“Incredibly Underrated Pass Rusher”
October 1st, 2023
Bucs defensive tackle Greg Gaines.
Before Greg Gaines had three quarterback hits of Jalen Hurts on Monday in limited action, he was showing Bucs fans and coaches that he belongs.
Gaines, 27, arrived in March from the Rams on a one-year free agent deal. He’s got a Super Bowl ring and was a very solid performer alongside Aaron Donald in Los Angeles.
In Tampa, he steps in when Vita Vea goes out, which means he plays a lot. Gaines also has seen other looks through the first three games.
Retired Bucs guard Ali Marpet like the impact, even it’s not been acknowledged by a lot of fans and media.
“I think he’s an incredibly underrated pass rusher,” Marpet said of Gaines.. “I played against him a couple of times, obviously.”
Marpet echoed comments from another former Bucs guard, Ian Beckles.
Defensive guru head coach Todd Bowles is impressed.
“He’s a quality guy. You don’t miss much in terms of how solid he is when Vita goes out,” Bowles said of Gaines.
“Obviously you don’t get the bulk [of Vea] right there. But Greg, he has sneaky pass-rush ability. He’s very good with his hands. He’s very good in small spaces, especially taking two guys on. And he hasn’t hurt us at all. He’s been a big help since he’s been here.”
Joe brings up Gaines on this gameday morning because someone has to drag down the Saints’ pass rush today, whomever that may be. Vea, the Bucs’ sacks leader last season, is battling a pectoral muscle issue and blitzing Devin White has a bad foot. The edge rushers also are coming off a rough game.
Perhaps it’s Gaines who steps up today. Without a few sacks, they probably don’t win this game.
October 1st, 2023 at 1:47 am
..from your fingers to the football god’s ears..GO BUCS!
October 1st, 2023 at 3:53 am
Been solid from aht I have seen. Not just as a pass rusher either.
Go Bucs!
October 1st, 2023 at 5:24 am
Joe … ‘Without a few sacks, they probably don’t win this game.’
Interesting observation Joe, focusing on 1 aspect of defense. And you’re exactly right based on the last 4 years of these 2 teams playing each other. Bucs won BOTH games last year, but lost ALL 6 games during BA’s reign as HC.
o 2022: Bucs 2 wins … Bucs 8 sacks – Saints 2 sacks
o 2021: Saints 2 wins … Bucs 3 sacks – Saints 7 sacks
o 2020: Saints 2 wins … Bucs 2 sacks – Saints 6 sacks
o 2019: Saints 2 wins … Bucs 1 sack – Saints 8 sacks
Admittedly the 2 wins last year weren’t exactly curb-stompings (20-10 Bucs and 17-16 Bucs), but hey, a win is a win. The 1st game last year Bucs controlled the game using a ‘balanced attack’ (30 rushes & 34 passes) … plus oh ya FIVE Turnovers by the Saints. The 2nd win required some major heroics by Brady (20 rushes & 54 passes) at the very end of the game (2 passing TDs in the last 3 minutes) since we were behind 16-3 at that point. Not sure I’d want to see Baker Mayfield put in that same situation today though.
October 1st, 2023 at 7:16 am
YaYa time me thinks.
October 1st, 2023 at 8:14 am
DR, I think the reason we beat the Saints last year was mainly due to Shaun Payton bailing on them.
October 1st, 2023 at 8:19 am
A win today officially takes us out of the running for the first pick. So all talk of tanking should end then.
October 1st, 2023 at 8:21 am
Yaya….give the kid a chance? Why not? JTS has gotten a little better lately, though. I betcha he gets 2 sacks today and Yaya gets 1.5. I hope Jaymiss has his insurance paid up
October 1st, 2023 at 8:21 am
Actually, we’re already out of it. There are 4 winless teams currently.
October 1st, 2023 at 8:24 am
Defense Rules Says
o 2022: Bucs 2 wins … Bucs 8 sacks – Saints 2 sacks
o 2021: Saints 2 wins … Bucs 3 sacks – Saints 7 sacks
o 2020: Saints 2 wins … Bucs 2 sacks – Saints 6 sacks
o 2019: Saints 2 wins … Bucs 1 sack – Saints 8 sacks
Sheesh, our pass rush has been horrendous for so long.
October 1st, 2023 at 8:24 am
Going by that stat, we need 4+ sacks to win.
October 1st, 2023 at 8:28 am
Bonsai, we were never planning on drafting Caleb. We were going to vie for the NFCS Crown and then win at home. This game is critical and we will win it..
🤞
October 1st, 2023 at 8:31 am
I.guess we better get at it then, matey. All hands on deck.
October 1st, 2023 at 9:04 am
I’d like to see Gaines and Vea in the field together a few times on third down !!!!
October 1st, 2023 at 9:06 am
” JTS has gotten a little better lately, though. I betcha he gets 2 sacks today ”
More than likely, he continues to bounce off tackles like a pinball
October 1st, 2023 at 11:57 am
Fred McNeil … ‘I think the reason we beat the Saints last year was mainly due to Shaun Payton bailing on them.’
Nah, it was their defense that collapsed in both games IMO, and Sean Payton never seemed to get involved with the defense. That was Dennis Allen’s ballywick.
The 4th qtr of the 2nd win over the Saints is intriguing because that was Tom Brady at his finest in the last 2 drives of the game. BOTH drives were 12-play drives, with 11 pass plays in each. And in each of those 2 drives, Brady had to overcome a 10-yard offensive holding penalty by (wait for it) … Donovan Smith in both drives. Of course it didn’t hurt that in the first of those 2 drives, Smith’s holding penalty was immediately followed by a 44-yard DPI on the Saints’ Paulson Adebo that put us on the New Orleans’ 1-yard line (followed by a TD). They pretty much handed us that win.