Bruce Arians Outlines Defensive Improvement
September 4th, 2021
So what will take the Bucs to the next level of defensive performance?
Bucco Bruce Arians answered the question yesterday.
Tampa Bay was a top-10 defense all last season and some would say it looked like they had a definite top-5 unit through December, January and February.
Rich Eisen asked Arians how the group that stymied Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl is better today.
“I think our young secondary now kind of understands why they do things,” Arians explained. “They knew what to do but to know why you’re doing it and what you’re trying to beat, the route concepts and all the things that Todd [Bowles] has taught those guys, adding some younger players to the mix, it’s been fun to watch their growth.”
Great point by Arians. It’s called being seasoned and smarter.
All five of the key pieces in the defensive backfield have three years or less of experience. Throw in Mike Edwards, Devin White and Vita Vea, and that’s three more NFL youngsters with huge roles.
Joe feels confident in the defensive backs collectively taking a step up this season, which could be critical if Jason Pierre-Paul, Lavonte David and/or Ndamukong Suh start to look old.
As a 1A answer, Arians also mentioned the addition of rookie Joe Tryon as a reason the defense should be improved.
September 4th, 2021 at 5:33 pm
Glad you threw in that point Joe about the Bucs looking “like they had a definite top-5 unit through December, January and February”.
Just like Tom Brady isn’t ‘old’ at 44, this defense isn’t ‘old’ either. Guys like Suh & JPP & LVD are still very much at the top of their game and they bring the on-field leadership to this defense that keeps everyone giving their best. I’m confident that this year they’ll end up being a Top-5 defense, and get even better in 2022.
September 4th, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Well , now we will get a chance to see what the group is capable of ! Got my Tix. For Thursday, all ready, let’s see what you boys can do !!!
September 4th, 2021 at 5:56 pm
Very encouraging. If Bruce is right, and likely he is, this D should pick up where it did at the later part of last year. It is so cool to see young guys develop into quality players. For so many years, we seemed to be stuck in neutral when it came to player development. Great time to be a Buc fan.
September 4th, 2021 at 6:16 pm
God bless the Bucs players and protect them from injury and illness!!! This could potentially be the best Buc team ever. Bring it on!!!
September 4th, 2021 at 6:43 pm
Amen, Wild Bill.
September 4th, 2021 at 8:04 pm
They need to take the one game at a time approach and just beat the team in front of them. Excited to see Winfield with a year under his belt and to see what JTS can do.
September 4th, 2021 at 8:08 pm
The secondary only plays somewhat well when our pass rush dominates.
We dominated against banged up O-Lines during the playoffs, especially in the NFC Champ game and Super Bowl. A win is a win, and we’ll take them all, of course.
But with that being said, anyone who can’t see that the secondary played better because our pass rush was dominating the Packers & Chiefs needs to have their head examined.
September 4th, 2021 at 8:28 pm
I’ve started reading all the preseason picks and great news:
They still hate us.
Very few are picking us to repeat (mistake #1) and some do not have us making it into the NFC Championship game (mistake #2). Others are proclaiming that TB12 will finally look old (mistake #3).
The national media doesn’t realize that by stacking chips on our players shoulders they get angry and play mad for an entire season. Never underestimate our Defense and never bet against TB12.
September 4th, 2021 at 8:51 pm
When I hear Devin White say something like…”Offense…you score 24 points and don’t turn the ball over, and we, the Defense, guarantee a win”. You know…like one of those Warren Sapp statements. And then, we can really say these guys have arrived.
September 4th, 2021 at 9:15 pm
They say the game is won in the trenches…. check… both sides
And then you have to look at the skill players…. check…. both sides
Anticipating great things on both sides of the ball this year!
Is it Thursday Yet?!
Lets F’n GO!
September 4th, 2021 at 9:49 pm
Remember when we were one of the worst defenses thats ever stepped onto an NFL field? That was 2 freaking years ago!! Boy, what a great coach Bowles has been.
And when we all thought the Bucs took the lesser player with Devin White and cursed the heavens when we got Bunting and Dean in round 2 turns out Bowles had it all figured out. Now look what he did with Winfield and it looks like Tryon is headed the same way.
Bowles is a freaking genius!!!!
GO BUCS BABY!!!!!
September 4th, 2021 at 11:57 pm
@Wild Bill: Which god do you mean? We humans have created so many!
September 5th, 2021 at 11:11 am
@Erection
God of Plunder.
September 5th, 2021 at 12:50 pm
The secondary is so young, it is likely they will improve this year.
The other good news is that with Cockrell, Edwards, and Adams there is very capable depth.
September 5th, 2021 at 4:11 pm
Zach Martin out for the game. This should be fun.
September 5th, 2021 at 9:46 pm
As an ex cornerback, who played in D-3 college ball long long time ago, this is a great point.
Being told to cover a zone or cover an area, when you are not playing man, is one thing.
Understanding the different routes that will be going through the zone and where your help is coming from and when to pass a man off, because you trust your teammates to be in position, is a totally different thing.
One can be a good defense with good athletes.
When the second part kicks in mentally, it can make a defense great
September 5th, 2021 at 9:51 pm
Pretty buck… Of course they played better when the pass rush dominated.
That is the key to every great secondary. Get pressure! Force the QB to pass within 3 seconds.
That’s been the recipe for decades.
There has never been a great secondary that didn’t have a great pass rush. Never. There are a great individual DBs, but nothing more without a pass rush.
This secondary is getting better and better. The safeties are the key.
When they protect over the top, it allows the cornerbacks to play tighter.
When they do that with a pass rush… Dominance
September 6th, 2021 at 1:30 pm
Having followed the Bucs from the very beginning I can’t wait to watch our Juggernaut Team demolish the opposition this greatest chance to repeat a second time Super Bowl Win in a row. I am loving it!!!