Keeping Veterans Healthy
October 30th, 2020
Bucs OLB Jason Pierre-Paul.
With NFL sack king Shaq Barrett struggling to replicate his dominance of 2019, it puts a whole lot of pressure on veteran pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul.
So, as Joe typed about all offseason, the most critical goal of the defense is to keep JPP healthy and upright, just like the same is true of Mr. Six Rings on offense.
People talk about Shaq getting pressure. This is almost nothing compared to sacks. Shoot, good quarterbacks can throw under pressure. As Joe’s old man used to say about sacks, a quarterback can’t throw when he is laying on his @ss with a big ol’ defender on top of him.
And if the Bucs are going to make the playoffs, it is a good bet they will face good quarterbacks. So sacks are critical. Therefore, it is equally critical JPP plays.
JPP will turn 32 on Jan. 1. He’s an old warhorse, just like Ndamukong Suh (34 in January) and Lavonte David (31 in January). So Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians said he and his staff have specific plans for the older guys because the goal is to make sure they can play on Sundays, not run out of steam in a Thursday practice.
“I think we have a good program for him right now,” Arians said of JPP. “Making sure he gets to the game healthy and ready to go. We just have to get [the older vets] to Sunday healthy. They know what to do.”
Fortunately, even with teams taking Shaq out, the Bucs are second in the NFL in sacks (25). JPP has 5.5 sacks in seven games.
Imagine how dangerous this defense would be if Shaq gets rolling?
October 30th, 2020 at 2:09 pm
Go back and watch his 19. Coverage sacks and quite a few were the qb making sure he didnt get clobbered by Nassib and spun right into shaq. And he was singled for the first 8 weeks. He is playing very well still. Sacks dont tell the whole story. Keep reading the book
October 30th, 2020 at 2:13 pm
@joe
Arians mentioned marpet having surgery in the offseason, was this a surprise to hear for everyone or did i just miss that bit in the offseason?
October 30th, 2020 at 2:22 pm
Shaq has been close numerous times. Also, it hurts with Vea going down because he and Suh helped to collapse the pocket and that gives the edge rushers better opportunities to turn the corner and make a play. So it’s up to Gholston and Suh to keep that interior rush going, and Shaq will get his eventually.
October 30th, 2020 at 2:37 pm
I kinda thought last year maybe Shaq was getting so many sacks because all the focus was on Suh (and others). Now that Shaq is known as such a big threat, it’s more balanced out. That makes sense to me.
October 30th, 2020 at 2:46 pm
Struggling? Come on, man. Why you got to be starting some crap? Are we into individual stats or winning games? Stats are forblosers.
October 30th, 2020 at 2:56 pm
It’s a new one for all.
October 30th, 2020 at 2:56 pm
Shaq Is about to go off against the Giants. I think he has 2, possibly 3, sacks against them
October 30th, 2020 at 2:57 pm
Just cannot call “pressures” playing very well. Sorry.
Playing very well is putting the QB on his arse. Also, sacks tend to cause a fumble more than “pressure.”
Also, isn’t a sack a form of “pressure?” 🙂
October 30th, 2020 at 3:02 pm
Interesting. Can’t they both be equal?
Pressure can lead to turnovers, which IMO would be more valuable that a sack.
I agree, pressure doesn’t work on the top my guess 2% of NFL QBs Brees, Brady, Big Ben and Mahomer but that’s about it…
October 30th, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Joe you gotta stop throwing shade at Shaq with this bogus “pressures aren’t playing well” argument. Give us all a break!
Pressures lead to INTs, incompletions and errors by your opponent. Pressure is what pro sports is all about; Imposing your will against an opponent.
Don’t go all spreadsheeter on us and nitpick statistical deviations in your pickle matrix. Watch the game! Shaq is in peoples grill causing plays!!
October 30th, 2020 at 3:39 pm
Am I the only one who thinks Shaq’s sacks are down is because they actually have dropping into coverage a lot more than last year. At least that’s what it looks like to me.
October 30th, 2020 at 3:48 pm
Jason, you’re right as well. Shaq and JPP switched sides this year too, and JPP gets to be more of the pure pass rusher. Dropping into coverage and his run stuffing against RTs are also why Shaq is 5th on the team in tackles.
Shaq is playing like a more complete LB than a standup DE this year, and Joe can’t figure out why his sacks are down.
October 30th, 2020 at 3:52 pm
This IS the NFL. Not a convalescent home. BAs job is to play them. Its up to themselves to themselves healthy. There is a roster number and s salary cap to work around… HELLO. What is with this irresponsible wishing for the moon after winning couple of games. Nobody is going to give up a producing player for cheap just because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want them. This ain’t Christmas eve and these GMs aint Santa.
October 30th, 2020 at 4:00 pm
I’m not worried about Shaq. If he gets half of his total from last year he’ll be right at ten. Any guy putting up double digit sacks is an asset.
Perhaps more importantly is the fact that QB’s are not lighting us up. We are getting sufficient pressure from all over the place right now.
What’s great IMHO about our D is the athleticism. Our LB’s are physical and fast…our DBs are not far behind and our front three is also quick. We can pressure the QB from all over the field now.
