Big Barrett Honor; Big Barrett Letdown
October 3rd, 2019
Congratulations to Shaq Barrett, the master of the Strip-Shaq, who was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month today.
The vote should not have been close. Barrett has nine sacks, three forced fumbles, seven tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits and 15 solo tackles through four games from his linebacker position.
Bucco Bruce Arians was on SiriusXM NFL Radio last night saying he would have guessed Barrett would have had five sacks through four games, based on how well he played in training camp and preseason. So Arians admitted he’s as stunned as everyone else is by the nine-sack output and more.
Sadly, the Bucs defense is still giving up the booty and the cold reality is Barrett cannot maintain this inhuman pace.
Sure, he might end up with 23 sacks to set the all-time, single-season mark, but he’s not going to rack up the 36 sacks he’s on pace to record.
Other guys have to step up to “get home” to the quarterback, to use Arians’ phrase. The Bucs have just two sacks that don’t belong to Barrett (Will Gholston and Carl Nassib) and their 11 total sacks are tied for 10th most in the NFL.
Joe’s very eager to see how things balance out when the inevitable Barrett letdown comes. That could be the story of the season right there. Hopefully, the Bucs secondary will mature in a hurry and bring stability to the defense.
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:23 am
#58 and #93 sure look a lot better this year!
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:26 am
shaq has made more plays in 4 weeks than cancer93 made in 9 years where are the cancer93 nuthuggers now that their fraud mancrush has been completely unmasked as the selfish pos he always was. cancer93 never finished a single game other than that chihuahua ankle grab on matt ryan. no statement games no signature plays…. just a god card playing fraud that you suckers bought into hook line and sinker….
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:26 am
Negative .. really . What about when our other Star D end returns ? What happens when our secondary stops playing off receivers and starts to get aggressive. I see nothing but upside but the Joe’s the sky is always falling. I have not gone to site all week and the first time I click on a story it’s negative. Unreal !!! That’s funny, since this really isn’t negative at all. Seems like you didn’t read it.–Joe
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:30 am
But what if there is no let down ….. Please try to stick to one screen name. Thank you.–Joe
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:34 am
I might get me a Shaq jersey. Hopefully we give him a new contract.
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:36 am
@Joe … “Sadly, the Bucs defense is still giving up the booty.” Yup, the Bucs’ defense has been tagged with 117 POINTS ALLOWED through 4 games for a #30 ranking thus far. Wow, that’s over 29 PPG, not much better than last year.
Oh wait, 27 of those points came off of 3 Pick-6s plus a safety & a short FG as a result of offensive turnovers. So the Bucs’ defense has REALLY given up 90 points in 4 games … 22.5 PPG average. Hmmm, Cleveland has allowed 91 points in 4 games and is ranked #15, so our defense SHOULD be ranked in the Top-16 for their performance. Oh I forgot Joe, THAT doesn’t fit with the ‘Bucs offense is great, Bucs defense is still giving up the booty’ narrative. My bad. If you can’t see that the defense is struggling, then Joe can’t help you. –Joe
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:36 am
Yup, off to moderation we go.
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:39 am
Teams really aren’t doubling teaming him yet if you watch the tape.
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:41 am
Curious to see what happens when JPP returns.
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:45 am
As long as VV and SUH continue to do what they do on the inside SHAQ will continue to dominate…..
hopefully white gets into the action when he gets healthy…..
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:49 am
Why is a “Let Down” coming? People wonder why the Bucs have a losing culture? The culture is everything, not just the team itself and the front office. It’s the Local Media, who talks about Fishing, after one of the biggest wins for the Bucs against the Panthers (who are always negative, Ian & Joe) or just make NO sense (Clayton) Something that’s going good for the Bucs and the fans, someone we can embrace, Joe has to come in and say, there’s going to be a let down.
What Barrett is doing is the equivalent of hitting .500 in baseball over a season. It’s never been done and it’s never been approached. It’s no shame in saying Barrett is primed for a let down and probably will only get 20 sacks this season so other players will have to step up. –Joe
WHY? Because it’s happen before? So ofcourse nothing will ever change! The media helps condition the fans thinking, understand your influence on the fans.
