JPP, Shaq Barrett Selected No. 2
June 21st, 2021
Gets props from BSPN.
Three years ago Joe never dreamed of typing the following sentence.
The Bucs have one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing duos and probably their best since Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice regularly chased quarterbacks.
In 2017, the Bucs were as toothless rushing the passer as you could ever imagine an NFL team, ranking last in sacks. Before Jason Pierre-Paul was stolen by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht for a third-round pick in March 2018, the Bucs were about as ferocious getting after quarterbacks as a week-old beagle puppy.
It was sickening, revolting, nauseating.
Now the Bucs have a feared pass rush and are Super Bowl champions. Coincidence? Hell, no! Don’t be dumb.
Remember when Noah Spence had 5.5 sacks as a rookie and we all thought the Bucs had the next Bruce Smith? Fun times.
Well, last week, former Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears appeared on “NFL Live” and selected his top pass-rushing duos. Shaq Barrett and JPP were No. 2.
“No. 2, JPP and Shaq Barrett,” Spears began. “Yes, the Super Bowl champions. They showed and paid off their dividends during that playoff run. We all know how dynamic JPP is and also physical at the point of attack. He plays the run, people. I have a lot of respect for guys like that.
“And then when we get to Shaq Barrett, three sacks in the NFC Championship. We know what he did in the Super Bowl. He got his money. He’s a sack artist and he plays for the reigning Super Bowl champions.”
Man, how much fun it is now to watch the Bucs get after the quarterback! In previous years, Joe had to cover his eyes or chug Big Storm beers just to tolerate witnessing what the Bucs tried to pass off as a pass rush.
The rush was so awful during The Lost Decade, at one point former Bucs commander Greg Schiano threw in the towel and started loading up on defensive backs figuring if he can’t rush the passer, he may as well try to better defend the pass.
So if Spears thinks JPP and Shaq are No. 2, who does he think is No. 1? He selected Montez Sweat and Chase Young of Washington.
Given how Young didn’t do a damn thing against the Bucs in the playoffs after shooting his mouth off about how badly he wanted Tom Brady, what’s that say about Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith?
Haters, react!
June 21st, 2021 at 2:01 am
Hater don’t react….they just hate!
June 21st, 2021 at 3:05 am
Idk why he ranked them over Shaq n jpp. Idk the stats young n sweat had but come on our guys delivered the most important hardware of the game. SB trophy. We wouldn’t be the champs without that pass rush. I respect the guy but he’s wrong about this one. All the hate on D.smith is ridiculous. Dude doesn’t miss a game and pretty much kept Brady upright. Does he make some mistakes hell yea he does but so does TB12 and he’s the best there is. Get over it haters
June 21st, 2021 at 3:41 am
It’s great to see our players get some respect. What am I missing with Chase Young? I thought that to be considered elite, edge rushers needed to reach double digit sacks. Young had 7.5. I don’t get all the hype. Donovan was good last year.
June 21st, 2021 at 5:16 am
Used to be a saying in sports that I don’t hear much anymore … ‘Pick your poison’. If you focused on stopping one player on a defensive front for instance, another one (or more) ate you alive.
In the hands of Todd Bowles, ‘Pick your poison’ seems pretty appropriate, but he’s taken it to a whole new level IMO because it’s the whole Front-7 that ends up being the poison. When we have Vea, Suh, Gholston, JPP, Shaq, LVD & White out there, who do you focus on stopping if you’re the opposing team’s OC?
JPP & Shaq are both exceptional players in their own right obviously. But put them in this Front-7 and they become your worst nightmare IF you don’t focus on them. And if you do, then Vea or Suh or LVD or White eat you alive. This defense has shown for the past 2 years that you can’t run on them. And if you’re gonna pass on them you’d better do it fast or they’ll take ya down.
This is an incredibly unique defense that we fielded last year & are fielding again this year. Of the starters, SIX are on their 1st contract (Vea, White, Davis, SMB, Whitehead & Winfield) and FIVE are top veterans (Suh, JPP, Shaq, LVD & Gholston). Not only are they all playing at an incredibly high level, but they also ‘play nice together’. No divas in the mix; they all do their job & do it extremely well. Hope we all appreciate its’ uniqueness while we’ve got it.
June 21st, 2021 at 6:07 am
Buczilla- I’m with you on Chase Young. There’s a LOT of hype and not as much substance IMO. I guess it’s because he’s vocal. I don’t know, and I don’t get it.
June 21st, 2021 at 7:05 am
If Young and Sweat are the top pass rushers then we have the top tackles because Smith and Wirfs totally shut those guys down.
June 21st, 2021 at 8:09 am
Wow, wow, wow. Joe is way underselling week old beagle puppies.
June 21st, 2021 at 8:44 am
Players in major market cities with large press agencies get more media exposure.
June 21st, 2021 at 9:28 am
Aaron Donald and “insert name here” would be a more formidable duo than Sweat and Young. What a joke.
June 21st, 2021 at 10:14 am
“Now the Bucs have a feared pass rush and are Super Bowl champions. Coincidence?
Hell, no! DON’T BE DUMB.”
CLASSIC Joe, CLASSIC!!!!!
No pass rush and Mahome Boy has a field day against any defense. You let Tom Brady have time and your giving up at least 40 baby.
In the NFL, even middling QB’s will look great when they can go back and have a picnic before throw the ball.
The 85 Bears defense taught me the Value of a Pass Rush
That Bears “46 defense” orchestrated Buddy Ryan was an all out assault on the QB.
Anyone can go back on youtube and type “85 Bears Defense” and sit back and enjoy.
Nothing on defense compares to a feared pass rush.
QB’s have a hard time doing well when they are getting beat up and eating the turf, and ala Mahomes running for your life again and again, play after play.
GO BIG BAD AZZ WORLD CHAMPION BUCS!!!!
June 21st, 2021 at 10:47 am
Who did the Giants pick with that 3rd round pick? With a draft prospect rarely-if ever- being a sure thing, the dude they got in the draft in exchange of JPP would be a interesting comparison…
Is there ANYONE on the Giants currently you’d take over JPP??
June 21st, 2021 at 12:36 pm
NY Giants selection via JPP Trade:
Round 3, Pick 5 (No. 69 overall) [Via Tampa Bay]: B.J. Hill, DT, North Carolina State
2020 sacks – 1
2019 sacks – 1
2018 sacks – 5.5
Career sacks – 7.5
So ummm – NICE JOB LICHT!
June 21st, 2021 at 1:33 pm
The legend of JPP just keeps growing. He is a flat out baller. Real pro. I think hes more elite than Simeon was. Shaq is a wrecking ball that comes from the other end, and in his prime. Doesnt matter where anyone ranks them, because even Mahomey knows to keep his head on a swivel when they are around. I think they are going to be even better this year.
June 21st, 2021 at 6:42 pm
Chase Young and Montez Sweat.
That’s a hell of a laugher.
Good call on shutting down the comments on Evans-Godwin, Joe. I’ll refrain in the future. Hard not to respond sometimes.
June 21st, 2021 at 6:43 pm
Youth got the vote, they are deserving I suppose.
June 21st, 2021 at 6:58 pm
Young and sweat were so dominant that the skins limped into the playoffs in the worst division in football last year.
That record puts you in the NFC South basement.
June 21st, 2021 at 7:13 pm
Say what you will about the”Opinion” of Jared Dubin Joey but at least she doesn’t portenend her drivel with monikers 🤔
June 21st, 2021 at 8:23 pm
Funny how it works