“We Had To Take That Defender Away”
November 9th, 2024
If Joe were locked in a room with Todd Bowles and was asked to tell the head coach something that would hurt his feelings, Joe would go directly to one thing.
Joe would bring up the Bucs’ run defense and how it ranks 28th in the NFL in yards per carry allowed. Opponents are running for 4.9 yards per carry against Tampa Bay.
That’s more than a yard worse than the Bucs’ run defense was last season and far behind its glory days of 2019 (3.3).
Is Devin White missed that much? Joe is not saying White is, but it’s certainly worth exploring.
Defensive line coach/run game coordinator Kacy Rodgers was on the Buccaneers Radio Network this week and talked about how the Bucs defense loves loading up the box and stuffing the run. However, that strategy has been scrapped this year due to lost talent in the secondary.
“Right now we’ve got some youth in our secondary, so we had to take that defender away,” Rodgers said.
Telling stuff there from Rodgers.
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. missed four games after a Week 1 injury. Starting cornerback Jamel Dean is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and his backup, Bryce Hall, was lost for the season in Week 1.
So yeah, the Bucs are hurting in the defensive backfield. The problem is the pass defense is suffering almost as much as the now-depleted run game.
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November 9th, 2024 at 2:50 pm
The lack of creativity in devising a solution might be the culprit actually. And it’s not like the staff doesn’t have input on which players are drafted/added under Licht…
November 9th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
Dean is always hurt. Just like Davis
November 9th, 2024 at 3:06 pm
You have a fraud as defensive uncoordinator reporting to himself, a fraud, at head coich.
It’s no more complex than that.
November 9th, 2024 at 3:29 pm
“Right now we’ve got some youth in our secondary, so we had to take that defender away,” Rodgers said.
Great strategy by Rogers as our pass defense is so good now!
November 9th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Even more damning for Bowles is the job Coen is doing on the other side of the ball in a simlar situation. It’s amazing what having an open mind and the abilty to make adjustments and implement the scheme so inexperienced guys can still perform when given their opportunity.
November 9th, 2024 at 3:37 pm
Joe should ask him why he’s so stubborn & why he’s such a dumba$$. You could probably put any of the fans in there & they’d probably do just as good with the way some of them are doing.
November 9th, 2024 at 3:44 pm
If nothing else, he should hire younger coaches to help him out. I do not feel that Todd is a bad head coach. He has soared above MUCH adversity in his short tenure. Yes, he has made mistakes, but who hasn’t?
November 9th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
I had this epiphany at work today. The linebacker corp use to be the strength of this team. Not it’s one of the worst. And the defense is getting exposed. The pass rushers were never great. They didn’t need to be with The capability of Lavonte and white to at least get the qb uncomfortable. Todd is writing his own demise. I’m willing to take a year to get healthy and get the roster right. Most definitely get bellichik and keep coehn with baker. The team needs the leadership and grit of BB. Almost starting to feel like those comments from baker and Brady earlier this year. Feels like a weird premonition from Brady. Don’t get use to fun and losing Baker. Because bill is coming with the Superman cape to be a hard ass and get you a ring. To cement your legacy. Destiny!!!
November 9th, 2024 at 4:07 pm
Reviewing the defense coaches, the majority have been with the Bucs for over 5 years. Doesn’t say much for our defensive position coaches if they cannot ‘coach up’ some of the younger players or ones that have been here 3 – 4 years. Especially after mini-camp, OTA’s, training camp and after 9 games or the halfway mark of the season. Besides Zyon McCollum, name another that has shown marked improvement in their time with the Bucs.
November 9th, 2024 at 4:10 pm
Lack of ability to cover receivers is the biggest problem on the defense and has been for a while. The “edge” rush is a distant second.
November 9th, 2024 at 4:16 pm
When is Jamel Dean expected to return?
November 9th, 2024 at 4:39 pm
If we were to ask Coach Todd Bowles if he thinks he has enough defensive talent to be able to play up to the level of the 2020-22 teams. I believe he would say yes. If he didn’t think he could develop the talent he has, he would be doing everything in his power to raise the level of talent, including a trade or picking up
an available free agent. So let’s see if he can bring the players abilities up a level or two. We will know this Sunday if the defense is still playing better !!
Go Bucs !!!
November 9th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
Our schedule just got easier dak prescot is out for the season just confirmed
November 9th, 2024 at 4:51 pm
TB is a good DC but a pretty crappy HC. Grab Coen but I have been fooling myself as to what I know about football and I’m old!!! Help the Bucs before I kick it!!!
