Pressures Are Not Sacks
October 4th, 2024
Pressures!
Until people start valuing sacks from an edge rush and try to quit equating pressures with sacks, only then will this Bucs defense be feared again.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles was asked about sacks and pressures this morning in his day-after presser and he spoke as if a pressure brings an immediate whistle and an end to a play.
“We got pressures up front, first of all,” Bowles said, always inflating the importance of pressures. “They go hand and hand with covers.
“Sometimes we have to cover better and we’re getting back there, and sometimes we have to get back there and we’re covering better. It goes hand and hand, but we made some progress last night.
“I thought we should’ve had a couple more, but the ball was coming out and there were missed opportunities all over the field.”
Bowles isn’t wrong that good coverage ups the pass rush. But still, it’s taking your eye off the ball.
Yup. Pressures worked. How many yards did one-legged Kirk Cousins get again?
(Pppssstt: 509!)
Your starting outside linebackers/edge rushers last night got how many sacks? None? Oh. And Cousins dropped back 62 times yet your starting edge rushers got zero sacks?
Pressures!
Well, maybe if they were rushing the passer instead of pretending they were cornerbacks the Bucs would have something.
(Joe knows fans are down on Jamel Dean, but do we really believe YaYa Diaby can cover just as well? Cousins sure seemed to enjoy seeing Chris Braswell trying to cover Kyle Pitts, didn’t he?)
Folks, sacks are drive-killers, that’s all there is to it. Logan Hall proved that last night. Logan Hall!
But yeah, let’s take dudes who were drafted as pass rushers and see if they can become the next E.J. Biggers or Hey Jude.
Pressures!
October 4th, 2024 at 1:17 pm
Ya those 50% pressures stoped 509 yards. 36 points given up. Ok Licht you seen enough yet?
October 4th, 2024 at 1:20 pm
We could also try to cover the other teams receivers. Never seen so many uncontested catches. Go BUCS!
October 4th, 2024 at 1:30 pm
I absolutely take the point. Having said that…what has Licht done to address the problem?
He took Kancey in the first round. Kancey flashed first round talent last year!
He’s obviously hurt this year. (Before all the “brave” guys jump on here to denounce him what about GMC and Vita guys who also missed games early in their careers) Is it not just a wee bit over the top to give up on him this soon?
How about getting the best safety in the game Winfield late in the second round? Oh but Winfield wasn’t worth spit last night either eh? Why do we suppose the middle was open all night and players were out of position. Because Winfield wasn’t there either.
TWO players with the ability to have dramatically changed last night’s game.
Logan Hall got two sacks. YaYa and Braswell are still babies in this league. Are we writing them off already as well?
There’s always something to grip about, that’s what makes it interesting. This time last year we had a starting QB that half the board wanted to run off. The star of this board HotRod Muncher repeatedly let us know that Baker’s inconsistency made him a crappy QB. He’s hardly the only one!!!
That has gone now. THE BUCS HAVE A QB!!! CELEBRATE.
The Bucs have the “foundation” of a GREAT DEFENSE when it gets healthy! You can’t take way the best player and perhaps the 3rd or 4th best and sit them and think kids that replace them are going to equal them.
Yes any single score loss in OT is disappointing. On the road against a Division Rival is worse. Let’s see what are the standings this morning.
The Bucs and Falcons tied for first with the Saints a half game back. Falcons have Division advantage but they’ve had two home games against the Bucs and the Saints. It’s a long season.
Here is how you judge Todd Bowles coaching unless you’re just a hater or dislike his style.
The Bucs could very easily lose next week to New Orleans on the road, yeah they pay the Saints to win as well. If it’s a repeat of last season with a mid season dry spell THEN we’ll really get to judge Bowles.
Last year Bowles showed how much the players respect him. They didn’t quit long after MANY of the fair weather fans here had quit on Bowles and made the playoffs.
Seriously…the Bucs lost a disappointing game on the road against the FAVORED team. They clearly showed ultimately they’re the better team if they can get healthy.
Are those injuries excuses or REALITY? I’m freaking 76 and 99% of the guys on this board can now kick my asss. (notice booger just for you I didn’t use arse LOL)
Is me saying I’m old an excuse? Or just freaking reality!!!
