Sacks Are Back!
September 16th, 2018
Before today, the Bucs were riding an eight-game streak without three sacks or more.
It’s part of why they ran out in the offseason and signed five defensive linemen.
But that streak was broken against the Eagles with sacks by Jason Pierre-Paul, Kwon Alexander and Gerald McCoy. All three were quality and beastly efforts. JPP and McCoy each had sacks on first down, which Joe absolutely loves to see. That’s usually pure desire and talent, and they were.
McCoy made the Saints right tackle look like a high schooler, and it was very cool to see McCoy coming off the left side like that. It’s a rare sight.
Kwon, of course, had the big blitz on 2nd-and-2 in the first quarter that became a sack-fumble that set the tone for the defense. Joe asked Dirk Koetter about that play after the game and he praised Kwon for being an emerging blitzer and for not going too wide on that play, which apparently has been an issue for Kwon in the past.
Hey, the Bucs now have four sacks in two games against two offensive lines that easily are in the NFL’s top-1o. And the Bucs are missing bodies on the line. Pretty darn good for a team with just 22 sacks all last season.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:02 pm
Vita needs to get his @$$ out there and bring the HEAT
September 16th, 2018 at 8:05 pm
We need VV to really make them a threat.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:06 pm
^^^ And ROJO needs to contribute or this will be One Really bad draft for Licht.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:07 pm
Nice. We forgive you Joe for doubting them last week. Can’t say we didn’t tell yuh bro. It’s gonna get better. What team in the NFL is ppLaying better than Tama right now. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Go Back !!!
September 16th, 2018 at 8:08 pm
Not every team we play will be down their starting LT.
Still a much improved defense from last week. And how about Ryan Smith!
September 16th, 2018 at 8:10 pm
Mike Smith can keep his job for one more week. D line looked great! Secondary still weak
September 16th, 2018 at 8:10 pm
Nassib hasn’t gotten a sack yet but he’s been better than Spence.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:11 pm
Saints and Eagles have two of the top 6 lines in football if you believe PFF. Today Foles had all day for the most part, but he wasn’t letting the ball go and was eventually getting chased down. Without seeing anything other than the TV coverage I’m not sure if that’s because of the DB’s, or because Foles is terrible. Anywho it should get easier as the Bucs play teams with more suspect offensive lines, and you’re not playing 92 degree weather with 70% humidity.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:11 pm
Just wait till we get the man beast, Vita Vea, on that line!!! I think he’ll be back sooner rather than later. D line worked hard today. Thank God for the rotation, because they were out there a looong time.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:21 pm
Don’t forget McIceCream’s holding call which to me is just as good as a sack. We still need to do better against the run. Ajayi and clement each busted runs for 20 & 15 yards respectively and they each rushed for a TD.
Either way great game by JPP with 3 solo & 1 sack. LVD with 9 tackle and a pd. And Kwon w 7 tackle and a sack fumble.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:33 pm
If you wanna call the secondary weak, please don’t refer to this game as an example. The secondary had MAJOR hit after MAJOR hit today!!! Our “weak” secondary is becoming a bunch of young badasses right before our eyes. In THIS NFL, giving up 21 points to the Champs is FAR from weak. There was nothing about the D today that was weak. Unless you’re talking about the 1-1 Eagles…… PERIOD!! GO BUCS!! And as I stated earlier today, this is a huge win for all sorts of tiebreaker reasons, just like the Jags beating the Pats was.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:43 pm
Look, Big V is going to be a beast….I was preaching about him like crazy before the draft. Let him heal completely and get back into football shape. Luckily our D line can afford it for now. But he’ll eventually get out there and be our version of Haloti Ngata. Then watch that D line BEAST!
September 16th, 2018 at 8:43 pm
Beckwith should help also.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:49 pm
Hilarious that after 2 weeks of damn good Bucs football, man-children like Reality/Tmax is no where to be seen.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:54 pm
That D line looked better as the day progressed which obviously lightens the load for the LB CB S ..JPP is getting comfortable ..Allen looking comfortable…You gotta feel great for GMAC he looked like a lil kid out there FINALLY with some help…Unreal start for a team that was WAY over hyped last year and under hyped this and looks better than they have in a decade…I called opening day W in the big easy…i told Joe Friday night as he head banged LIKE A HURRICANE the bucs will shock the world today…Until further notice ill be OZZSTRADOMOUS!! Cant wait for the hype of next MNF..biggest home game in a decade hands down… Too much talent to suck……check out Sports Junkie Radio….
September 16th, 2018 at 9:03 pm
SB I am hearing rumors that the Bucs are already giving up on Rojo and admitting it was a bust. If they are willing to suit up a 2nd round RB in the first two games it is because he sucks out loud. Just move on from him but hopefully VV comes back sooner rather than later.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:03 pm
Big Ben will be a sack magnet for our D-line, hoping Grimes can get back and get some int’s
September 16th, 2018 at 9:04 pm
Nassib has the same amount of years as Spence, played in a lot more games and has less sacks, not better
September 16th, 2018 at 9:05 pm
Looking forward to seeing what Vita does next week
September 16th, 2018 at 9:09 pm
Not to be a downer but the Steelers are winless and the Chiefs are tough and the Browns hung with the Saints.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:12 pm
Vita Vea…ROJO….you fans WORRY too damn much…soooooooooooooo freakin early to worry when were…. 2-0.
Peeps say when are we gonna start winning so we can stop whining….
I guess this is JBF…..we can’t stop whining.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:40 pm
Vita would have been useful for those QB sneaks, but otherwise not sure what he’s gonna add this year. Rookie DT’s rarely do much, but I’ll be more than happy if he proves me wrong.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:42 pm
SB Says:
September 16th, 2018 at 9:53 pm
SB Says:
September 16th, 2018 at 8:06 pm
^^^ And ROJO needs to contribute or this will be One Really bad draft for Licht.