I live in DC and the coverage here is Incredible, they don’t talk about crabs after a Skins game. They cover the team, they educate the fans, they correct callers. I know being negative is the thing and you more feedback being negative but I think it’s a cheap way out…
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:51 am
DR
not that often that i agree with you but i do in this case…..
bucs defense is better than last year and imo, isnt struggling but rather still learning and developing…..
defense is improving….
we dont want this team to peak in OCT…..
GO BUCS!!!!!!
October 3rd, 2019 at 9:51 am
the “inevitable barrett letdown” will results in the inevitable suh and vea explosion.
This d line is getting lots of pressure. Barrett is just reaping the rewards. Double barrett, which is inevitable, and the others will eat.
The cbs and safeties need to step it up by they will.
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:19 am
have to agree with Joe. The secondary is still getting torched, but to give them props, they are playing much more physical and they’re tackling has significantly improved, imo
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:21 am
It’s no shame in saying Barrett is primed for a let down and probably will only get 20 sacks this season
if thats a let down, sign me up for that every season!!!!!!!…lol….
and its not all about sacks….its about “pressure”…..
@joe, you’re using a poor choice of words….if shaq’s production slips, it’ll be because teams make adjustments vs a shaq “letdown”….
GO BUCS!!!!!!
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:22 am
@Joe … “If you can’t see that the defense is struggling, then Joe can’t help you.” Sorry, but I CAN’T see that Joe. This defense is light-years ahead of last years defense, and they’re doing it with a bunch of inexperienced youngsters in the Secondary. They’re giving up just a bit over 3 TDs a game, and they’re doing it on a payroll that’s BARELY HALF of what our highest-paid offense makes.
Defense didn’t lose Game 1, offensive turnovers did. But defense did win Game 2 by limiting the Panthers to only 4 FGs. And defense didn’t lose Game 3 … S/Ts missing 5 pts and coaching going turtle in the 2nd half did. And defense creating FOUR turnovers against the high-flying Rams offense was critical to last Sunday’s victory since it gave COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL a chance to work.
And as far as Shaq Barrett goes, I personally wouldn’t care if Shaq had ALL of the Bucs’ sacks. To me, you win or lose as a TEAM. But like 813bucboi says, we need the defense to keep ‘improving’. Same with the offense. Same with S/Ts. Same with coaching. Much like chess, NFL Football is a game of STRATEGY. It’s a dogfight every single week. Start thinking you’re ‘good’ and you’ll get your butt handed to you. Ask the Rams.
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:23 am
I think this goes to show that the narrative of getting pressure to the QB to improve the secondary is a false one. That’s like saying you must establish the run first. Shaq Barrett has more sacks by himself than ten teams in the NFL. Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh are collasping pockets and moving QBs off their spot. It still doesn’t matter. The defensive backfield is still getting abused. I can see why some GMs across the NFL seem to be putting a higher premium on CBs and Safety’s than on the defensive line.
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:28 am
Meanwhile that team is 0-4, plays in the worst NFL stadium I’ve ever visited, has zero in-game fan experience, and the Redskins fans just take it up the pooper year in and year out because of tradition and accepting the status quo. There is nothing wrong with pointing out what is wrong with a team or the franchise as a whole. Hey, at least they get to sing HTTR on the rare touchdown.
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:41 am
From what I see doubling Suh and Vea has benefitted Barret immensely.
So what will OC’s do? Double Suh, Vea AND Barrett? Dedicate six guys to the Bucs impressive DL? Do that and Gholston and Nassib will have a field day.
Barrett may get slowed down, but an offense can’t dedicate that many resources without limiting the playbook.
I’m really intrigued by what happens when JPP comes back…IF he’s in decent playing shape. Since he can play inside, how does a pass rush with Nassib, JPP, Vea, Suh and Barrett sound? How would an OC counter that group?
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:43 am
At least Suh is t 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage 5 yards from the ball and and and I havnt seen him get blown out 5 yards down the field on short yardage !!! AND that makes a big difference!!!!
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:45 am
@ D-Rome: it’s not about the alleged poor Buc DB’s. The NFL is a passing game now based on the rules. You can’t frickin’ touch a QB. You can’t frickin’ touch a receiver. You can’t whack a receiver with violence after a catch.
