Celebration Of Defense
December 20th, 2021
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles
Lotta doom and gloom out there from Bucs fans and observers.
Tis the holiday season, a time to celebrate happy things like Big Storm beer, the Bucs’ 10-4 record and stifling Tampa Bay defense.
For a few minutes, take your mind off leading receiver Chris Godwin being lost for the 2021 season with blown ACL.
The Bucs held the Saints to 11 first downs last night and forced them to punt nine times. Those are season-best totals for Todd Bowles’ defense. (Too bad the Bucs don’t have a dangerous returner!)
It’s easy to discount the Bucs’ performance, rip the Saints offense and say, ‘Yeah, yeah, Taysom Hill sucks.’ But that was the Saints’ worst offensive output since America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, marched the Saints to just six first downs in their Week 2 clunker at Carolina.
Hill had much, much more success running and throwing against a surging Dallas defense just two weeks ago.
Joe was intrigued by the Bucs pulling Vita Vea out the game and inserting rookie Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on some passing downs. It worked well.
Lavonte David came to play and finally looked healthy. He was making plays and Joe is praying to every football god imaginable that his fourth-quarter foot injury isn’t serious.
Alvin Kamara ran the ball 11 times for 18 yards and didn’t hurt the Bucs through the air (though a couple of bad throws helped.)
Joe loves seeing Carlton Davis back healthy and it seems Jordan Whitehead is getting his legs back, too.
For all the hollering about the Saints embarrassing the Bucs offense in a 9-0 shutout, when is the last time the Tampa Bay defense locked down the Saints? Joe is waiting, haters.
Joe has no problem throwing around a few lollipops and daisies for the defense after that groin-stomp of a loss. If the health of the defense can progress and Todd Bowles can adjust like he did last winter, the Bucs might actually win playoff games because of that side of the ball.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:16 pm
All is not lost. The team will be ok. There is time to get healthy. They were over using Chris and this was going to happen. You can’t feed a guy over the middle that much.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:17 pm
Did you ever think that maybe the Saints offense was terrible?
No big turnovers or impact plays like we needed. Sorry, not buying it.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:17 pm
Depends on how badly Lenny, David and Evans are hurt.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:19 pm
Defense played well. That’s not what gave us indigestion. Never thought the TB-led Bucs would hold the opponents to 9 points and lose. AT HOME!
December 20th, 2021 at 4:20 pm
Our D is the same, still suck. Last night they play against a third string QB, with mallet finger injury. And Alvin Kamara. They scored 9 points in our field, full stadium;
Their D played against the #1 scoring O, #1 QB EVER(GOAT),and against a OC that vegas odds give him the best chances to become a HC.
How many point Saints D allow: ZERO.
Our D still is a crappy D!
December 20th, 2021 at 4:23 pm
Our defense was inspired by an unbelievably loud crowd last night….especially early in the game…..the enthusiasm waned later as to be expected….but man, it was something.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:24 pm
Was a crappy night all around but especially the offense. How embarrassing. We’ll, let’s get back on track next week. Maybe we needed this?
December 20th, 2021 at 4:27 pm
I was at the game. It was bad but not as bad as the 2020 sunday night game where we lost 38-3, and we all know what happend to the Bucs v Saints rivalry. We actually did move the ball on them last night and things just didnt go right. Brady fumbled, Gronk missed a touchdown, succop missed a field goal. I still think the Bucs are one of the best teams in the league and will pull it together. Hell if our defense can stop them like they did last night we will have a good chance on making a run. We call get caught up in the now. What happens DEC 19th has no bearing on what happens Jan or Feb. 11 months ago we beat Brees, Rogers, and Mahommes to win a historic superbowl………..this team has it in them. They just need to get right. I predict a little slump against Carolina but still win. A much better performance against the JETS, and then a complete blow out agains the Panthers at home. Then we get on a roll in the playoffs and upset the Rams or Packers before beating the Chiefs again in the Superbowl.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:32 pm
The way Arians/Leftwich use Chris Godwin, Chris is going to need to bulk up and add more muscle mass. I remember when he came out of Penn State and the Bucs drafted him, the draft guys listed him as a faster receiver. If you remember under Koeter, he was a wideout.
The Bucs have him running all of those slants over the middle and because of a lack of imagination by this offensive scheme (I have to agree with some other posts saying the Bucs have only 10 plays, it sure looks like that) Chris Godwin is being exposed to serious injury. He isn’t strong enough to take that pounding, but he is certain tough and fearless.
He’s young but because he is running after the catch, he is part runner and where most WR get out of bounds or avoid big hits, Chris Godwin absorbs them.
Get his body stronger because he isn’t going to last in the league more than 2 or 3 years like this.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:43 pm
@Ed Yup I been thinking the same thing for a while. 10 to 15 passes a game like that was a huge injury risk. He was getting hit by dbs and lbs at the same time over and over again. The Saints had game planed for him. Brady seems to have lost his long throw desire for a long time now. Is it mental or a nagging injury or mental? He hasn’t looked like himself for a while.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:47 pm
There is no celebration. You lose as a team. Now them Saints? they are celebrating bigtime! There is only the next game Bucs. So toughen up baby.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Yup, defense played well.
