It’s All About Interceptions
May 4th, 2022
New goals from new coach?
Someone is either channeling Chucky or Bucs defensive coaches were briefed before speaking with the local Fourth Estate yesterday.
The theme for Bucs defensive coaches was all about getting interceptions.
Joe already wrote how safeties coach Nick Rapone said he wants Antoine Winfield to get seven picks. Interceptions are what make a great safety, Rapone said. He’s not wrong.
And Bucs cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross scoffed that if Carlton Davis would have hauled in half the passes he dropped, he’d be an All-Pro. Joe doubts that would have happened given how many games Davis lost to injury, but Joe gets the point.
This is all starting to sound like Chucky.
When Chucky came to the Bucs and transformed a team spinning its wheels losing in the first round of the playoffs into a dominant Super Bowl champion, he challenged the mighty Bucs defense to prove its greatness. It was time to be legendary.
“If you are such a great defense, why don’t you score on defense,” Chucky told the Bucs defense as he recounted on the NFL Network series “America’s Game.” “I’m talking nine touchdowns. Score nine touchdowns.”
So it seems Bucs coaches, from what they told the local pen and mic club today and what they supposedly told their defensive backs, demand that it’s time to ratchet up the picks.
This sounds good. It’s Hollywood. It’s drama. It’s NFL Films stuff. And just like Hollywood, it could have been rehearsed.
It is common for Bucs coaches, especially those who don’t often speak at press conferences like Rapone and Ross, to get a little coaching from a member of the Bucs’ media relations staff.
(Rapone had to be gently reminded to stay at the microphone yesterday as he wandered back and forth across the stage as if he were a politician at a town hall meeting and wanted to look each reporter in the eye as he answered their questions).
Hey, that’s why there’s a media relations staff. It’s their job. No harm, no foul, but maybe get Rapone a wireless mic for next time.
Joe would not be surprised if talking up turnovers or interceptions was in-house professional advice. Who doesn’t want more picks?
Fans eventually will learn if this is a firm new goal set by the coaches or a nice-sounding talking point in May.
May 4th, 2022 at 4:48 am
I vote for ‘nice sounding talking point’ if you’re taking a poll. Bucs hauled in 17 INTs last year, the most since 2012 (18 INTs) and 2013 (21 INTs) when Greg Schiano was our HC.
Bucs went 7-9 in 2012 & 4-12 in 2013, and even had more total turnovers (31) in 2013 than we had last year (29). Only problem was … our offense sucked back then (scored 288 points in 2013 as opposed to 511 last year), and it negatively impacted the defense (too many giveaways & 3rd down conversions was an abysmal 31%).
And Chucky’s challenge to the 2002 defense worked. That defense had 31 INTs in 16 games, and produced 38 total turnovers. More than that though, that defense scored FIVE TDs that season (35 points), not bad considering that Chucky’s offense only scored 311 points itself that season … after that incredible defense gave them 38 takeaways to work with.
May 4th, 2022 at 5:22 am
The 2002 defense set the standard for the Bucs. We’re a long way from there. We couldn’t rush the passer last season and have done nothing to fix that. Add all the DB’s you want, but without pressure up front Int’s won’t happen.
May 4th, 2022 at 6:08 am
Now we can score 35 pts a game.
If we can run better we can grind clock to rest our defence.
Hopefully, our special teams will be better this year.
May 4th, 2022 at 7:46 am
More interceptions? I’ll settle for just not leaving receivers wide arse open!
May 4th, 2022 at 8:22 am
How about not just talking about it – Just Do It
May 4th, 2022 at 8:31 am
The picks will come when the Dline pressure and tackling improve.
May 4th, 2022 at 8:33 am
Improve the DLine pressure and tackling and picks will come.
May 4th, 2022 at 9:19 am
I love Rapone. Just love the dude.
May 5th, 2022 at 7:59 am
When did we switch coaches with Houston? Have we not already heard all this talk of how valuable Interceptions are? Does Coach Bowles want to go coach at a mid level college after his removal here? Keep up that Interception praise and insistence, what happend to tackling and defending the pass, to put the other tema into a punting situation? Is that still as good or better as a Interception? I wonder if Misses Bowles, calls him Lovey now and then. My spouse does to me. Watch yourself Coach Bowles. A Midwest college may come a calling if you have the players go for the Interceptions and miss and then not make the tackle.
GO!!!!! BUCS!!!!!!