This is by design. Points are up. Everybody gets torched. Hell, Talib, one of the best in the NFL, looked pedestrian against the Bucs.
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:47 am
Joe,
I think it is funny that while you and the group on here were all be moaning that we didn’t get a sack man from the draft, some of us were championing that this defense didn’t need that. While I will admit I didn’t see Shaq as being the man, I did see that the pressure was going to get it done. It isn’t the D-Lineman that get the sacks in this Defense. Look at the old 90’s, (Wow that is weird to call them old) but they had LB that were killers. Now we have that too. That was one reason that McCoy didn’t want to switch. He wouldn’t star. Suh and Vita are getting that push in the middle which is helping Nassib and Shaq get the one on ones they need. Also rotating Shaq on sides is doing it as well. We have a good push, just need the back end to catch up.
It is a process and it is good to see the process working with the by in from the team.
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:48 am
BS
Defense lost game 3. That’s not a debate. Kicker should have made the kick absolutely but 18 pt lead bruh…..
October 3rd, 2019 at 10:50 am
All of a sudden, I feel depressed.
23 sacks would be such a let down when he should have had 36? …smh
good grief
October 3rd, 2019 at 11:07 am
It’s still early in the schedule and season. The Bucs are coming along excitingly. The fans see it, opposing fans see it. Keep it up and make this the year that Buc fans have been waiting so long for. Go Bucs!
October 3rd, 2019 at 11:08 am
d-rome
pressure does improve the secondary….look at the amount of turnovers we’ve gotten because of TO’s…..
last year we were getting no pressure and no TO’s….
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 3rd, 2019 at 11:13 am
Joe,
I consider myself as having good reading comprehension and I perceived this article slightly negatively. I understand your concern but am confident others will step up as Barrett gets more attention.
Before this Sunday, you should consider doing a poll to ask the fans if we think Barrett will break the single season sack record. Thanks in advance!
October 3rd, 2019 at 11:25 am
Buccernutter … Respectfully disagree;. Defense didn’t lose Game 3 … the TEAM lost game 3 when the offense went turtle in the 2nd half (score 28 pts in the 1st half & THREE in the 2nd half?) plus our kicker left 5 points on the field (make EITHER the two XP attempts OR the FG and we win?). Defense certainly CONTRIBUTED to that loss by giving up TWO rushing TDs to Jones, plus a couple of loooong pass plays. Just like Game 4 was a TEAM WIN, so Game 3 was a TEAM LOSS.
October 3rd, 2019 at 11:32 am
I agree with D.R. and bucboi.
The D is a work in progress and seems to be making large strides in that area. We have a lot of new faces and as D.R. points out a kiddie corps at the back end of our D.
Cobra
You took my post. I was going to point out what you did so well. Line play in particular changes from game to game because OC’s have to PICK their poison…yeah they need to chip and double team Sack Barrett…but as you point out Cobra each team gets the same number of players and when you start doubling up it just HAS to free up somebody else. I think Nassib, Gholston, and hopefully White when he returns…perhaps one of our two safeties….there are PLENTY of positions and players to pick up any slack.
October 3rd, 2019 at 12:34 pm
And an INT!!! Joe how can you leave that out?
October 3rd, 2019 at 12:35 pm
‘The big Barrett letdown’. That’s pretty positive thinking right there.
October 3rd, 2019 at 1:40 pm
Yeah – the INT – why is that not covered? That was a huge play!
October 3rd, 2019 at 1:49 pm
I don’t refer to it as “setting the sack record.”
I refer to it as “legitimizing” the sack record.
October 3rd, 2019 at 4:46 pm
I was a McCoy fan but he is no longer here and no I don’t follow any x- BUCS when they with other teams, I have enough problems learning about about my own 53 man squad pluse the practice squad! But but but more plays in 4 weeks than McCoy had in 9 years…man you remind me of that lying #45…pure bull spit!!! Keep it real, you beginning to sound like The Stable Genius!!!!
October 3rd, 2019 at 4:53 pm
It’s simple Cobraboy, they couldn’t counter that group :-0
October 3rd, 2019 at 5:53 pm
“Joe’s very eager to see how things balance out when the inevitable Barrett letdown comes. That could be the story of the season right there.”
This kind of quote earns you honors!