From Trash To Magic
July 20th, 2020
Do the Bucs have a coaching wizard on staff?
The 2018 Bucs defense was beyond atrocious.
At the time of his firing, inept defensive coordinator Mike Smith oversaw a unit that was on its way to setting the NFL record for most yards allowed. In the history of the game!
This led Joe to write that Smith was leading (ahem) a defense that was the worst in football history.
Last year, the defense turned around and played solid if not strong ball after Thanksgiving. For Warren Sharp, that is because of one person alone working “magic.”
That was Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, as Sharp explained in his Warren Sharp’s 2020 Football Preview.
… [T]he 2018 Bucs defense was trash and people likely assume that because the 2019 Bucs posted a losing record and allowed 28.1 points per game (fourth-most) they must have been trash as well. The only thing that should be trashed is the opinion of anyone you speak with who ranks defenses by points per game.
The 2018 Bucs had the sixth-most expensive defense in the NFL but ranked dead last in efficiency. The 2019 Bucs shed $20M in defensive salary cap space to rank 12th-least expensive. And guess what happened?
They went from 32nd to fifth in defensive efficiency against a tougher schedule while spending $20M less in cap space. That was in large part thanks to defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who performed magic.
Well, Joe guesses Sharp is allowed to call Joe “trash” because Joe believes not letting teams score is significant. The entire game is based solely on outscoring the other team. If your defense keeps your opponent out of the end zone, that’s good, yes? In fact, that’s what it is all about.
But back to Sharp’s point. When you factor in the cash spent on defense in 2018 (which Joe didn’t do), and the progress the defense made from redefining horrific defense to damn good by the end of 2019, that’s really remarkable.
Was it all Bowles? If the Bucs have a lockdown defense this year, it’ll be hard to argue Bowles is not the major hand in the defensive turnaround.
July 20th, 2020 at 8:10 am
Realist, this ruins your entire argument and your recycled stats that you vomit out on this blog at your earliest convenience.
July 20th, 2020 at 8:54 am
Is sharp getting a cut of the money If the sheep bet money on the Bucs??????? Sharp’s number are in question for sure!!!!!!!!!! The Bucs defense spending in 2018 was closer to the bottom 6th and not the 6th most!!!!!!!!!!! Was he talking about defensive free agent spending??????? He is also wrong about schedule!!!!!!! You can look up the avg offensive rank faced to know that is not true!!!!!!!!!!!!
And sharp does not even mention all the injuries of 2018 that had over half of the defensive starts out!!!!!!!!!!! Or does anyone think that William Gholston is a starting DT, because the first 4 games, he was!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How many defensive starters from opening day 2018 are still starters or even on the team???????? Why so much roster turnover if coaching was the only problem????????
The “real” fans can not say what is worse, sharp spitting out lies and BS, or the sheep taking it all as gospel, and thinking all problems are fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!
The truth will be exposed pretty quick once they hit the field!!!!!!!! And I can tell you where the “real” fans money is betting!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 20th, 2020 at 8:56 am
How many points were earlier in the season when the rookies and second year players were still figuring how to play a more complex scheme and raise their game to NFL standards? How many series had to start with shortened fields due to “errors” created by the offense? And how many were put behind the eight ball due to first series offense points? Just saying… I think there are alot of things that make the evaluation of last years defense difficult.
July 20th, 2020 at 8:57 am
If this defense improves as much from last year to this year as we did from the start of the 2019 season to the end of the season Todd Bowles will be gone.
The league is starving for black HC’s right now…if Bowles gets this defense to the promised land he will surely be next in line. He does have to erase the Jets memory but then again the Jets are one franchise that competes with the Bucs for overall ineptitude.
July 20th, 2020 at 9:39 am
Haha, Realist’s butt-buddy Mike Smith is a nice guy, but a terrible DC (for the Bucs, at least).
Bowles is the Man.
July 20th, 2020 at 9:41 am
I agree, one more year of stellar defense, and we can all say good bye to Todd Bowles.
I think he is an excellent coach, though they called him “Toilet Bowels” in NYC
Not only is there a lack of Black head coaching candidates, but will all the black people protesting, the NFL is gonna be especially anxious to add new Black Head Coaches.
July 20th, 2020 at 9:42 am
I would hire Raheem as HC way before I’d hire Bowles…
Raheem’s personality is way more infectious…
But yes, Bowles will be a target too.
July 20th, 2020 at 10:01 am
Well they are probably figuring turnovers into the equation. According to stats put up on NFL.com a turnover in your own territory is a 4 point swing, a turnover in your opponents territory is a 3 point swing, and a pick 6 of course is 6 point swing. That would be a Minimum of 120 points pissed away to the other team.
July 20th, 2020 at 10:13 am
It’s simple joe the defense can’t control the QBs pick 6s. The points per gm our defense gave up are skewed. But people don’t like to talk about that, they will however talk about our top scoring offense. So I pose a question how many tds did our defense score the off points per gm are skewed also. Double standard for some for me it truly is a team gm. But tht doesn’t mean any position gets a pass I don’t care what position you play upgrade when possible. Keep building the roster Bruce go Bucs !!!
July 20th, 2020 at 10:54 am
The “Defense” didn’t actually allow 28 ppg. Not when you factor in Pick6s’ and Numerous short field situations
July 20th, 2020 at 11:31 am
@SB. Word, dude. JackWagon Jameis continually put the Buc D in horrid field position. Good riddance, finger sucking Mr Check yo sheet.
Go Brady Bucs!
PS: Hey Clean house, clean yer chin.
July 20th, 2020 at 11:34 am
Erik
Certainly agree that Raheem deserves a shot and like Bowles will get mentioned a lot.
Not sure I agree he’s better than Bowles. I respect them both…for different reasons…equally. I hope they both get hired.
July 20th, 2020 at 12:16 pm
It’s funny to see when the sheep only “factor” turnovers for last season!!!!!!!!!!! The sheep act like turnovers only started last year and forget that the bucs offense has been in the top 5 for turnovers since 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And before they wrongly argue, that it was extremely high last year, They need to admit that it was a Coaching Decision, for the turnovers to be that high!!!!!!!!! The scored more being “reckless” which led to extra turnovers, being reckless, and ” keep throwing” was ole stale biscuit’s answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 20th, 2020 at 12:47 pm
Stfu up coaching decision for turnovers the dude on Twitter has really brainwashed you fools. Seriously use some common sense some of these excuses are beyond stupid.
July 20th, 2020 at 2:30 pm
LOL@Realist(o)!!!
July 20th, 2020 at 6:33 pm
!!!!!!!!Realist, either Smittys jaw is sore from smiling, or yours is sore from suc…nevermind!!!!!!!!
July 20th, 2020 at 9:52 pm
In BA I trust!
In TB I also trust!
Go Bucs!