October 4th, 2024 at 1:40 pm
The game came down to this….the defenses for the Falcons and Bucs that were out their last night both stink….but Rah had his guys playing harder and wanting it more than Bowels did. #Simpleasthat
October 4th, 2024 at 1:48 pm
Atlanta D made adjustments late into the second quarter Bucs D did nothing of the sort. Guys were wide a&& open all night
October 4th, 2024 at 1:50 pm
Its NOT the pass rush in this one. We got 4 sacks and tons of pressure. Look at the release time by Cousins and the soft zone. What goes hand in hand with sacks is PRESS MAN BUMP AND RUN. I literally NEVER see our corners get PHYSICAL at the line. You can basically maul them in the first 5 yds. Cousins hit his FIRST read ALL NIGHT.
What is Bowles excuse?
Well we can’t play man. Well you can’t play zone either.
What’s his excuse for not playing dime?
Well they will just run all over us. Well show me. Show me 3 safeties with Whitehead in the box to actually move and cover the middle of the field.
We always here EXUSES from this staff.
We need to tackle better. Yeah because you let them catch it over and over.
Its why we get injuries. Because guys meet at the ball too often. Friendly fire hurts this team more than the other team because of it.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:51 pm
I dare the media to bring up the stat to Bowles that 3 out of the 25 times a QB threw for 500, it was against him.
Ask him the hard truth questions.
Im sick of it.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:06 pm
Pressures are a + if coverage is aggressive & tight.
Pressures are meaningless if coverage is baby butter sift.
I’d rather be aggressive and get occasionally burned, than soft for 509 yards and massive ToP until the D is gassed.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Stpete, yes, glass half full there are positives to take away. We should have won though, and that’s where I think most people are angry, especially because it’s the same thing that prevents us from winning these games every single time. Those being: Playing to not lose. Prevent defense. No adjustments. Not giving the ball to the play makers. Pressures not sacks
The fact that we’ve beaten Detroit with so many injuries, gives me some hope. We are ravaged by injuries, like a lot of teams, I’d argue us moreso than most. We’re still hanging in there and it’s thanks in part to the offensive play calling and Baker. I have now gotten to the point where I don’t want to see Trask.
Anyway it all just circles back to Bowles reverting to his old mentality that is hamstringing this team. After three years of this, it’s a pattern. I really want him to work out. I really do, I thought wow, he finally changed. After this game, I don’t think so anymore. I cannot trust him.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:15 pm
He’s a total ghost. Have barely even heard his name called this entire season. EVERY game so far, I’ve looked up and ‘seen him’ during the 4th-Quarter, & was like, “You Wouldn’t Had Even Known HE Was Out There, At ALL.” Barring a couple of BAD penalties that he’d picked up. A GHOST. Complete, Total, NON factor.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:50 pm
BTW for all the guys moaning about Kancey and his toughness, his abscence or whatever.
What do you want? Trade him? Give up on him as any future help?
Just askin?
October 4th, 2024 at 2:52 pm
Pressure makes a QB move from his spot or hurry a pass. I didn’t see much of that happening.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Cousins will revert back to 130 yards passing next game. Meanwhile Derrick Carr throws for 400+.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:50 pm
Logan Hall was the only edge rusher to get a sack. When Hall lined up at left DE he beat the RT with a straight bull rush. That’s something YaYa, Braswell, JTS couldn’t do for the last four games. They are useless in coverage, they’re useless rushing the passer. Bowles is useless at changing.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:51 pm
It’s not Bowles fault that we don’t have pass rushers.
He just coaches the team Jason Licht builds.
I am a big believer in Licht- but he keeps neglecting the Interior O Line and the Pass rush.
I’d say both are critical- except we inexplicably keep Winning!!
It usually takes Pass rushers a few year years to grow into the job.
Thankfully,it looks like Logan Hall is really starting to get it!
YaYa is a 1st year player. He showed flashes last year- He’s looking even better this year. Patience is the key.
Of course, sometimes you get a JTS. A dud that just doesn’t improve.
I totally agree that we should have a better pass rush. But I don’t blame the coach or our really young players.
Jason Licht should have cut JTS, and Signed a pass rushers.
There are STILL decent pass rushers out there.
And sign a Guard, for F*&$#$$# sake
And despite the whiff- Zion McCollom is looking like an All Pro.
And this is still a good team.
But it’s not a perfect team
October 4th, 2024 at 3:57 pm
So much hate on this site.
