Flexibililty
October 29th, 2016
Growing, learning and evolving.
Joe is a big fan of Andy Benoit. The X’s and O’s guru of theMMQB.com does nice work breaking down film in an intelligent manner as opposed to a belligerent manner (yes, Joe is looking right at you, PFF tribe!).
This week, Benoit broke down the Bucs, specifically the defense and found Mike Smith is starting to break out new tricks, just in time for Halloween.
In short, Benoit writes, the defensive coordinator tried new wrinkles he never showed much of if at all before, and it worked wonderfully against the forlorn 49ers.
It wasn’t a stereotypical Bucs defensive approach at San Francisco last week. They played a little more man coverage and dialed up some designer pressures, including a nice edge blitz out of a double-A-gap look on corner Jude Adjei-Barimah’s sack.
This warmed Joe’s heart and it actually told Joe things about both Smith and the Bucs.
Smith wouldn’t be trying new tricks unless he was confident his defenders were comfortable broadening their horizons, meaning they have the base defense(s) down pat. It also means we are witnessing Smith’s defense evolve. Smith has always spoken that he is learning his players by the week as his players are learning his defense.
It also makes Joe smile that a blitz finally got to an opposing quarterback for a change, a mobile quarterback no less.
A coach trying new things and using new wrinkles to throw off and surprise an offense? How refreshing!
October 29th, 2016 at 9:38 am
@DB55
How many times have I cried out for this specific blitz??
October 29th, 2016 at 10:43 am
‘New wrinkles’ like Benoit wrote about (Jude’s edge blitz) only work if everyone on the defense is on the same page. Bucs defense is finally starting to get there it looks like, and I would hope we see a lot more ‘wrinkles’ in the weeks ahead as it continues to gel and mature. I personally expect big things out of this defense going forward as long as everyone stays healthy. Getting Ayers back should prove to be huge, and hopefully McDonald makes it back for next Thurs game against the Falcons.
October 29th, 2016 at 11:05 am
I have been waiting all season for DK’s 24K offense to flower. I hope it starts tomorrow at RJS (finally). If the defense is comfortable now with Smith, and vice-versa, this could turn into a great ballgame. I sure hope so! Go Tampa Bay!!!!
October 29th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Was honestly worrying about this. We heard all off-season about keeping opposing QB’s guessing. Thought after guys starting dropping like flys this year that went out the window. Hope it doesn’t and we continue to see more because the NFL lineage that Mike Smith hails from KNOWS how to put QB’s on their backsides with ease.
October 30th, 2016 at 12:50 am
Refreshing……..that two starting corners from last year are now sitting on the bench! Go Bucs, Go Colin, Step-Up America!