Brutal Blitzers
December 10th, 2017
Sackless blitzers in 2017
Forget about the four-man pass rush from the defensive line. It’s brutal and that’s very old news.
The real question is why the Bucs are such horrible blitzers.
It sure appears that the Bucs don’t blitz enough, considering their traditional pass rush has to be the worst in the NFL. But when the Bucs do blitz, which is about 30 percent of passing downs, they are brutally poor at getting home to the quarterback.
Thirteen games into this season, this is a disturbing pattern.
When’s the last time you saw a Bucs blitzer coming up the A-gap with his hair on fire? Or an effective corner or safety blitz? Damn, Joe saw many nickel blitzes successful in training camp and they’ve vanished.
It could be the wrong blitzes, or the wrong people blitzing, or poor timing on the blitzes, or poor disguise.
Whatever it is, it’s downright brutal. Meanwhile, Dirk Koetter says the Bucs linebackers have been the defensive strength of the team. And Joe certainly buys that, so it’s not like the Bucs don’t have the talent to blitz.
But Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander have combined for zero sacks this season. Zero! And it’s not like Bucs blitzers are registering hits consistently or are being disruptive. Linebackers Kendell Beckwith and Adarius Glanton each have one sack. Those are the only sacks the Bucs have from linebackers or defensive backs all season.
It’s a telling fail of this season, and a huge reason the Bucs have the worst third-down defense in the league.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:22 pm
Mike. Smith. Sucks. End of.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:25 pm
tell us something we don’t know Joe…
December 10th, 2017 at 7:27 pm
Is defense key to winning? Is defense key to a potent offense? Is defense watchable? Answer to all, Jax Jaguars, easily the only Florida NFL team worth watching and winning. And guess what. Top defense in NFL.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:30 pm
DE Yannick Ngakoue has 11.0 sacks on the season for the Jags. DE Calis Campbell has 12.5.DE Dante Fowler has 6.5. DT Malik Jackson has 6.0 sacks. If only the Bucs were getting similar production from their Front Four.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:32 pm
we cant say any more for this year The defense has fail no matter who’s in there or what scheme we use. my question is is it DC, players out of position, defensive line coach or all the above
December 10th, 2017 at 7:32 pm
Difficult for any D regardless of talent or lack thereof to succeed when the schemes are set up in an infantile manner and adjustments are non-existent.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:33 pm
We are going to get a game changer in the draft can’t wait
December 10th, 2017 at 7:33 pm
Calis Campbell is a DL he plays both DT and DE.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:37 pm
the current defensive captains sure have destroyed the careers of many defensive coordinators. it’s funny how all free agents and coaches come to tampa and fail yet the players with a history on quitting on coaches get free pass after free pass…. laughable.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:41 pm
Mike Smith: ” You WIN in The Locker Room First”.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:44 pm
Mike Smith is the McAdoo of DCs
December 10th, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Consider how many sacks LVD had under Schiano and it just shows how inept smith is
December 10th, 2017 at 7:50 pm
Just add it to the pile of problems on this team. Last week we couldn’t stop a on end dimensional running offense this week it’s a one dimensional passing offense. This defense can’t do anything right…..Not that our offense does much aside from passing yards with little TDs to show for it.
Dirk has been here two years and the only thing we are better at it kicking FGs.
It’s very obvious this guy sucks as a HC. He needs to go. Just get rid of him before he embarrasses Us anymore on MNF.
This is why you don’t hire a coach for the sake of one player(Winston) which is why they promoted him……….BTW, Winston has shown absolutely no regression under Dirk and now looks like less of a franchise QB. Complete failure on every level.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:59 pm
Remember on Hard Knocks during preseason practices with Jax resident fatty Chris Baker was talking so much trash about owning the Jags. Yeah, well I do.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:01 pm
I don’t think the issue is talent. Light has brought in good talent the problem is they banked on old veteran lineman and lost. The vision the gm had just doesn’t match what the coach does at all. It’s not a bad idea to draft a locker and aguayo would have been a great pick in like the 6th round. Oj Howard was a great pick but I’m sure if licht knew he would have barely been used he would have gone another way. Defensive end and tackle have been an issue so long we’re complaining about linebackers not getting pressure lol. Someone besides Mike Smith has to walk the plank, there’s only so much you can do with no pass rush
December 10th, 2017 at 8:04 pm
Hey jimmy jack, regression means going backwards so u must have meant progression. Jameis will be fine , they will not draft a qb, this whole organization failed big time this year. I’m starting to think Gruden is gonna be the next coach and a new D.C. that has a clue on how to get pressure on a qb will be hired. But make NO MISTAKE JAMEIS is the qb here like it or not.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:25 pm
Thats all on the D coordinator. The guy is a mess. Stafford went 36-for-44 for 381 yards today. 36 of 40 effing 4. N he cant draw up a corner or safety blitz here n there. Its obvious the opposing coaches are drawing up good game plans. Then the bucs have no answer. They have no idea how to make adjustments. None!! Just keep letting them throw to the tight end and rb all day with no resistance, all so you dont get beat deep mike smith. Good game plan. Fire smith tonight!! Take your bff with ya mike!!
