Bucs Defense No. 5
January 8th, 2021
Enough talent to get by?
The consensus big key in the Bucs-Redskins playoff game is matchup between Washington’s defensive line and park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking Bucs quarterback Tom Brady.
If Brady has a weakness, it’s pressure and specifically pressure up the middle. The Redskins can do that.
And while the Bucs’ offense grabs the headlines and the TV klieg lights and the drama — and of course, the points — perhaps a very overlooked element of this game is the Bucs’ defense against the feeble Redskins’ attack.
The Redskins average a dismal 20.9 points a game, ranked No. 25 in the NFL. And that was with a healthy Alex Smith, who is banged up fighting a calf injury. His snaps Saturday night may be limited.
Per Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic, the Bucs have the fifth-best defense of all 14 playoff teams.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles’ defense mixed in blitzing, zone coverage and two-deep safety looks to produce to a No. 5 ranking. The Buccaneers ranked fifth in blitz frequency and sixth in blitz effectiveness. But Tampa will be playing its wild-card game without linebacker Devin White, and White has been a big part of their blitz schemes. He’s second on the team with nine sacks. Up front, the Bucs are led by Jason Pierre-Paul, Shaq Barrett and Ndamukong Suh. They finished fifth in pass rush win rate and first in rushing. Per Football Outsiders, only the Saints were a higher-variance defense than Tampa. They can look dominant at times but are also capable of being exposed.
Yeah, an offense could take advantage of Devin White being out. He’s on the Reserved/COVID-19 list and will miss his second-straight game.
Thing is, does Washington have the capability?
Taylor Heinicke and Terry McLaurin aren’t exactly Matty Ice and Calvin Ridley (who had one of his worst games of the season a week ago against Todd Bowles’ defense), and they’re not Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson (who had his worst game since Nov. 1 against Bowles’ defense).
January 8th, 2021 at 12:06 am
A defense is measured against their opponents.
I have confidence that the numbers will sway our direction Saturday.
January 8th, 2021 at 12:41 am
I got the feeling at times during the season that Bowles was holding back or, not showing some of his defensive schemes until the playoffs. This was Especially true against the Saints since they made no visible adjustments during the onslaught
January 8th, 2021 at 2:08 am
All that really matters is if the Bucs O Line play a decent game. If so then there is no way the Washington Offense will be able to keep up beoynd the first half, if that much. More like by the end of the first quarter the Bucs might have 14 points, then the score will only build from there. With all the talk, and how Todd B has been embarrassed like it the KC game and the Saint game, it will be interesting to see how the Offense has schemed up a fast start to take pressure off the defense. You know WFT is going to dink and dunk just like the Saints and Rams, which the Bucs do not seem to be able to stop. Anyways it will be fun watching a Jan playoff game with the Bucs for the first time since Jeff Garcia started against the Giants in 2007. GO BUCS!!!!
January 8th, 2021 at 2:20 am
In 2007 I thought we would cake walk over the Giants. I was wrong.
January 8th, 2021 at 3:14 am
Nothing about the past matters. Not records. Not statistics. It’s now about will.
January 8th, 2021 at 3:18 am
RPO’s will kill us In that cover 3. Three step s safe throws.
and then we will blow a coverage see: Logan Thomas,
Who’s sticking him, LVD common😂
January 8th, 2021 at 3:54 am
Lol @ Delawest
What?
Who is in Cover 3 and who runs RPOs?
Hinny K?
Are you talking about the right game?
Runs aren’t an issue against Tampa if you know the team.
Only a Washington fan gives 2 $hits about Logan Thomas.
LD won’t match up with him very often.
I expect to see Winfield and Whitehead utilized closer to the LOS more in this game with Edwards playing a true safety role.
Good Luck to ya!!!
January 8th, 2021 at 5:03 am
Washington functions best as a run-first team, and our defense has repeatedly shown that we’re pretty good at stuffing the run. Kevin Minter may not have the speed of Devin White, but he’s a wily vet who could start on many teams; we’re in good hands there.
The bigger concern should be Carlton Davis. Bucs NEED him playing well in our Secondary, and having a bum wheel can obviously make that difficult. Alex Smith is mostly a dink-and-dunk type, but he does go deep once in awhile. During his end season 5-game winning streak for instance, he completed 6 deep passes out of 16 attempts; not many actually, but it can keep a defense ‘honest’. Stopping the short & intermediate passes is obviously the bigger concern though and hopefully we play more aggressively to handle that.
Best thing for our defense would be for our offense to go up early by 2 or 3 TDs and force Washington to get more aggressive with their passing game. That’s not really their strong suit.
January 8th, 2021 at 6:18 am
All the media talk about how the WFT had this vaunted defense, has to make our defense feel some kind of way! If our secondary doesn’t play soft and gets their hands on the receivers at the line to disrupt the timing, our D line should get home often and make for a very very bad day for them!
January 8th, 2021 at 6:27 am
Does anyone know if Vita Vea is healthy or eligible to come back and play in the playoffs?
January 8th, 2021 at 6:57 am
Vea will definitely not play……
We need to use our safeties effectively tomorrow……blitz them often…..tight on receivers…..stuff the run, as usual….
T’m thinking our defense will surprise.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:33 am
lets have this defense ready to go bowles!!!!
GO BUCS!!!
January 8th, 2021 at 10:50 am
Points win Championships! (Not Defense or Offense) For those that believe “Defense wins Championships” re watch Tony Dungy’s Buccaneers playoff games and wisdom will be found.
January 8th, 2021 at 12:52 pm
Billy-43 Says: Lol @ Delawest
What?
I tell u what, I’m a Bucs fan.
Who’s in cov3 ? U ask ,the Bucs that’s are base d.
And as far as T Hink. Short 3 step drop kill us all day
RPO’s u ask, have u seen our Eye discipline on D (atrocious)
But I’m with u Billy,I really hope my statements are way off base
please be off base Delawest 😉