Pass Rush Answered The Bell
December 14th, 2020
Beast.
Yesterday, Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians didn’t need to consult the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Arians didn’t need to look at dates. He could hear the Osceola turkeys gobbling. They were coming from the Vikings’ offensive huddle.
As he said in his postgame remarks, in the fourth quarter it was time for the Bucs’ defensive line to go hunting. And this was not lost on Chase Goodhead of NFL.com.
The Tampa Bay pass rush showed up at just the right time Sunday — in the fourth quarter, when Kirk Cousins is at his best. The Vikings QB entered the game with an NFL-best fourth-quarter passer rating of 132. But the Buccaneers (8-5) held Minnesota scoreless in the final frame thanks largely to a pass rush that overwhelmed with two sacks on each of Minnesota’s last two drives.
Long time readers of Joe know how much Joe carries on about pass rush and sacks. It’s an obsession. But Joe firmly believes this separates the good teams from the wannabes.
You can win with a subpar defense if you are able to consistently get to the passer. Look at the Chiefs, for example. Their defense is mediocre to poor the past three years but they can get after the quarterback, which is the great equalizer.
Look at the Steelers. They lost one of the NFL’s best pass rushers a couple of weeks ago, Bud Dupree, and all of a sudden they lose two games.
Hell, the only reason the Redskins have a puncher’s chance of the playoffs is that their young defensive line is ferocious.
The Bucs and their six sacks and how the pass rushers owned Kirk Cousins in the fourth quarter proved once again how a pass rush can take over a game.
It’s just awesome to see!
December 14th, 2020 at 8:36 am
“Hell, the only reason the Redskins have a puncher’s chance of the playoffs is that their young defensive line is ferocious.”
The Name Redacted.
December 14th, 2020 at 8:40 am
The real story here is that our offense established a 2 score game…..that is what allowed our pass rush to focus on Cousins…..we took out their running game.
December 14th, 2020 at 8:53 am
If the offence can establish a lead consistently our defence will play from a position of strength. If our offence can commit to the run it will keep our defence fresher. It’s all about our offence becoming more consistent with time of possession. 3 and outs are a killer on our defence. Too often we focus on the pass. It’s as if we don’t trust the Rojo. He should have 1200 yards by now if we used him correctly. The only positive of not running Rojo more is that he still looks fresh. He doesn’t look like he is dragging.
December 14th, 2020 at 8:54 am
I hope Todd Bowles sent his game check to Dan Bailey. He singlehandedly gave us 10 points, what was it 3 missed FG and 1 extra point?
December 14th, 2020 at 8:58 am
Was it as simple as Shaq and JPP switching sides?
December 14th, 2020 at 9:31 am
Who are the Redskins? 🙂
December 14th, 2020 at 9:38 am
I didn’t just like but loved seeing Cousins on the ground. But when Winfield rushed the passer and strip-sacked Cousins with three Bucs defenders around the ball and the QB still recovered it (!), I thought to myself: “You’ve got to be kidding me…It’s a Bucs life!” Still, congratulations to the defense! The ‘no risk it, no biscuit’ philosophy has been adopted on the defensive side of the ball, too.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:41 am
“Hell, the only reason the Redskins have a puncher’s chance of the playoffs is that their young defensive line is ferocious.”
I love it. Ferocious Redskins.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:49 am
Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins Redskins
December 14th, 2020 at 9:55 am
i am with you 100%. bottom line championship teams have good lines on both sides of the ball, especially defensive.
December 14th, 2020 at 10:24 am
When we have a decent lead, and a team must pass to catch up, is when we are at our best, IMHO.
That is when we can turn the dogs loose!
December 14th, 2020 at 10:59 am
Any news on Vea? Any chance for him to come back for the playoffs?
December 14th, 2020 at 11:05 am
if i’m correct shaq and jpp had 28 sacks last year…
this year so far they have 17.5 with 3 games to go…
maybe they get 24-25 sacks
December 14th, 2020 at 11:33 am
I just looked at the “advanced stats” which I never do. I, like Joe like to get that big loss of yards and sacks. Shaq leads the league in pressures and is 3rd in hurries. While down from last year, he’s still top 10 in sacks. He’s going to get a monster payday from someone, hopefully us.
December 14th, 2020 at 2:45 pm
Playoffs?! Are you kidding me? Playoffs?!
December 14th, 2020 at 11:18 pm
Nobody ever said sacks aren’t important… And when they take over like that yeah it changes the game… But you still have to have pressure in them all game and get the sacks when they come…. A few weeks ago I forget what game but they didn’t get many sacks but the pressure led to two or three turnovers!! … It goes hand in hand and if your getting pressure with your front 4 all game then you know in the 4th quarter you can send that extra man or two to get there…. If you’re getting no pressure you are not confident in doing that… A great example is McCoy.. he racked up a lot of sacks but couldn’t stop the run and never got any push and pressure up the middle!!…. It all goes hand in hand
December 15th, 2020 at 8:10 am
Cobraboy Says:
“Who are the Redskins?”
.
.
OMG! Not you, too!
You gonna be like the Sean Hannity of JBF. Only sold out a little bit.
=D
December 15th, 2020 at 8:18 am
Brad Says:
“Shaq leads the league in pressures and is 3rd in hurries.”
.
.
Pressures… Hurries…
I mean, is there a big difference? Asking for a friend.