins is out. We need to see a repeat of the Jaguars game by Winston. Throw the ball 20 times and give them the “pit bulls” aka Charles Sims and Doug Martin. If Winston can dink and dunk without turning the ball over we got a shot. Kerrigan had no impact on the game last week. The pass rush as a whole was pretty lackluster, however, and Chris Baker was about the only one getting near Fitzpatrick. Bashaud Breeland just ripped the ball out of 6-foot-4, 229-pound Brandon Marshall’s hands for an NT.