December 10th, 2017 at 8:36 pm
Doesn’t matter how many you rush when receivers have a 10 yard cushion every play. There isn’t enough talent on the D-Line but there’s also not enough talent in the secondary to allow time for a rush or blitz to get there.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:56 pm
36 of 44…you can’t even pull that off in madden. Lol.
December 10th, 2017 at 9:00 pm
@Joe
You’re telling me you don’t see that big a$$$ wall at the line of scrimmage that only seems to stop the YUCS’ blitzers? Because for some weird reason I see them stop right when they hit the line. Pathetic!
December 10th, 2017 at 9:07 pm
Beckwith made two nice coverage plays today- we wilted again on the last drive
Just too many TO by the offense and lack of ability to score consistently
DK keeps sounding like Wyche, 400 yards doesn’t matter if you can’t outscore the other team
December 10th, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Guess we will settle for something. Koetter will probably stay. But you can bet the Glazers order him to Dump Pressbox Smitty. The cry of the fans is just to loud now. Koetter should go. But they will keep him under a..do or die type deal for next year.
December 10th, 2017 at 10:16 pm
I’m willing to bet that Smith and Kotter are out of football before Greg Schiano or
Raheem Morris
December 10th, 2017 at 10:29 pm
The only guy more guilty than Smith for these defensive woes traded up and drafted a kicker-sorry Jason, but the lack of talent on the DL and quality DBs (beyond Grimes) is all on you buddy…no go enjoy those beers and wings at the Press Box.
December 10th, 2017 at 11:17 pm
Frank Pillow is right on. Licht has left both the OL and DL too weak to compete. The Jaguar’s GM built them into a juggernaught over night, as has Robinson the GM who came from here and went to the Titans. And the GMs of the Saints, Falcons, and Panthers all did much better than Licht. He also failed to get us a top level RB in a draft fat with them. He is the culprit who has to GO! He acknowledged the fans pushing for a RB but said he was not here to please the fans his job is to get us into the playoffs. You can see he blew that!!! And he picked Jameis over the Titan’s QB—another major mistake too.
December 10th, 2017 at 11:21 pm
Why does he never blitz Grimes?
December 11th, 2017 at 2:19 am
Licht doesn’t appease to fans, obviously fans like winners
December 11th, 2017 at 6:47 am
Like I said before. The linebacker group is terribly undersized. These guys are just blocked on blitzes. Just because your fast don’t make you powerfull. Beckwith is the only LB I would say has the size to shed blocks. The rest are just fast guys that can chase guys.
December 11th, 2017 at 7:03 am
They even said on the radio yesterday. The pocket always looks like its about to collapse but stafford would always have someone open to throw to when they started closing in. Same with the blitzes. I was seeing (as usual) our corners playing so far back they were almosy off the t.v screen on 3rd and 3 for Pete’s sake.
This isnt a question. Zero coverage is causing zero pass rush.
Stafford was what 17 for 19 right before the half started on complwtions? Thats unacceptable
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December 11th, 2017 at 4:50 pm
Im so sick to my stomach watching this defense give up the booty on a regular basis. Stafford is just the latest. He has an injured throwing hand, you could clearly see him reacting to the pain and favoring it. So, most his his passes were short yardage high percentage routes and check downs.
Do you think Mike Smith could find a way to exploit that? Maybe, just maybe press up front and make him take longer shots down field?
Mike Smith either has no brains or no balls. I think its both.
Instead of a complete retool, fire Mike Smith and give Koetter another year. See if we can somewhat improve this Defense and see if it has a positive affect on the offense. Maybe not playing from behind all the time will help the offense settle down and do its job