Relax, we are still in first place. We are still a good team.
Falcons won at home. They won’t beat us at home
Again, we are a good team. We aren’t a perfect team.
I haven’t seen a team just dominating this year. Every team drops a clunker ocassionally. It’s that parity the league is always striving for.
We have an elite QB. As long as e have that- we will be competitive.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:28 pm
Yaya is the lates Buc that looks like Terran and plays like Jane
October 4th, 2024 at 4:46 pm
I think Todd Bowles should be fired, but it will never happen as the owners love him and put up with horrible his coaching year after year. He as head coach and defensive “coach” need to go. They should get a seasoned winning head coach and a “separate” defensive coach like all other NFL teams!
October 4th, 2024 at 5:55 pm
The injuries were overcome because the Bucs had a deep secondary. The Bucs lost on last night because they have no LBer depth or Todd Bowles put too much faith in KJ Britt to get it done.
October 4th, 2024 at 6:12 pm
other teams are not sleeping on yaya…
so they’re not letting him eat…
and he’s not good enough, at this point in his 2nd year, to figure out exactly how to eat on his own
October 4th, 2024 at 6:42 pm
It was Yaya’s “PRESSURE” that cause Cousin to throw at a higher angle which lead to a LVD pick.
The problem is our overrated Dean known to get burnt or get beat just for him to rely on his speed for years. Tykee Smith is developing, but he was their target. Britt was a liability all night like Tykee. The bright side Zyon played well.
For years we had dbs play 3rd & 4 lined up between 5 and 10 yards away from receivers. An easy slant and missed tackles always gets them. Our secondary is the issue.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:51 pm
The game was won…until the last minute Bowles Blunder.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:48 pm
cousins has a pocket time average of of 2.4 seconds… and we still sacked him 4 times.
it’s a passing league. rush is critical don’t get me wrong, but contrary to popular opinion I think hall and tryon are actually improving well. we need modern inside linebackers who can drop into coverage and more quality defensive backs.
quarterbacks throw more interceptions and get sacked more often when they are forced to extend a play or have to roll out because the coverage is locked the f*ck up.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:01 pm
Capt Tim. The Bucs sre wearing the Culverhouse throwbacks, always a recipe for disaster. Bucs should win a revenge game but those uniforms, injured players not coming back and Turtle Todd Bowels tell me the ATL could sweep the Bucs and that will probably cost them the division. As for the creamsicles, just a ploy to sell uniforms, with the exception of 1979 and 1981 there are no fun memories, just a really bad owner, coaches and lots of ineptitude; kind of like Carolina today except Culverhouse cared about coin not wins.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:40 pm
You are not wrong there. JTS has made a bunh of plays (just not sacks). Hall has really improved.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:27 pm
Carr would have thrown for 510…
Soft, soft, soft.
Depth matters. This team has a bunch of high-priced players at the expense if depth.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:29 pm
LOL @FortMyersSave:
Carolina is the new Culverhouse Bucs.
Brutal.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:45 pm
I said it day 1.
Braswell is stocky, not pliable. Not a quick twitch guy. And he’s slow. And he’s not strong.
Braswell is not an NFL freak.
We needed a 3rd CB in the 2nd.
Braswell was a reach.
October 4th, 2024 at 11:31 pm
Lot of things went wrong Thursday night, but a lot of good things I saw that went perfectly right. I saw good things from key players and positions that some time to see. Not talking about a few games either I’m talking a few years.
This Bucs loss wasn’t entirely a bad thing, unless you guys want to judge the entire season on this one loss. We don’t have too now should we guys. There is a glimmer of hope and I’m going to give it to you right now!
(5) reasons right here:
1. Logan Hall DE – He has (3) sacks now on the season and is on pace for DD sacks. It is impressive because he’s starting to really become a force on that DLine and opposing lineman are not able to stop him. Think it may be his breaking out year.
2. Zyon McCullom CB – Young and upcoming CB whom I honestly had some doubts about is starting to break out. He’s continued to get his hands on ball and tackle opposing WRs quite well. A few passes almost landed in his hands too. With him and Jamel Dean on the other side that CD3 trade is starting to make a lot of sense now.
3. Sean Tucker RB/KR – This guy was impressing me in preseason, he also broke out vs ATL as a return man twice , I thought he was going all the way both times had he just broke one more tackle or pushed through one more guy. Glad to know we’re one of the few teams with an elite KR specialist again. Whew.
