Sacks Overvalued?
February 22nd, 2018
Can’t just live on sacks.
Yeah, Joe is hung up on sacks. Guilty as charged.
And Joe makes no apologies for the dents on his fridge door from punching the damn thing after racing for a cold beer upon watching opposing quarterbacks clip their toenails before throwing a pass.
And Joe makes no apologies for making sure folks at One Buc Palace lose at least a brief moment of sleep each night knowing this franchise hasn’t had a player with double-digit sacks since Simeon Rice.
It is a shameful, ugly, damning stat that the shot-callers at One Buc Palace have very much in their power to correct, provided they actually want to correct this stain as badly as some fans do.
New Bucs defensive line coach Brentson Buckner very much wants his defensive linemen to put the quarterback on the ground early and often. However, yesterday in his introductory press conference, Buckner explained why sacks are just a small part of the process; a defensive line can get the job done with just one sack.
“Sacks are the ending of being in the right place at the right time and maximizing that opportunity,” Buckner said. “You play 1,300 plays, you have 10 plays [with a sack] and they want to throw a parade. Well, what about the 1,290 [other] plays that you have? [Sacks are] a great part of the game, but we want to affect the whole game. First of all, we want to make sure we stop the run. I think a lot of people get misconstrued about just getting sacks, but you stop the run and you get them into pure passing downs, none of those downs where it can be play-action or the RPO (run-pass option) that everybody wants to run nowadays. You get to that point and now you go get the quarterback, and sometimes it’s not going to be a sack, but you’re moving him off the spot. You’re making him move his feet, you’re hitting him, you’re making him be uncomfortable. That’s what normally happens for the first three-and-a-half quarters of a game.
“Look at the Super Bowl – not a sack all game and then there’s one big sack and it’s the biggest play of the game. So it’s about being consistent, putting yourself in the right spot and constantly trying to break that wall down. That’s where I judge it. Are you always going to get sacks? No, because that offensive line gets paid, too. But it’s the consistent pressure, moving [the quarterback] off the spot, making him make bad throws [or] throw a little too early, affect the game that way.
“Interceptions normally put the quarterback in a panic to hold the ball a little bit more and that buys you more time to get to the quarterback.”
Buckner has very valid, sensible points. The math makes all the sense in the world.
Still, a sack is as close to a drive-killer as there is. And, yes, sacks are quarterback hits, too.
The way the defensive line played last year, it needs help improving across the board, not just rushing the quarterback. It seems like that’s Buckner’s goal.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:21 am
That what I loved about Akeem Spence, he was good at stopping the run. Especially good at clogging the middle, getting that push.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:21 am
Making excuses already for this upcoming year of fewest sacks in the league.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:23 am
Philosophically I agree with Buckner … “consistent pressure, moving [the quarterback] off the spot, making him make bad throws [or] throw a little too early.” BUT … far far far too many times last year I saw the opposing QB standing in the pocket, surveying the field until someone came open, then making an easy throw for a completion. Any QB in the league can eat us alive without the ‘consistent pressure’ Buckner is calling for.
Our present assortment of DLinemen didn’t git ‘er done last year. Bucs desperately need some new blood at DT AND DE, PLUS some new blood in the Secondary if this defense is gonna improve significantly. My guess is 2 new beastly DTs, 2 new beastly DEs, 2 new outside CBs plus 1 new Strong Safety will do it. Hitting big-time on SEVEN defensive positions probably won’t happen in a single year, but until we restructure this defense we can’t expect vastly different results than we got in 2017.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:26 am
sacks may be overvalued but pressure is not. Even if overvakued, sack typically lead to punts and sack cause fumbles.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:26 am
Sacks are overvalued. Qbs dont hang onto the ball as
long as they used to in today’s NFL. Its also harder to knock balls away due to tighter PI rules. Thus coverage sacks are down with qbs knowing they can throw into a window with less risk.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:27 am
Was Buckner in on the Chris Sims beat down day ?
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:27 am
I want to see opposeing q.b. get cold cocked and hard.
Kind of like, cut the head off the snake and the rest of him will die
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:59 am
My take from that is that sacks will come, if you do what you need to do every play. I love this attitude. Yes you will have sacks, but do your job all of the time! This is one of the issues of last year and honestly the last 3 games of 2016. The Dline seemed to want to get the sacks and got way out of position too much. My hope is the Dline starts to play more as a unit without all of the convoluted stunts, slants and twists. Beat the guy in front of you enough and the sacks will come.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:14 am
This guy is exactly what we need! He wants a vicious team. He wants disruption. That’s what I’ve been whining about all year. Sacks are nothing more than a disruption with an added bonus of lost yardage.
