Corners Should Help D-Line
March 22nd, 2016
Better scheme should mean better QB pressure.
Joe remembers back in 2013, when then-Bucs commander Greg Schiano, thoroughly disgusted with the franchise’s inability to find an edge pass rusher, threw his arms in the air and hollered to himself, “To hell with it! If we can’t sack a quarterback we’ll just prevent completions.”
So instead of worrying about sacks, the Bucs beefed up their secondary big time, trading for Darrelle Revis and drafting Johnthan Banks. The Bucs finished 16th in total yards allowed per game.
Two years later under Lovie Smith, with a renewed emphasis on rushing the passer, the Bucs had virtually the same sack total (just three more than in 2013), yet Tampa Bay’s defense finished 23rd in yards allowed per game.
That was largely because the wreck of a secondary was a complete and total sieve. Based on Lovie’s ole’ secondary being gone, good guy Gil Arcia of The Bay Cave believes the Bucs will increase their sack total this fall.
The Buccaneers will have Gerald McCoy, Jacquies Smith and Clinton McDonald among others on the line learning a new scheme. But they could reap the benefits on what could be better cornerback play making the learning process a bit smoother.
Like last [offseason], when everyone was freaking out about the offensive line for nothing, we could be seeing that with the defensive pass rush this season. It could very well end up being an overreaction.
This seems logicial. It’s hard to get pressure, much less sack a quarterback, when all he has to do is perform a two-step drop and guys on slant passes are as open as seagulls hovering over the beach.
Joe just wanted to throw beers against the wall the way Lovie’s defense acted as if receivers had the Zika virus on slants. It was insulting to thinking football fans.
Thankfully, hopefully, those days are over.
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:32 am
That 5 yard slant was open.
All. Day. Long.
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:37 am
Corner help D line? Good luck on this one. They can’t help themselves. Or maybe our corner play was just a mirage last year. I don’t agree this DC will get more out of the corners we have. They suck. But they do tackle after..a long catch is made. I’ve said this defense needs major overhauling. Have not seen it yet. Lets see what the draft brings or we will be losing even more despite our offense scoring a plenty.
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:39 am
Joe says,,” the Bucs had virtually the same sack total (just three more than in 2013″
according to pro football reference, and NFL.com it was just a 1 sack difference!!!!
Bucs 2013 sacks 35
Bucs 2014 sacks 36
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:40 am
The Buc Realist:
Joe is going by NFL.com for 2015 (hence the words, “Two years later”). Feel free to browse the link provided in the post.
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:51 am
Ive been saying this since day one. It worked 15 years ago. It doesnt work anymore
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:52 am
Joe the slants were painful and I still have lingering mental wounds from it all.
It’s like they never watched any game film during the week or something.
March 22nd, 2016 at 11:59 am
@Joe
Thx for the clarification!!! I counted 2013 as a year!!! Great reporting today, and I am glad you are not running around ask how the Bucs can win the division with the 4th best _____(fill in the blank) that you have been doing for the past several years!!!!
And please ask Coach Koetter that if MG8 was to be traded what kind of football play MG8 will be for that team!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!
March 22nd, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Obviously….you can give your Dline more time to rush the passer if the WRs are covered….we saw that happen to our offense…..they weren’t successful with sacks against us but did rush Jameis to throw it away.
March 22nd, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Come to find out now that the slants were open by design was even more painful ‘Those inside routes won’t kill you’ was Lovie’s direction to the Cbs. I love Kwon but there was a learning curve with him the 1st half of the season and it caused LVD to be out of position too trying to cover for him. The LBs did show improvement but scheme still failed the Cbs and safeties.
March 22nd, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Corners never help the defensive line… ever! Name once! Fix the dam line then it will help no matter who the quarterback wants to throw to and help against the run
March 22nd, 2016 at 12:57 pm
There is a lot more correlation to good line play helping the back end than vice versa. Here’s hoping Licht uses at least 2 if not 3 picks this year on the DLine. We have GOT to find some players that can get to the QB consistently.
Johnson – if you think Grimes, Verner and Banks all “suck” – then that says a lot about your knowledge of the game. Grimes has been in the pro bowl the last 3 years straight and Verner was also a pro bowler before Lovie and his inept secondary coaches got ahold of him. Banks showed some real promise his 1st 2 years as well.
March 22nd, 2016 at 1:04 pm
How many sacks did we have when Revis Island was in Tampa?
Enough said.
Hence, why I was pissy when Vernon went to Giants. He was the only true top level pass rusher in FA. DE Rookies dont come into the NFL and dominate so FA was the opportunity to improve and it simply didnt happen. I am hopeful about Ayers but concerned his production only occurred in a contract season. 5 sacks is not going to cut it and put this team in the playoffs.
March 22nd, 2016 at 1:12 pm
DoNUTS Says:
March 22nd, 2016 at 1:04 pm
How many sacks did we have when Revis Island was in Tampa?
About 8 more sacks than when M. Bennett was in town. And to hear some, he was the greatest player to ever slip thru the Bucs fingers!!!!!
March 22nd, 2016 at 1:13 pm
I agree with Greg and Pick. Grimes and a reguvenated Verner should make for a nasty cb tandem.
March 22nd, 2016 at 1:29 pm
Greg Says:
March 22nd, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Corners never help the defensive line… ever! Name once! Fix the dam line then it will help no matter who the quarterback wants to throw to and help against the run
Have you ever heard of a “coverage sack”?…..what exactly does that mean?
March 22nd, 2016 at 1:43 pm
If the CBS aren’t 10-12 yards off receivers it helps as well
March 22nd, 2016 at 3:08 pm
Not only was the CB’s play on slant routes by design, many of those completions came against Mike Jenkins and Tim Jennings. Granted Banks and Verner had their problems last year but they both have stated how frustrated they were to the point Banks said it made him feel like he didn’t care anymore. When a player reaches that point their production is obviously going to be affected. Banks also never seemed to fully recover from his knee injury. Look for both of them to rebound this year and if they don’t I am comfortable with Grimes and Josh Robinson. Lets draft Leonard Floyd or Shaq Lawson and watch the sacks come.
March 22nd, 2016 at 3:28 pm
Blah blah blah… Better coverage leads to more sacks, and better pressure makes the secondary look better. It’s a team sport. It’s no mystery.
March 22nd, 2016 at 4:10 pm
Vernon Hargreaves baby. Pair him with Banks and Verner, whomever does the best, and Grimes in the slot. Yes Sir. That would give us 4 quality CBs. 1 shutdown (VH3), 2 very solid guys (Banks and Verner), and a stud slot CB in Grimes. Even a weak DE could get pressure.
And @godzilla
Josh Robinson is not and will not, ever be a starter. He is a nickel CB at best. Better played on Special Teams, and a fill in if injuries occur. He may not even be on this team when the season starts. No way in hell I would be comfortable with him starting for us. We would be in serious trouble if that were to happen.
March 22nd, 2016 at 6:03 pm
This was a technique and philosophy issue. I didn’t want our line to even rush the qb. Just throw the hands up in the air and try to play volleyball. Corners playing off and giving up the inside was just asking too much of the linebackers. I can’t wait to see what the kwon and LVD do this year.