4. LVD ILB – He’s about 35 years old damn near and he’s still playing like he’s 25.
He’s the heart and soul of this team and this defense and I love watching this guy play. He’s the voice and reason why this group is going to be so special. With LVD anything is possible.
5. Bucky Irving RB – I was there for that eagles spanking and enjoyed every second of it. When fans chanted BUCKYYYY it was a new sensation and a new energy that I hadn’t felt in a while watching the team. Yes he fumbled a key play, but Jessie Bates is notorious for that and a seasoned veteran and they also didn’t call the Facemask penalty on him as the announcers stated. Had they called that TB would have stayed in FG range and would have likely won that game. Regardless Bucky + White is a nice 1-2 lunch combo and with Sean Tucker as the key return man we may be able to finally focus on other key areas in the offseason. Can’t wait to see what the cap space is looking like over the next few years.
October 4th, 2024 at 11:48 pm
teacherman –
I’d disagree with you on Chris Braswell. I think he has a lot to prove still and sure maybe that’s why he’s not on the field as a rookie but with coach Todd Bowels leading the way and with LVD and YaYa on the team helping him transition into his own position at OLB he may really start to come up and break out into something special. If they dont use him he never will do anything. Losing SirVocia Dennis hurts. I’m not a big fan of Kj Britt. He’s a ST guy and not a great ILB in coverage he’s a weakness and liability. By him starting he also hurts our ST unit and chemistry. What sucks even more is I’m not seeing any talent at ILB next year via draft and LVD is only getting older. We need help. We should look to FA asap to upgrade at ILB. Jose Ramirez could break out at OLB also would not rule this guy out. On another note away from LB is C and rookie Graham Barton. I get it was a very skilled and experienced big guy in Grady but Barton was getting worked and man handled by this guy. I’ve seen some very good stuff from Barton, but this last game he looked and played awful. He even almost fumbled the snap. He doesn’t look ready to go as a C yet. I don’t see how placing him at C was a great idea. Should’ve stuck with Robert Hainsey at C and let Barton start at LG. He seems to be off a full count every time. Hopefully this doesn’t continue. I sure do miss big red , and Donovan smith and that SB O line. The protection must improve. Would also like it if Baker Mayfield would quit acting like he’s Mike Tyson. He needs to chill out and realize he’s not Hercules out there. He can hurt this team by trying to much. He needs to remember he’s only 6-1 not that big of a guy. Forcing things probably not the best idea. That XPA that was blocked by the eagles also is because of Mr Grier I blame him and we called him up. He owes this team and fans a lot imo. Can’t just play it off like it didn’t happen. It’s going to continue if he doesn’t work on it.
Think the biggest thing from this ATL game and really a lot of other games is the injuries to TB. We been hurting with injuries largely to the Defense. So many games without the full regular (11) starters playing together. Need those reps desperately. Kancey was a huge blow. His calf injury is killing the team. Winfield down hurts a lot, then we lost whitehead and ILB Dennis. Huge losses & Luke GoDeke I get it’s RT but we been missing him there desperately. Skule isn’t helping anyone.
October 4th, 2024 at 11:57 pm
Red86 – Tykee Smith is a rookie, but he is coming along nicely. He’s primarily our slot CB. Aka the nickel dime back. Unfortunately he doesn’t get the same reps and equal opportunities as other players on the team. He comes in when coverages are needed and he’s usually going to be matched with bigger pass catchers for instance a 6-6 TE from UF than can run the 40 in 4.35 secs. I think he held his own quite frankly for what it’s worth even drew the penalty on him. He tackles very well and is usually very good about getting guys to go down in the backfield. RBs and slot WRs are a good matchup for him. Big TEs idk if that’s ever gonna work for him in coverage. I do like his potential long term in TB though. Even Christian Izien CB/S. Another skilled talent. I think it TB goes CB in draft next year it’s going to be an outside press man can with length speed and athleticism to matchup with bigger faster players outside. More concerned with our future LG and our ILB spots over anything.
October 5th, 2024 at 12:20 pm
Same problem as the year before. We have a great offense who is trying to outscore their opponents. You will win some games like this. But half of them will backfire on you when your defense is unable to get stops. Just like it did in Atlanta on Thursday night.