October 30th, 2020 at 4:04 pm
Joe stop writing just to write.. Sack Barrett will get his but for you or anyone to think that HALF of the sacks from last year were to be expected rather than earned just doesn’t understand football (let alone BUCS football lol). He is the focal point of the pass rush and this year teams know it.. no more half a season of slippin through the weak point. To be honest, I LOVE Shaq… but is he the best pass rusher on the leauge?? HECK NO! He’s an above average pass rusher who had a great year last year and fortunately didn’t get locked into a long deal with us or anyone else. For now, keep the pressure on Shaq cause regardless of what those who don’t know football think, pressure WILL impact a game.. especially after JPP, White, David, and a couple others are able to slip through the line focused on Shaq and smash the QB.. trust this Joe, the QBs gunna be feeling that pressure from Shaq when he hears his thundering footsteps close down on him.. it will make an impact, Whether it shows up on the stat sheet as a sack or not..
October 30th, 2020 at 4:13 pm
JPP really is so special. He typically is in the top 10 of snaps for defensive lineman every year. Suh is up there too.
We are lucky to have both of those guys.
October 30th, 2020 at 4:40 pm
Joe you found the new name for Brady. Mr. 6 rings is good and fitting.
October 30th, 2020 at 5:19 pm
Sacks and pressure go hand in hand. If you can get a sack or 2 in a game that gets to a QB especially with a hard hit then when the pressure comes even a sack doesn’t a QB will tend to get the ball out quicker leading to ints cause he of the pressure and him not wanting to get clobbered again. I guess I said that to say we need both sacks and pressure. How many times have we watched QBs stand in the pocket all day to pick us a part. Not anymore let’s go Bucs
October 30th, 2020 at 6:16 pm
Barrett leads the league in QB pressures, Joe. Just sayin’. he’s making a huge impact even without the sacks. In the first quarter Sunday, he forced Carr to throw way short of the WR on third down and like 4 yards which forced a punt.
October 30th, 2020 at 8:01 pm
Come on Joe, Just because your daddy said it doesnt make it so.
October 30th, 2020 at 8:22 pm
The Bucs are on pace for 57 sacks. That is what I am looking at. They are doing well If they continue that pace or increase then all the better. Whether Shaq gets a huge number or not, if they keep knocking the QB around and sacking them, they will be in good shape. Teams can’t run on the Bucs, and they are going to have more leads. So sacks will keep adding up. They are may not be Buddy Ryans 85 Bear Defense, who ate QB’s for lunch but they are still able to get after the QB better than they have for a long long time. GO BUCS!!!!
October 30th, 2020 at 10:02 pm
You and sacks man!!! It only matters on either 1st to put them in long situations or on 3rd to get them off the field… The pressure they are generating is the cause for most the interceptions and all this year!! Pressure is important!! So even a good game say they got 4 sacks … What does that matter if they are still getting first downs on 3rd?? Pressure makes them throw the ball before they want to which makes them not get stuff down the field and makes them make bad passes!! Pressure is important and a sack is only a game changer in 3rd downs!!! …. Just another example of you hero worshipping like one guy getting a bunch of sacks will guarantee a super bowl!!!! Dumb dumb!! …. Shaq got 19 last year and jpp had a good half a year and they were what? In the top 5 last year in sacks?? What did that get them??
October 30th, 2020 at 10:25 pm
Shaq gets 2, JPP gets 2 Monday night.
October 31st, 2020 at 1:14 am
Well those “pressures” are forcing plays to JPP, Suh, the linebackers, etc.
So it’s pretty damn important.
“Struggling” would mean no pressure at all, IMO, in which case we’d be getting gashed on defense.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:24 pm
Remember all the dopes on this message board saying how the Bucs needed to give Shaq a long term deal for whatever amount of money he wanted? LOL! You can always tell the people who know football, like myself, compared to the dopes that just repeat whatever they hear on talk radio.
Anywho there’s two people you look at…
The king of one year wonders…
Wayne Haddix, if you’re really a Bucs fan you should know who he is, if you’re not, then go play Tecmo Super Bowl and you’ll find out.
Not saying Shaq is only a one-year wonder, but you never ever ever pay based of a career year, a nearly 20-sack season, out of nowhere. You tag them and see if they can do it again. Obviously, however, he wasn’t going to do it again – although so far, on the stat sheet, he’s coming in under what I expected, which would have been around 10-12 sacks.
October 31st, 2020 at 8:37 pm
People who think D-Line performance is measured in sacks don’t know football. Sapp had zero sacks in his best ever game (His own quote, taken from his book)
October 31st, 2020 at 8:40 pm
You know who thinks you can judge a D-Line performance using sacks alone? People who don’t know football.
Ask Sapp how many sacks he got in his best ever game (according to his book). The answer is none. There’s far more to the game, this ain’t Madden.
November 1st, 2020 at 9:41 am
Ha!! Joe it looks like a lot of people feel that you don’t know football well enough to write about it for a living?!? Lol … Pressure means a lot and even the fans here some of who may have been played can see that!! Lol
November 1st, 2020 at 9:42 am
Joe is the little kid you go to find out all of the gossip!! Lol … Not really a sports writer