Not Playing “Games” Helped Win The Game
November 14th, 2023
Unique defensive formation.
One of the coolest defensive moves Joe has seen in a while Bucs coach Todd Bowles pulled off on Tennessee’s first possession yesterday.
The play resulted in a sack and forced the Titans to kick a field goal, half of their points yesterday.
The Bucs came out with a four-man front. Bowles had Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett lined up as the tackles.
Lined up at defensive ends were Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea, who is rather quick for his hulking frame. We know Kancey is quick as lightning.
And with JTS and Shaq lined up inside, they are quick enough to put moves on a guard or center. It was a cool alignment.
And sure enough from right defensive end, Vea flies in and makes Tennessee quarterback Will Levis eat dirt.
Bowles said today is his day-after presser that the Bucs have done this in the past but have often run a stunt with Kancey crashing inside.
Per Bowles, that’s exactly what Tennessee thought would happen and braced for inside pressure. They didn’t brace for Vea to bullrush his way to Levis.
“We’ve been running ‘games’ [stunts] outside with those guys and we decided to not run the ‘game’ this time,” Bowles said. “The [Titans] tackle went down [inside] thinking we were going to run the [stunt], so [Vea] had kind of a short corner to get a sack.”
Bowles gave Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers props for setting that play up.
Regardless, it was a cool formation and Joe hopes the Bucs use it more in passing downs. Now that the Bucs have run stunts from that formation as well as straight-up rushes, offenses won’t know what to expect.
November 13th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
We’re looking at a SuperBowl caliber coach guys!
November 13th, 2023 at 5:08 pm
Maybe tackle is Shoyinka’s best spot. If you looked at his stats that’s where you’d think he plays.
Vea and Kancey are a great pair. The offensive tackles are a great pair, too. Excellent foundation!
November 13th, 2023 at 5:19 pm
“The Bucs came out with a four-man front. Bowles had Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett lined up as the tackles.”
In other words they made JTS useless as expendable by putting him in the best position where his 6’5 tall lengthy frame can swat the quarterback passes and occupy at least one pass blocker so all our other real pass rushers who actually beat one-on-one blocks like Vita Vea can sack the quarterback 😂 The obvious weakness to swapping our DT with our DE is that it makes it MUCH easier for teams to run up the middle (e.g. draw plays)
November 14th, 2023 at 12:20 am
That Vea sack was so cool. He made the Titans look like a high school team with that mismatch. Props to Mr. Rodgers and Vea. That alignment is reminiscent of the Hoodie’s old NASCAR rush with Vince Wilfork in his prime. I love it but I would love it more with Yaya in JTS (just too soft’s) spot.
November 14th, 2023 at 12:40 am
Maybe the thing with having a solid defense is the element of surprise and you need to constantly put in new wrinkles. Get settled in and you lose the edge of surprise.
That might have changed the game against Stroud.
November 14th, 2023 at 2:02 am
Not playing a team with a running record helped win the game too.
November 14th, 2023 at 2:03 am
winning record I meant. Half asleep.
November 14th, 2023 at 2:07 am
Vea always gets double teamed.
Lining him up at DE gives him the chance go one on one with a LT.
LT’s cannot withstand the bull rush of Vea 1 on 1.
We need to do this a lot more!
Like blitzing Devin White!
He looked fast again!
He’s not a coverage LB!
Blitz him or get him off the field on 3rd down!
November 14th, 2023 at 2:32 am
I agree teacherman777. EVERYONE know White sucks at pass coverage, blitz him much more, take em off the field on passing situations or MAKE him develop pass rush moves as an edge rusher and have go down more often. He cannot possibly be worst than JTS. Also S. Dennis was flashing during camp as a coverage LB let’s see if he can duplicate it now.
November 14th, 2023 at 4:18 am
Teacherman777 … ‘Blitz him (White) or get him off the field on 3rd down!’
Obviously Bowles feels that White gives us the best capability against both the run and the pass. Britt went in for White Sunday when Devin got dinged up … for 1 play (Britt has a total of 8 def snaps this season). Dennis got 0 def snaps Sunday (and has a total of 5 snaps on the season).
I was surprised when Britt went in for White on Sunday; I thought they’d give Dennis a shot (I’m not impressed at all with Britt). But they didn’t, possibly because Dennis is fairly small (6’0″ & 226 lbs) to be playing in the middle against a heavy running team like the Titans. In any event, we don’t have Devin White’s replacement on our roster.
November 14th, 2023 at 7:13 am
DR we do have whites replacement on passing downs, Ryan Neal. Move him in place of DE and bring in Delaney
November 14th, 2023 at 7:15 am
*DW
November 14th, 2023 at 8:48 am
Nice write up!
Insight into the lead-up with previous stunt game action from Coach Rodgers is a great behind the scenes touch.
November 14th, 2023 at 8:52 am
Just knowing Devin White woke up in this game gives me a small smidgen of hope. Great Bowles’ call on the VV sack. We’ll need a bunch of ’em Sunday.
November 14th, 2023 at 9:34 am
while 9er’s did blow out the jags the 3 games prior showed they have flaws & purdy is not perfect hope the coaches watch the 3 loss games tapes so we capitalize on the flaws Sunday& baker has a outstanding game
November 14th, 2023 at 10:11 am
we beat a terrible team they act as if it was a great accomplishment, beat niners!
November 14th, 2023 at 10:46 am
Hopein1hand… Says:
JTS (Just Too Soft)
^^^^^^
Solid. I’m using that.
November 14th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
You guys act as if the coaches are checking this site for tips from you. Our defense had a very good day