Too bad the ‘best offense in the league’ completely chit the bed.
Embarrassed by the Saints, once again, on national television.
December 20th, 2021 at 4:56 pm
Stifling Defense..
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
December 20th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
I haven’t heard much if anything condemning the defense. It was the offense that was downright embarrassing.
December 20th, 2021 at 5:31 pm
Finally some actual logical analysis and not based on gut or ridiculous comparisons to 2017 Vikings games. This team will bounce back!
December 20th, 2021 at 5:40 pm
Bucs focus right now needs to be on getting healthy for the playoffs. No guarantee that Chris Godwin will be ready by then, so it’s super-important to get Mike Evans, Lenny & Gio healthy and get Antonio Brown back in the fold & producing at a high level. Wouldn’t hurt to see RoJo, Tyler Johnson & Scotty, plus our TEs not named Gronk, start playing at a high level also. We’ve still got a lot of talent, but guys have to step it up.
December 20th, 2021 at 5:43 pm
We put the slam on the Saints’ running game…. 2 ypc on 31 carries for 61 yards
That is total dominance & we’ll need that going forward because our offense is suspect…..
December 20th, 2021 at 5:53 pm
Any word on why there was no challenge, on the delay of game no call?
December 20th, 2021 at 5:59 pm
All 3 of the Bucs injuries were on very low hits. Like to the knees. That happens in football but was that Bountygate 2.0. There were some questionable hits that led to Godwin and Evans injuries in particular. Now, I’m not suggesting we cry to the NFL in any way. I am saying that this better be remembered if we play them again this year or when we do next year. Our physicality was weak sauce. Men should lead that locker room for the next showdown. I have every bit of confidence. Zero truth to the Saints gameplan being a blueprint. Virtually every team has played that same defense. The Saints have the ability to get away with murder in the secondary and be able to play tight man. Virtually every other defense will get beat by our elite WR(s). Credit that defense but Lefty has to be accountable. He simply failed to adjust and his gameplan was beaten out of the water in the 1st quarter. Simply not good enough. Screens. Slants. WTF man.
December 20th, 2021 at 6:04 pm
@cmurda- the problem is, the Bucs have let the Saints push them around every single time we have played them under Arians. Out-coached, and out-physicaled. It’s pathetic to watch.
Regardless of that, it seems injuries will doom us this year. It’s 2003 all over again. Here’s all the starters and role players that have been injured this season, off the top of my head:
– Godwin
– Evans
– AB
– Gronk
– Miller
– Fournette
– OJ
– Cappa
– Marpet
– LVD
– White
– Dean
– Davis
– Winfield
– Whitehead
– Sherman
– JPP
That’s ridiculous.
December 20th, 2021 at 6:11 pm
Did shaq play last night?
December 20th, 2021 at 6:11 pm
@ unbelievable. I know. I don’t know why we nut up against that team. They always make the one or 2 more plays that it takes also. Gronk drops a TD. Succop suddenly sucks at his job. Even Pinion who noone is talking about was pure crap. The whole team just tightens up against the Saints. It just feels like coaching more than anything else.
December 20th, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Yup. And coaching is 100% part of it. The Saints have owned Bruce Arians every time except that lone playoff game (which I get is the most important one to win).
But the reality that no Bucs fan really wants to admit, is that Drew Brees arm was done and he couldn’t throw further than 20 yards downfield that game…
December 20th, 2021 at 6:54 pm
Their QB scares no one. I certainly hope the defense is turning a corner, but I’ll wait until they play someone decent to draw any conclusions.
December 20th, 2021 at 7:11 pm
@cmutha
Yes, makes me sick that it is making national headlines and Brady is being called a poor sport (not that it isn’t true) because he cussed at a slimy Saints coach, but nobody seems to care that the bounty gate Saints reverted to form and knocked out 3 of our top offensive players.
Peyton is a great coach, but he should have been banned for life for Bounty Gate.
December 20th, 2021 at 8:02 pm
Tryon has upside with growth. That speed is special. Whitehead looked solid right out of the gate.
December 20th, 2021 at 9:56 pm
Brady cussed out the Saints coach for taunting. That bastard should have been penalized.
December 21st, 2021 at 6:47 am
The Saints played their Super Bowl. Like other mediocre teams , beating the Bucs is their shot at glory for the year. With that said , the officiating was non existent . Pi after pi should’ve been called or at the very least defensive holding. What happened to taunting ? Teams lose games because of it earlier in the year then nothing. Every drive killed by a drop but u can’t really blame guys too much. The receivers were trying to protect themselves on some of those drops. It was obvious the Saints were going low on every hit. Let the Saints celebrate their Division runner up. Maybe they’ll hang a runner up banner .
December 21st, 2021 at 7:46 am
I’m the existential fair weather fan. The product Bruce Ariens and Leftwich put on the field Sunday night was a massive embarrassment to the entire central FL fan base. And to think of all the fans who went to that game with visions of great things were robbed of anything positive. My God to have sat thru that unequivocal nightmare performance every single fan should be refunded their money fully.
That’s how bad it was. I don’t want to hear it was just one game. This one game destroyed our season.
Anybody still think we’re going to the Super Bowl again? Yeah me neither. Shameful.