November 9th, 2024 at 4:52 pm
Why haven’t they played Izein at CB instead of granola hayes and Funderbunk?
November 9th, 2024 at 4:56 pm
How in the Hells Kitchen did Dean pull his hammy that bad on that tackle ………. Holly #extrathinfragleglass#wow
November 9th, 2024 at 4:59 pm
Todd Bowles doesn’t have the league’s worst rushing attack this year so he decided to make up for it and have the worst rush defense.
November 9th, 2024 at 6:31 pm
Let Isaac start. He outplayed Funderburk and Hayes in Preseason
November 9th, 2024 at 6:39 pm
Is the pass rush the issue – or is it low-T Bowles who is afraid to bring pressure and mostly just sits back in super soft zones and QBs have huge windows to throw the ball into.
It’s amazing to me how much better the defense looks when Todd brings pressure, yet he still mostly just sits back in zone. Also, no, bringing 5 when you basically run a 5-2-4 defense is not ‘blitzing’.
November 9th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
FlBoy84 Says:
November 9th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Even more damning for Bowles is the job Coen is doing on the other side of the ball in a simlar situation. It’s amazing what having an open mind and the abilty to make adjustments and implement the scheme so inexperienced guys can still perform when given their opportunity.
__________
Great point.
November 9th, 2024 at 6:51 pm
Good comments here on a relevant subject. I love Todd but it is obvious that he is not wearing the DC hat well nor is he wearing his HC hat well during the games. Switching between the two is a rare talent in the NFL I think.
Go Bucs!
November 9th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
I love Lovie, too. Great neighbor, apparently a hoot to slam some beers with or play a friendly game of cards with. If you want to raise a barn, Lovie’s your guy.
Coaching a football team?
Not so much.
November 9th, 2024 at 7:18 pm
Licht will not trade away draft capital at this point unless the team goes on a run and needs a player to get over the edge.
He also doesn’t want to sign or trade for players that won’t fit our Next DC scheme after Bowles is dismissed.
November 9th, 2024 at 7:37 pm
This is Dirk/Lovie part 2.
November 9th, 2024 at 7:38 pm
One of Todd’s quirks is he says we have a next man up mentality. Great Todd. That’s really good. Saying that does not elevate the players ability though. And it seems like we don’t adjust quickly, or at all sometimes when things start sliding.
It’s looking like we are seriously short of depth pieces.
November 9th, 2024 at 8:59 pm
We have the players. We don’t haszn coach. We haszn coich.
November 9th, 2024 at 9:39 pm
There are only three non replacement level players on the defense right now. Zyon, Vita, and AW.
November 9th, 2024 at 11:42 pm
^^^^^^^^
That’s some hilarious shizzit right there, yay verily. The offense has a #3 as the best wide receiver, a bartender, couple of waitresses and a plumber, and are stil scoring enough points to win.
Personnel is not the problem. This fact is now out in public and everyone knows it. Can Lovie do anything about it? Maybe. But, no. No, verily.
November 10th, 2024 at 3:41 am
Shaq is on his way back.
Y’all gonna see.
November 10th, 2024 at 7:09 am
Bucs offense is averaging over 32 points for the past five games and still only are 1-4. That’s only happened three times in league history. The Bucs TWICE in 2024 and 2019 (With Bowles as DC) and the Chiefs once. The defense is killing the Bucs.
November 10th, 2024 at 7:27 am
I for one am amazed Kacy Rodgers still has a job! That is utter BS! Young DBs can’t tackle because they are young? These guys have been playing football for many years! BS! Winfield tackled…Whitehead tackled! These guys have been poorly coached. It is obvious to anyone who has played the game. Diva White could not make a form tackle to save his life! One of the reasons he is sitting at home. Kacy and Co. failed to coach it out of him and are failing to coach our young guys on how to tackle. Their college coaches failed to teach them and they got by on their athletic ability alone. That aint gonna get Derrick Henry on the ground folks. All they teach is this Bull Crap peanut punch stuff!
Kacy?
Go Bucs!
November 10th, 2024 at 8:35 am
My oh my, what critics we have with so much vast knowledge on this site it befuddles me why u guys r not the coaches (NOT)
November 10th, 2024 at 9:06 am
Go up and down the roster on defense and the lack of talent, misses on draft picks plus list of underperforming players tells the story. Bowles and his staff have produced excellent defenses for years. They are the constant. The variables and changes are the players. The charge of “not coaching up” players lacking the talent to begin with is just dumb. At every level of this defense there is a huge drop off in talent from the last few years. No amount of “coaching up” or “creativity” will change that.
November 10th, 2024 at 11:04 am
Joe your filters are out of control lately