Tighten Up!
August 10th, 2024
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
The Bucs need to raise their game when it comes to defending the pass and no one knows that more than Todd Bowles.
An NFL defensive back for eight seasons, Bowles took pride in making quarterbacks squirm. As a defensive guru, he excels at guile and deception.
But all the craftiness in the world can’t disguise the fact that Tampa Bay’s pass defense wasn’t particularly good in 2023.
There are two compelling reasons why the Bucs faced the sixth-most pass attempts in the league last season — they were stingy against the run and secondly, opposing quarterbacks often had their way.
Antoine Winfield, Jr.
Even with an All-Pro season from Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay’s secondary played too soft. Bowles has high standards for his corners and safeties and the challenge this fall appears formidable.
In Week 2, the Bucs travel to Detroit, where Jared Goff can’t wait to shred this defense once again. Goff traditionally thrives against the Bucs and the divisional-round playoff game was no different.
With the score tied 17-17 after three quarters, Goff went to work as Bowles looked on in frustration. All Goff did was complete 11-of-12 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown in the final 15 minutes of a 31-23 triumph.
Lamar Jackson returns to Tampa.
Besides Goff, the Bucs are slated to face Jalen Hurts, Kirk Cousins (twice), reigning MVP Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, Justin Herbert and Dak Prescott.
That’s a difficult assignment for a defense that allowed a 66.1 percent completion rate last year. The Bucs blitzed extensively and finished with a solid sack total, but a look behind the curtain reveals this pass rush did this secondary no favors.
The Bucs tied for 7th in sacks but ranked 25th in QB hits and 24th in QB knockdowns. Most alarmingly, the Bucs allowed the most yards after catch in the league.
What can we expect in 2024?
Carlton Davis is now playing for the Lions, so Zyon McCollum will start at corner opposite Jamel Dean. Tampa Bay signed Bryce Hall on a one-year deal for depth, but Hall has started only two games in the past two seasons.
You’ve also got Josh Hayes, a former sixth-round pick who took only 29 defensive snaps as a rookie. Keenan Isaac is still looking for his first defensive snap as a pro while untested Tyrek Funderburk has flashed speed and promise in camp.
That’s not a lot of recent experience behind Dean, who has missed 13 games during his five seasons as a Buccaneer.
Bringing Jordan Whitehead back for a second stint in Tampa looks like a major upgrade at safety next to Winfield, but this pass defense has a lot to prove.
For example, 10 different players finished with at least 100 receiving yards against Tampa Bay in the regular season — including three in the shootout at Houston. Despite breezing past the Eagles 32-9 in the opening playoff round, DeVonta Smith hauled in eight catches for 148 yards.
While Bowles has tightened up the run defense, too many quarterbacks are having their way. Buc defenders aren’t contesting enough passes or limiting completions to minimal gains. Things could change this season … especially If McCollum takes a major leap forward in Year 3.
The Bucs love his size and athleticism, but physical traits take you only so far at cornerback. You need proper technique, good communication skills and a short memory. Teams will surely come after McCollum, who is seeking his first NFL interception.
You can never have too many quality defensive backs in this passing league, especially during a season when the Bucs face an array of elite quarterbacks. Bowles is counting on McCollum and rookie nickel back Tykee Smith to break up more passes and make offensive coordinators think twice about challenging an overworked secondary.
It’s time to tighten up. Too many opposing receivers are running free and easy. That has to be driving Bowles up a wall.
This needs to be the year those walls come tumbling down.
August 10th, 2024 at 4:44 am
It’s hard to have a tough pass defense when your defensive backfield lines up 15 yards off the line of scrimmage on 3rd and 10. So frustrating watching that over and over last year. Hopefully this year Bowles has more confidence in his players so we see less of that.
August 10th, 2024 at 7:04 am
LFG!!!!
August 10th, 2024 at 7:25 am
I believe that tykee Smith and Jordan whitehead will make a difference here I also think Bryce hall could have some upside in this defense on the outside we could be better this year too
August 10th, 2024 at 7:44 am
Nice analysis Ira. Looks to me like a big part of why our pass defense looks so bad is that TB tends to focus sooo much on run defense (to include maintaining gap integrity) that pass rush ‘pressure’ becomes secondary. That approach puts a LOT of pressure on the Secondary. Just looking at rankings for Total, Rushing & Passing Yards Allowed …
o 2023: #23 Total – #5 Run – #29 Passing … #7 Pts Allowed
o 2022: #9 Total – #15 Run – #9 Passing … #13 Pts Allowed
o 2021: #13 Total – #3 Run – #21 Passing … #5 Pts Allowed
o 2020: #6 Total – #1 Run – #21 Passing … #9 Pts Allowed
o 2019: #15 Total – #1 Run – #30 Passing … #29 Pts Allowed
Todd seems to be a master at doing whatever it takes with the talent at hand to minimize POINTS ALLOWED. Our best year in terms of Point Allowed (#5 ranking) was probably his best, but it did include some special talent upfront (Vea, Suh, JPP, Shaq, etc). It’ll be very interesting to see how he modifies his approach this year given the talent that we have.