But forcing a QB to check down because of pressure…having the RB covered on the checkdown by talented LB’s…it starts to become a stifling defense.
That is what I want to see. Sometimes a DL gets a legal hit on the QB but the ball has already left. That’s fine. Each of those hits is a reminder to the QB of what is coming from a vicious DL. I think getting in a QB’s head is terrific defense.
Batting balls down at the line keeps Matty Ice from any chance of completion to JJ.
I want disruption…then I want to see a stifling defense. No matter what the O throws at us our D has the answer. I think it’s going to start up front where it should have started all along.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:24 am
Vita Vea.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:25 am
That’s how you stop the run. Him, Gholston, GMC, and Ayers on first and second down, then it’s third and long a lot of the time.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:30 am
Every coach that has demanded excellence or tried to hold players accountable has been run out of town by cancer93 faster than Harvey Weinstein at a girl scout jamboree.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:38 am
We’ve been hearing that sacks are over valued for years. You know who says that? People dealing with a bad defensive line.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:39 am
Sacks are overvalued? Don’t tell Mike Smith that. He might..Run for the border..!or another pressbox taco.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:39 am
the only coaches that are saying sacks are “overvalued” are the same coaches that have a dline that aren’t getting sacks lol…..
if he said wins are overvalued its about playing hard yall would be saying,” I agree”….”this is exactly who we need”…….all BS!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:42 am
AND THE WINNER IS………GOBUCS!!!!!!
Gobucs Says:
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:21 am
Making excuses already for this upcoming year of fewest sacks in the league.
^^BINGO^^
that’s exactly what it sounds like to me…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:48 am
813 & gobucs
That’s is the buccaneer way instead of facing facts or reality its always better to make excuses and when that does not work just make crap up to justify failure. God forbid the coaches or players get held accountable when there is endless supply of excuses and a soft low standard fanbase to buy into excuses.
Rember feelings matter much more so than acceptability or integrity
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:49 am
Accountability not acceptability
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:51 am
Some of you buc fans are clueless. I have been saying it for a while that sacks are over valued and its all about pressure. What good does it do to have 3 sacks in the game but on the other 37 pass attempts the qb has all day to throw? That means the qb probably shredded you. What good does it do to get a sack on 2nd down if on third down the qb has all day to throw? Getting constant pressue on a qb is the key. Moving the qb off of his spot and making him throw under duress leads to errant throws which leads to picks. Getting a sack as we have seen with mccoy and the gang does not equate to drive killers. Its just one play in a long drive for the offense. Constant pressure/hits on the qb makes for a long day for the qb.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:58 am
Fyi..your superbowl champs did not have one double digit sack guy. What they did is get consistent pressure. Fyi….they only had 38 sacks on the season. The bucs in 2015 had 38 sacks but there was no consistent pressure what so ever. The bucs gave up 70% completion that year. Not all sacks are created equal. Educate yourselves and stop reaching for the low hanging fruit.
February 22nd, 2018 at 9:59 am
And when i say your superbowl champs, i mean the eagles
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:01 am
@Webster,
“Some” ! You’re very generous.
You’re right about pressure vs the errant sack.
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:06 am
Arguing pressure versus sacks when discussing the softest and worst dline in ALL football is irrelvant they don’t do either well
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:16 am
in other words we got no material to get a good rush and sacks, so were going to pretend it doesn’t matter.
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:20 am
oh good,,,,, he’s taking the pressure off of poor GMC.
Relax Cancer93…….no worries.
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:45 am
GMC shouldn’t be the sack leader or the pressure leader of the Bucs defense. The pressure should come off the edge. That’s the problem with the Bucs defensive scheme. They expect the DTs to get the sacks, pressure etc. Even more sacks,pressure than the edge rushers. But that is backwards thinking. DTs should push the pocket and the edge rushers should clean things up. The Bucs got 11 sacks from Clinton McDonald and GMC and a lot of pressure. The edge rushers should have double that total. But they gave the Bucs only 8.5 sacks and hardly no pressure. That is not acceptable, they should get rid of every one of them.
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:57 am
LakeLand
you are correct cancer93 should not be the sack leader she should be on the Cowboys roster that 12,500,000 can be used much more productive on driven winners and ball boys.