Three rookie DBs played pretty well today. Justin Watson would be contributing if he weren’t behind the deepest WR core in the league, and VV hasn’t stepped on the field, but RoJo will make this a bad draft class?
September 16th, 2018 at 11:02 pm
Did anyone see Conte stop that breakaway run. Give credit where it’s due, people. Great Team Win!
September 16th, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Rod Munch Says
“Saints and Eagles have two of the top 6 lines in football if you believe PFF. Today Foles had all day for the most part…”
Not to be disagreeable, but from what I saw, he was under intense pressure more often than not. He got hit…a lot. Even the booth brought it up multiple times.
However, I do believe that it took a possession or two before the defense got good enough to hit him consistently.
September 16th, 2018 at 11:16 pm
Note about Vita Vea:
Don’t expect him to start.
All of these people saying he needs to get in there, I agree, but he’s not going to be that impactful in the beginning. Allen is the starter.
The way I heard it, Vea is chomping at the bit and the doctors have cleared him. He wanted badly to play this week. Was angry at not being active, but the coaches insist he gets more practice time before he plays. This is no longer about his injury. It is about preparing him because he missed so much practice in camp.
But, man, that dude is building into a fury at not playing yet. He’ll be in total beast mode his first game…which will be this week or next, depending on his practices.
September 16th, 2018 at 11:18 pm
When I said he won’t be that impactful at first, I meant because he’ll have limited chances, unless injuries give him more playing time.
September 16th, 2018 at 11:20 pm
Buc1987,
Been a while since we touched base. Isn’t it great to be justified homers again? LoL
September 16th, 2018 at 11:39 pm
SB Says:
“And ROJO needs to contribute or this will be One Really bad draft for Licht.”
How so?
Vea will possibly be in against the Steelers. Rojo is 1 of 3 2nd round picks and the other two are pretty good. Davis was almost beastly today. Let’s assume the worst for a moment, that Vea and Rojo do not work out (although Vea will). That would mean Licht hit on 6 of 8 draft picks.
How would that be a ‘bad draft’?
Vea is untested.
Rojo is undeveloped.
Stewart is looking good. He has less playing time under his belt and has made a couple mistakes in this game, but otherwise getting better.
Davis was making plays all over the place.
Whitehead will be Conte’s replacement, possibly right away if Conte is injured.
Cappa will be Dotson’s replacement in a year or so, sooner if Dotson gets injured.
Watson is solid, but buried deep in the depth chart right now.
Cichy is quality depth and possibly Lavante Davids eventual replacement.
So please, tell be how this was a bad draft?
Remember, they kept all of their draft picks. Some of them have to be sat because we have starters ahead of them. Right now, lack of experience is holding them back, but that will change.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:00 am
I’ve been critical of the defense but I have to give credit where it’s due. The defense played a good game today.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:35 am
Bonzai – You’re free to be disagreeable, that’s the fun of sports, just some men, showering together, calling each other names, getting in the mud together, it’s a wild time.
Anywho Foles basically had all day to throw the ball and just wasn’t getting rid of the ball, that’s what I saw from watching it live, via the TV angle. Perhaps I’m wrong on that and only remember that, but that’s how I recall it. I think every QB, short of Rob Johnson, would have thrown the ball to someone but Foles just held it and held it and held it waiting for something. Again, it’s the TV view, so I can’t see what the receivers are doing, but I bet if you have access to stats that Fitz had less time than Foles today.
In fact NextGen stats I think might show that, so when they’re out I guess we’ll know.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:42 am
Problem with Spence they ask home every year To change this body size , Bucs coaches to stuck on prototype , just let Spence be the size that made him who he is. Don’t draft people and than change what they do that hit them drafted.
Rojo I hear is not getting playbook. We need to draft intelligent players if this is the reason. This is what happen with snoop dog cousin , 2 years B2B
September 17th, 2018 at 4:44 am
@Schwifty – Totally agree. What little credibility of trolls like Reality/TMax had is totally out the window. In a basement somewhere…. you can almost hear …”MOM!!! I said more hot pockets….NOW!!!!”
September 17th, 2018 at 6:00 am
I love Licht, Rojo, MJ Stewart and Carlton Davis.
However, why spend a high 2nd rounder on a guy who cant break tackles.
And two 2nd rounders on CB’s that run 4.55?
CB’s must be sub 4.4 to make it in todats NFL.
I know Licht wanted “willing tacklers” to play CB.
But we need fast CB’s to survive!!
September 17th, 2018 at 7:03 am
@teacherman77 – “CB’s must be sub 4.4 to make it in todats NFL.”
Ronde barber was a 4.5 CB and did well. Taller CB (Davis) tend to be a tad slower but they make up for it with length and reach.
September 17th, 2018 at 8:54 am
But wasn’t GMC supposed to have sucked the life and drive out of the rest of the defense?!
September 17th, 2018 at 11:40 am
Where are the yahoos on here always calling GMC, Mr. Ice Cream, Cupcake, etc.? Go suck a rotten egg! He was playing his usually good game in the Hell Bowl (105 temp), and having a ball. He knows like I do that this is (FINALLY) a playoff caliber team again esp. the awesome OFFENSE! Whitehead is going to be terrific and my men. LVD and the Kwonster, did their damage, too. BTW, Philly does have a monster D.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:42 am
Buccaneer Bonzai
“The way I heard it, Vea is chomping at the bit and the doctors have cleared him. He wanted badly to play this week. Was angry at not being active, but the coaches insist he gets more practice time before he plays.”
Oh yeah Bonzai. You got the low down inside OBP?