Two Troubling Bucs Defensive Stats
October 20th, 2021
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles
Believe it or not, one critical NFL stat has our beloved Buccaneers ranking 30th in the NFL, a notch better than the Dolphins and Jaguars and a step behind the lowly Lions.
How could this be?
What could it be?
The Tampa Bay defense has allowed 28 plays of 20 yards or more through six games. Ouch! The Bucs allowed just 46 plays of that distance all last season.
It’s a rough stat for the Bucs, especially considering how well they’ve done controlling time of possession this season.
The Bucs’ proficiency at giving up the booty also extends to pass interference calls. They lead the NFL with 10, for a whopping 204 yards penalized.
Plenty to tighten up on defense for coordinator Todd Bowles. And that kind of excites Joe. The Bucs are 5-1 with loads of room for improvement.
October 20th, 2021 at 12:07 am
The only stat that matters is W. 5-1 vs what 2-3 last season. They need to get better on both sides of the ball and all indications are they will. Just make the playoffs and start a clean slate then.
October 20th, 2021 at 12:55 am
Does that include penalty yards?
October 20th, 2021 at 1:25 am
Defense is playing like it always did in the past but this QB doesn’t avg two turnovers per game & is saving our butts
October 20th, 2021 at 1:41 am
Pass defense better improve. Some tough teams in the NFC this year.
October 20th, 2021 at 5:18 am
Right now it is all about the Offense protecting the defense.
Balanced run and pass, plus scoring enough to win.
This team may never have a healthy secondary this year.
Time will tell.
BTW the Bucs were 3-2 after the Chi town flagfest last year.
GO BUCS!!!!
October 20th, 2021 at 5:49 am
Wow, such negative attitudes towards the defense. And despite that our defense still ranks #16 in Points Allowed and #9 in Total Yardage Allowed. Imagine how good they could have been if they weren’t missing FOUR starters … Davis, SMB, Winfield & LVD.
This defense is improving rapidly despite the injuries. We’re now tied for #4 in Total Pressures (with 68). That’s a major improvement in our pass rush over these last 3 games. We’re also #2 in Passes Defensed (with 32). And yes, the Bucs’ offense has helped a bunch by dominating the time-of-possession lately with a more BALANCED ATTACK. What a concept: the offense & the defense supporting each other. Someone might even start calling that COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL.
October 20th, 2021 at 6:00 am
Decimated with injuries … 5-1 ….. our backups are getting on the job training…. Coaching is doing what it needs to do… to WIN ; )
October 20th, 2021 at 6:07 am
DR…And yes, the Bucs’ offense has helped a bunch by dominating the time-of-possession lately with a more BALANCED ATTACK…
lol complementary, more like It is called the Offense saving the badly injured Defenses Bacon lol
but yes that is still complimentary lol.
GO BUCS!!!!
October 20th, 2021 at 6:22 am
August … COMPLEMENTARY by definition works BOTH ways. The defense gave up 88 points in the first 3 games, but only 54 points in the last 3, despite all the injuries.
Bucs’ offense had FIVE turnovers in the first 3 games, but only ONE turnover in the last 3 games. That helps. Bucs only kept the ball for an average of 27 mins TOP in the first 3 games, but 37 mins TOP in the last 3. That helps too, even though we probably gave up a few points to run the ball more & control the clock (103 pts scored in our first 3 games vs 92 pts in our last 3 games).
The bottom line to me comes down to POINTS. Score more than your opponent, you win. Allow fewer than your opponent, you also win. Offense & defense supporting each other gives us our best chance of winning.
October 20th, 2021 at 6:41 am
They are really playing with some guys off the street right now at db. We are lucky to be in the easier stretch of schedule
Bears offense is terrible.
Saints game will be tough
Even when healthy , our dbs are so inconsistent. Now …they played well in playoffs last year …packers and washington not great though.
They need a corner in next years draft . Take in 1st round.
Heck db , db and rb in whatever order next year cause rojo gone and not sure on vaughn.
This team is really close to getting rid of its major weaknesses.
October 20th, 2021 at 6:57 am
Bottom line is they are winning because of the Offense. Last year the 30+ a game scoring average iwas the main reason they won. There were a few games the Defense stood out like the Super Bowl, but even the Supet Bowl the Bucs put up 30+ And right now they are winning because of the offense. Drop the points scored down to 14 a game and what would their record be? Not good, yes the Defense has improved, but they have not shown that the Bucs can win if they do not score a lot. Again the Defense is injured right now, but even if everyone comes back somewhat healthy, it will stiill be a Brady led offense, as the main reason they win games.
Right now comlementary means 80% Offense 20% Defense or maybe 70% Offense 30% Defense
GO BUCS!!!!
October 20th, 2021 at 7:30 am
@August, I’ll take the 7 3 split. Defense needs these next 5 games to get right mentally. Good improvement so far. Looking for great real soon. If they can get it to a 6 4 split, it’s over for the league
Go Bucs
October 20th, 2021 at 7:46 am
@August 1976 … ‘Right now complementary means 80% Offense 20% Defense or maybe 70% Offense 30% Defense’.
I remember a TV interview many many years ago of a elderly couple who’d been married for 75 years (quite a milestone). The female interviewer asked the couple ‘And how did you keep things EVEN all those years?’ (obviously referring to the notion of a 50-50 partnership in marriage).
The elderly husband looked at his wife, smiled, and responded ‘I don’t know, we never kept track’.
Nowadays, everybody ‘keeps track’, of everything. It’s unfortunate because sometimes one is in a much better place than the other. In the Bucs case, the offense has really only lost Gronk as a starter; everyone else is healthy. The defense? Not so much (4 starters out & JPP still not near 100% I’d contend). Still August, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
October 20th, 2021 at 7:58 am
Defenders get penalties because they can’t cover…..
October 20th, 2021 at 8:06 am
Good words DR.
October 20th, 2021 at 8:38 am
lol lol, DR, it was that beautiful 30+ scoring average last year, lol lol and it is still because of 30+ breadwinner offense now lol. I do like your apples to oranges analogy lol none the less. lol
GO BUCS!!!!
October 20th, 2021 at 8:52 am
Offense fault yet again. Score to fast or something always. Not that the deference cant get off the field themselves and wear their own selves out. Maybe it is a shame they are trying to keep the offense on the field more now because the defense can’t be trusted to stop anyone. They give up the booty to much.
October 20th, 2021 at 8:53 am
Rico, yeah 60-40 split, I agree they could go all the way with that kind of split.
DR, lol, you talked about people keeping track, in response to the number I used 80-20, 70-30 lol. Now come on bro, lol you are the resident stat guy on JBF, that is some serious keeping track lol lol. In everything I said about Dean, I have also mentioned he is talented multiple times, my comments are about him playing confident, so his talent sjows up during the games.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
October 20th, 2021 at 8:57 am
defense
October 20th, 2021 at 10:13 am
The defense has played better and better and better each week. The big plays seem to be from PI, and one could argue half of them should never have been called, and poor tackling. The tackling has definitely improved over the weeks as well. So I’m being optimistic