August 10th, 2024 at 7:52 am
Goff and the Lions gave the NFL the blueprint to attack the Bucs. We all know the Bucs need an organic pass rush without blitzing and a secondary that steps up.
August 10th, 2024 at 8:05 am
Thank you Ira. This is the point. Play with matches and you get burned. Allow so many yards, eventually the points allowed will correlate.
August 10th, 2024 at 8:15 am
Ira, you forgot about Izien. He’s gonna make some noize, too. BTW, name a year when the Bucs have played a cupcake schedule?
August 10th, 2024 at 8:24 am
Cannot wait to watch Whitehead, Tykee, JMC, Bucky, and others!
August 10th, 2024 at 9:12 am
Dave Pear … ‘Allow so many yards, eventually the points allowed will correlate.’
I’d agree with that for most DCs Dave, but Todd Bowles seems to be an exception. Up until last year, our defense had done quite well in terms of TOTAL Yards Allowed (ranking #15, #6, #15, #9 starting in 2019); but last year we jumped up to #23 in terms of TOTAL Yards Allowed. We played the run well (#5), but gave up a ton of yards in the passing game (#29). And yet still we ranked #7 in terms of POINTS ALLOWED. Not only that, but the 19.1 PPG was the lowest PPG we’d allowed since 2008. That’s quite an accomplishment IMO.
To put it in perspective, the team that had the BEST Pass Defense in 2023 was the Browns (#1 in Passing Yards Allowed with 164.7 YPG). The Bucs ranked #29 in 2023 with 248.9 YPG Allowed. Yet BOTH teams allowed the exact SAME number of passing TDs … 23 … on the season.
Bucs ranked #5 in Run Defense with 95.3 YPG Allowed, while the Browns ranked #11 in Run Defense with 105.5 YPG Allowed. Not a huge difference actually. Bucs allowed 11 Rushing TDs though, while the Browns allowed 15 Rushing TDs. That is a sizable difference though, and allowed the Bucs to rank #7 overall in POINTS ALLOWED while the Browns ranked #13.
Looks to me like TB is using a very strategic approach to TEAM DEFENSE, with prioritization going to minimizing POINTS ALLOWED by trying to optimize Run Defense vs Pass Defense. Since 2019 (a transition year to his hybrid 3-4 defense), he’s played that masterfully IMO. I also think though that’s why he hasn’t relinquished his DC hat yet (hasn’t found the ‘right’ person to continue that strategy). Just a guess though …
August 10th, 2024 at 9:40 am
It’s my impression that in the middle of the field Todd is focusing on preventing big pass plays with a soft zone and trades off yardage and first downs. However, in the red zone the pass defense naturally tightens up, preventing TD’s but allowing FG’s, so scoring isn’t so bad. With J-White back (and Neal gone), and hopefully better organic pass rush, I hope Todd tightens up the CB’s in the middle of the field.
August 10th, 2024 at 10:28 am
Well, I watched a replay of the Falcon/Dolphins game. Neither team looked like a “pushover” although Cousins did throw several errant passes. We have our work cut out for us this year. LGBUCS!
August 10th, 2024 at 10:54 am
These younger guys need to prove they belong! It all starts tonight! Make plays, change the flow of the game, then and only then do you belong!! LFG!!!!
August 10th, 2024 at 11:36 am
“Since 2019 (a transition year to his hybrid 3-4 defense), he’s played that masterfully IMO. I also think though that’s why he hasn’t relinquished his DC hat yet (hasn’t found the ‘right’ person to continue that strategy).”
Can’t forget 30 extra possessions off Winston INTs didn’t help either
August 10th, 2024 at 11:39 am
The second half of the Lions playoff game, yards given up and points given up absolutely correlated.
But Todd will tighten it up
#AsToddEvolves.TightCoverage
August 10th, 2024 at 12:25 pm
It all stems from lack of a pass rush up front. I had hopes we would get better up front Defensively. It was like we had no pressure on opposing QB’s last season. It was like they had time to make sandwiches back there and wrap them. We lost 4 games because of our lack of QB pressure last season.
August 10th, 2024 at 4:40 pm
The notion that it’s a good idea to give up the fourth mort yards in the league and hope you can keep scoring down is bullocks. Anyone good scores at will against Todd.
Yeah Chiefs Super Bowl – with a bartender and a tax collector at OT protecting a one legged one armed Mahomes. Other than that, shredded in points and yards.
But not in 2024.
#AsToddEvolves.11-6.TightCoverage
August 10th, 2024 at 4:55 pm
We’d have won a couple more games last year if we would have just opened up the offense earlier in games. Our defense knows that points against is The Defensive Stat. A few more “Oskies” and a few more strips. We’re going to score alot more points. A tough schedule? Sure. But I guarantee with the way this team is shaping up that this season is going to be more fun to watch than most. Defense Rules-good analysis.