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:10 am
tmaxcon
Actually, you are correct with your assessment of the Bucs being a terrible D-Line since GMC been in Tampa. But it’s not GMC fault, it’s the fault of the shirts in the front office. Once the Bucs seen that GMC could give them pressure from the 3-Tech position. They begin to rely on his pressure and neglect getting the pressure off the edge. That’s why they re-signed Will Gholston, because he;s a good run-stopper. They signed Clinton McDonald because he could give them pressure from the Nose position. But they let Akeem Spence walk because, he was more of a run-stopper DT. They brought in Chris Baker to play NT because he got sacks and pressure in Washington. It’s all backwards thinking. They have a undersized NT, who get pushed around on running plays. That create problems for the ILB, who has to fight off blocks, blocks that the NT should eliminate.
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:14 am
I want to marry Brentson Buckner. Where has he been? What a breath of fresh air for the Bucs.
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:15 am
LakeLand
i agree with you 100% that the front office is responsible but I do not agree with your assessment it’s not GMC’s fault. His weak approach and lack of production when it matters most is a HUGE reason the bucs dline and defense can not hold a lead or overcome adversity. the highest paid team captain needs to set the TONE and be an example cancer93 tone is soft and he enjoys losing far too much to be a captain.
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:35 am
I agree with DR FEELGOOD … Vita Vea.
As for GMC, HE is never going to be Sapp2. He has worked his butt off for years and he has maximized his God-given talent.
_________
Go Bucs!!!
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:47 am
Xpfcwintergreen2
He has worked his butt off for years and he has maximized his God-given talent.
that statement might be the biggest line of BS every written here. No one is comparing him to sapp he could not carry sapps jock…. sapp never quit on a single coach in his life and that is all cancer93 does is QUIT and come out FLAT complete and total bum who has never won a single meaningful game in his career. 8 years of failure and counting…
years and he has maximized his God-given talent.
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:49 am
the gmc apologists and delusional nuthuggers never stop amazing me.
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:06 pm
Lakeland
Your assestment that the bucs philosophy is to only get pressure with its tackles is false. The bucs have tried to get d ends to play with mccoy but have failed with their selections. Claibourne was a first rounder. Bowers a 2nd rounder who when the draft process started was seen as a top 3 pick. Signing micheal johnson was a move to add talent on the end. Drafting spense who was considered the best pure pass rusher in the draft are steps to try to enhance the line. Trust me, licht and koetter and smith and the gm/coaches before is not and was not saying we only want to get pressure from the middle. Thats about the most misguided comment i have ever read on jbf. Dont confuse the personnell failures for philosophy. Thats just crazy talk.
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:07 pm
GMC sucks!!
February 22nd, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Michael Johnson
Da’Quan Bowers
Adrian Clayborn
Noah Spence
Robert Ayers
Will Gholston
And other bums
I don’t consider these bums as edge rushers
Get the man some EDGE RUSHERS
February 22nd, 2018 at 2:03 pm
If the Bucs Front office consider these bums as the answer. Then I have one question. Why are they still making decisions for the Bucs?
I know Mark Dominik was fired and rightfully so.
February 22nd, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Brentson Buckner has stepped on some cow manure. The Bucs fans will be calling for his job before October. The man has nothing to work with. He’s trying to overhaul and engine with a pair of pliers.
February 22nd, 2018 at 6:33 pm
Next someone is going to tell me that Wins are overrated.
February 26th, 2018 at 1:41 am
Sacks are one of the most game-changing plays in all of football. Sacks force fumbles. Sacks end drives. Pressure, QB hits and hurries can generate incompletions and interceptions. When you look at the sack total just two years ago in 2016 it was 38 (9th). The difference between 2016 and 2017 (16 sacks), it was the lack of sack production from our LB’s (Lavonte David 5 sacks 2016, 0 2017 and Kwon Alexander 3 sacks in 2016 , 0 2017) starting DE’s and the secondary. Jude Adjei-Barimah had 2 sacks in 2016, 0 2017. Plus Robert Ayers -4.5 and William Gholston -3, makes up the difference. Still the difference between the two seasons had something to do with the Grimes/Hargreaves/Verner, along with Tandy creating turnovers, secondary compaired to the Grimes/McCain/Smith line-up last year. The Bucs must solidify the CB position group and get the LB’s more involved by blitzing.