The Bucs And The Defense
January 27th, 2019
What will he run.
A lot of Bucs fans are wondering what kind of a defense new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will run.
The Bucs, for over 20 years, have been clinging to a four-man front. Bowles has been known as a 34-defense kind of a guy in recent years though he noted in his introductory press conference this month that roughly half his career he’s been involved with four-man fronts.
Former Bucs guard and popular local radio personality Ian Beckles, on a recent edition of his “In the Trenches” podcast said he heard Bucco Bruce Arians mention in one of his many interviews since being anointed new Bucs coach that the Bucs defense will be a one-gap defense. Beckles said this means a four-man front.
So will the Bucs use a three-man front or a four-man front? Pat Kirwan of SiriusXM NFL Radio said, well, yes.
Kirwan took a call from a Jets fan who had the same questions about the Jets’ defense under Gregg Williams as Bucs fans have for Bowles. Kirwan, a former Bucs scout and Jets linebacker coach turned director of pro player personnel, said most NFL three-man defense are actually disguised four-man fronts.
“I am not hung up on scheme any more because most of the time, these 3-4 teams are not in what I call a 3-4,” Kirwan explained last week. “They look like they are in a 3-4 but when the ball is snapped, there are one-gap penetrators all over the place.
“Heck, the Ravens don’t even call the outside linebacker an outside linebacker any more, they call him the rush-backer.
“When you freeze the tape right after the snap, to me, it looks like a 4-3-under every time.”
That is probably the best explanation and best educated guess on what Bowles plans to do this fall. It will be called a three-man front but in reality, the play will be that of a four-man front.
In other words, the Bucs defense likely will be a hybrid defense.
January 27th, 2019 at 8:15 am
Whatever it takes to stuff the run and put consistent pressure on QBs.
Mike Smith said a # of things in the beginning of his time here that led us all to believe we would see different looks and different fronts depending on the circumstance. Um – yea – not so much….
January 27th, 2019 at 8:22 am
“Mike Smith recieved Nowhere Spence, Chris Baker, Ryan Smith, VH3, TJ Ward, J Elliot….
From the Teflon Gump
Please please lets be reasonable here”
Kobe Faker
January 27th, 2019 at 8:37 am
Would Noah Spence be more beneficial from the rush backer position? Can we actually find a niche to exploit his talent? I think Bowles will hopefully resurrect some careers by putting them into positions they can excel from.
January 27th, 2019 at 8:42 am
Former Buc DC Mike Smith said the same thing or something similar. As I recall, that didn’t end very well. You decide!
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/1/20/10801082/mike-smith-says-buccaneers-defense-will-be-flexible-but-4-3-based
January 27th, 2019 at 8:50 am
Everyonenwants to.know what defemse he will run. A good efensive coordinator will have yoy asking that same question mid season in the third.quarter of a game . Adjustments and disguises are something the Bucs have taken oath not to imcoorporate during game play on an NFL field. I dont want 3-4, dont want 4-3…..I want what WORKS FOR THAT OPPONENT AND SITUATIONS!!!
Thr only thing for sure that I can say wiyhout a doubt is that soft 15 yard coverage page needs to be ripped out of the handbook all together and burned….
January 27th, 2019 at 8:51 am
drip…drip…drip…goes the offseason
January 27th, 2019 at 8:52 am
Sorry about typos small phone screen
January 27th, 2019 at 8:53 am
Under Mike Smith it was a “Morphing Defence”!!!!
January 27th, 2019 at 8:53 am
^^^good points 7
January 27th, 2019 at 8:58 am
I don’t care what they run or what it’s called – just get back to us having a solid D at all 3 levels with veteran leaders – hope we use FA to shore up the
S and CB spots – those kids need help!!!!
January 27th, 2019 at 9:11 am
The D lining up is not as important as finding more capable roster!!!!!! Better player will give greater flexibility!!!!!!!! Too long have the Bucs been patching and trying to build around the wrong players!!!!!!!!!! The purge will be fun to watch this offseason!!!!!!!!!!! And talk of attack is great, until your on the field and just given up multiple easy touchdowns!!!!!!!!!!!
The 2019 season will reveal answers to the sheep that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 27th, 2019 at 9:46 am
Blitz and take our chances
January 27th, 2019 at 9:48 am
Realist is 100% correct. Bucs have been trying to build around 2 very soft mentally weak really average to below average players in cancer93 and lvd. Neither play full seasons nor full games. Lazy and stupid is not what you build around. No one confuses popularity with actual good football players more than low standard bucfan led by joe
January 27th, 2019 at 10:12 am
I’ve always liked Bowles…who has a ton of street cred by starting at free safety for the Doug E. Fresh Williams led Redskins in the ‘87 Super Bowl. Stoic demeanor like Dungy but not hiding out in the press box a la Smiley Smith. Bowles also provided a yeoman’s effort head coaching the Jets while their front office basically rebuilt on his watch. Tampa trending up; Rest of NFC South trending down.
January 27th, 2019 at 10:59 am
Joe once wrote an article that alluded to Koetter saying Noah Spence was NOT a linebacker but rather a DE only. What a bunch of hogwash. The last year Noah was on the Buckeyes he had 7.5 sacks as a 3-4 Outside linebacker. He spent the final year with Eastern Kentucky as a DE. I think Bowles will give him a shot in the rushing linebacker role. He’s simply too light to play DE fulltime.
January 27th, 2019 at 11:27 am
We’ll know what kind of defense we’ll run when FA’s begins. If Bowles brings in LB’s from the Jets, and doesn’t resign Kwon, if McCoy is let go we’re switching 3-4 base. If Bowles thinks he can run a 4-3 with the players we have, and win, he’ll be fired like Schiano, Lovie, and Smith. Our current so called stars are career losers, wishing, and hoping different won’t make it so.
January 27th, 2019 at 11:44 am
BigHogHaynes Says:
January 27th, 2019 at 8:53 am
Under Mike Smith it was a “Morphing Defence”!!!!
Sure enough. It morphed into something awful and ineffective.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:07 pm
Call it whatever you want as long as it works.
January 27th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
I would be curious to see if Bowles has any interest in swapping a player or two from the Jets with what we got. Jets are moving to more of a 4 3 D, and we going to be using more 3 4 looks so since both squads are going thru some changes it may be a fit.
January 27th, 2019 at 7:04 pm
Keep your opponent’s scoring average to 16 points or less and you’ll make the playoffs.
January 28th, 2019 at 7:30 am
Last off season, I predicted 2018 would be LVDs final season as a Buc. This was before Beckwith’s injury.
That injury saved LVD thus far.
But Noah Spence is certainly toast. Or he better be.
Listen…we should not be concerned with ‘hopefuls’. It’s one thing to support potential. It’s another to refuse to cut bait after years of support without reward.
Since drafted, Spence has given us no reason to want to keep him. He’s too fragile, and on the rare occasion that he plays, he does nothing.
I see people make excuses…blaming it on the coaches for using hime wrong.
If a player is destined to be great, he will show it no matter the scheme or usage of him. He will seize the day regardless.
Would Warren Sapp have been worse if O ke Smith had coached him? No. He would have made Smith look like a DT Whisperer.
A good player will do well no matter what. Even if used wrong. He may not be elite in such circumstances, but he’ll be good at the very least.
I feel for Spence, but let him be someone else’s problem. We need to get better NOW.
#Don’tTellMe-ShowMe
#RefuseToLose