Noah Spence “On The Spot”
May 26th, 2017
Key figure
Every team is looking for that one guy to turn the corner in his career and take the franchise with him.
Prickly Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, who spent the past few days in Tampa going over the Bucs with a fine-tooth comb, believes he has identified just such a player with the Bucs. That would be defensive end Noah Spence.
The Bucs seem poised to take a big step forward this season, but the defense has to be improved rushing the passer to do so. That means Spence. As a rookie in 2016, he had 5.5 sacks and showed the ability to get even more. He can play down or up in the Bucs scheme, which is something that could happen this season. That would mean more snaps and more rush chances for a player who needs to get double-digit sack numbers.
Now Joe isn’t trying to put too much pressure on Spence, but he if blows up the way the team has a hunch he could, there is little question Spence could turn out to be the defensive catalyst.
The defense, the second half of the season, was the team’s strength. Let’s say, all of a sudden you throw a 10+ sack guy in there, well, now you are cooking with gas.
May 26th, 2017 at 5:16 am
He was my guy in the draft last year. I would’ve cheered if he were our first pick Pulling off vh3 and Spence last year without having to sacrafice picks was so fotunate, which is why Licht is the gm. Makes the Aguayo pill easier to swallow for sure. He showed me tons last year running in the combine with a bad hamstring. Lucky for us.
May 26th, 2017 at 5:58 am
MY fingers are crossed! As of right now- HE Is our best hope at De.
I’m hoping to buy his jersey this year!
May 26th, 2017 at 6:05 am
This guy’s a beast! Period any one who played hurt like he did last year tells me all I need to know not worried at all
May 26th, 2017 at 6:21 am
The “McBaker” combo will create an open lane for our DEs. Opposing OC are about to experience chaos provided by our Stick Carries on our D-Line.
I could careless about a 10+ sack guy. Give us a group of Stick Carriers that create HAVOC in then trenches.
I feel the same way with our offense. I don’t care who has the most TDs. I just want a scoring machine led by Winston.
Go Bucs!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 6:56 am
i am with you ray jameis, it’s going to be fandimonium
May 26th, 2017 at 7:26 am
NS57 was a big reason the defense really came on last year!!!!! It was not the defense was good and then they sprinkled in some NS57!!!!!!! He changed the whole pass rush for the DL!!! He shortened the secondary coverage zones!!!!!!!
Its a Friday Realist Repost!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
November 15th, 2016 at 4:23 pm
I have been quite surprised that on many plays the last 2 games that both teams have been lining up help on NS57!!! Whether a chip block by the TE or having the RB help the O-tackle!!!! Once again with someone with speed garnering so much attention!!!!! That really frees up the other lineman!!!!
Now stay healthy D-line so this team can compete this gauntlet of a schedule!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:23 am
Cooking with gas indeed joe. N if spence blows up it will open up single teams for other guys to do the same. Thats why any team with one guy with alot of sacks usually has another guy over 10 too. Blow it up Spence!! Go bucs
May 26th, 2017 at 8:29 am
That’s why I’m hoping we’ll play a lot of 3-4… Coach Smitty said it himself that Spence is a 3 down BACKER. this would also help any run play deficiencies he may have… Till he gets better anyway.
Big Will
Stevie T
Swaggy
Beckwith
KWON
David
Spence
12-4
#siezethemoment
May 26th, 2017 at 9:19 am
I have no concerns over spence….he will be productive regardless if he reaches 10+ sacks….
the thing I want to see is the dline become stout against the run….I want to see us stuffing the run consistently every game this year which I think is possible with the additions of tu tu and baker….trying to run on big will, gmc, baker and ayers should be damn near impossible….GO BUCS!!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 9:49 am
Spence has some great rushing tools but against the run on a scale of 1 to 10 he is maybe a 4. Lots of work in the run game for this young man as he is truly a liability in the run game . .
May 26th, 2017 at 9:54 am
The future is like a gama ray burst with Spawn and VH3. I stated a few days ago Chris Harris 5’10 198lbs came into his own after his fourth season and has been a probowler the last three. I see a lot of Harris in VH3 who will be a eventual cb1. Being on that left side with Spawn bringing that heat off the right side of the LOS that combo will be dynamic for many years to come my friends.
May 26th, 2017 at 10:00 am
@NoleonSat – Very apt comparison with Harrison and VH3, i hope it pans out just as you’ve stated. Haven’t been this excited for our team in, more than a decade. Great googly moogly.
May 26th, 2017 at 10:13 am
He sure looks ripped enough to make 10+ sacks lol
May 26th, 2017 at 11:04 am
Jesus hes ripped up for sure
May 26th, 2017 at 11:12 am
He looks like a beast in that photo!
Get em Spawn!
May 26th, 2017 at 11:43 am
We think of the Bucs DL in general and DE in particular as a “problem” because (other than 3 or 4 games last year in the 2nd half of the season) we’ve not seen a legit pass rush (consistently) for some time. Years….
Yet if you look at who we have on our roster – it would appear that we have plenty of talent and ‘horsepower’ up front on D.
Ayers, Spence, Gholston. Jac Smith – um, that’s a pretty talented 4some at DE
McCoy, Baker, McDonald – again, loads of talent in the middle
Our problems up front are more about health than talent. When we had most of these guys together on the field and relatively healthy for a few games in Nov into Dec last year – the pressure was there – the “D” looked stout. But every single one of those talented linemen (except Baker on another team) got hurt and either missed games or was limited in effectiveness as a result for important chunks of the 2016 season.
I hope Mike Smith has some kind of magic health maintaining elixir he can employ to last through this season – because this Defense could be special – THIS YEAR – if it can somehow maintain good health among the starters at all 3 levels.
The only answer I know of to get us out of this “dependency on health to be good” and “multiple starters have a problem staying healthy” catch-22 situation on Defense – is for Jason Licht to draft additional young talent in the near term that is hopefully more “durable” than some of the talent we currently have holding starting spots that have a hard time staying healthy and available.
In the meantime – pray for DL health this year? Rabbits feet? Fingers crossed? Whatever it takes right?
May 26th, 2017 at 11:49 am
Precisely what Pick just said. Health was the issue with this unit last season not a lack of talent.
May 26th, 2017 at 11:51 am
And man,he does look jacked.
May 26th, 2017 at 11:57 am
The sack total should go up with teams having to match and chase the buccs offensive output
May 26th, 2017 at 12:57 pm
^^^Well put!
May 26th, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Is that a recent picture? He looks like he could tackle a moving car.
May 26th, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Man Joe , reading post o JBF has got me drooling for more each day ! This is the best in depth reading on the Bucs since day one ! The Trib was great but JBF is the Deluxe ! Thanks for dishing the goods every day !
May 26th, 2017 at 3:06 pm
What D-Rome said man😄.
May 26th, 2017 at 4:44 pm
One of the hardest things in footballs to avoid injury on the D Line. Case in point : JJ Watt.Not sure it can be done, but if we do it it will be huge.
May 27th, 2017 at 6:48 am
I hope the coaches play Spence all 3 downs this year. He can play the run.
May 28th, 2017 at 8:54 am
With no more receiving help than what Jameis had last season and still he gets his second 4000 yard season. Look for the Buccaneers to have time this year to put the starters on the bench in the 4th quarter, therefore getting backups experienced and curbing the injury hits that losing teams see. If we are 2&1 when Doug gets back and it’s the Doug we think he is. 12-4 is realistic.