Yet Another Damning Nugget About Bucs’ Pass Defense
November 6th, 2024
Middle of defense still soft.
Monday night was a perfect reason why teams that are serious about winning don’t sit and count their cards, eeerrr, third-day draft picks.
The Bucs lost Chris Godwin last month. And in the same game lost a future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans.
What did the Bucs do about it? ‘Eh, we’re good. We’ll ride with the horses we brought.’
In the heart of the Midwest is another team that strives to win, just like the Bucs like to say they do. They too lost receivers to injury. How did Andy Reid and the two-time defending Super Bowl champs respond, the undefeated Chiefs? Let’s go get a receiver! And they swung a deal for DeAndre Hopkins.
One team is serious about winning. The other team? Well, you tell Joe. What did the Bucs do to improve since the season opened, or since they lost their two best receivers, or since they realized they have a major hole at linebacker?
Now Hopkins isn’t the same receiver he was years ago with the Texans. But after watching Monday night, who do you think gives the Bucs a better chance to win, Hopkins or Ryan Miller? Hopkins was had for a Jake Camarda.
(And yes, Joe is well aware Miller caught a one-yard touchdown pass Monday night. Hopkins had two.)
Let Joe be clear: Liam Coen is doing one helluva job cobbling together a productive offense without, at least on Monday night, his top-three receivers (if you believe Jalen McMillan is/was the No. 3).
Coen’s offense against the Chiefs was sharp, creative, smart and productive. Coen did a damn good job calling plays. He didn’t lose that game.
Then there is this little nugget. Old man Hopkins did to the Bucs’ pass defense what he hasn’t pulled off in four years, documents Nick Shook of NFL.com.
Next Gen Stats Insight from Buccaneers-Chiefs (via NFL Pro): DeAndre Hopkins caught six of his seven targets on in-breaking routes for 70 yards and two touchdowns, his most yards on such routes since Week 14, 2020. Hopkins’ +8.6 receiving EPA generated on in-breakers is also his most since the start of 2018.
There’s that soft middle of the Bucs defense again.
But hey, why try to sign reinforcements when you can just sit back and lose enough games to fall out of playoff contention?
One team that played Monday night is serious about winning. The other? Joe’s not sure.
November 6th, 2024 at 7:06 am
Yup. One team punts on 4th down at mid field in a one score game one team goes for it on 4th down mid field and wins. Hmmmm
November 6th, 2024 at 7:18 am
It tells me Licht believes the talent is good enough to win. If that’s true, as G.M. he must think a coaching change is in order. Season is half over, we’ll see what our final record is. When that happens we’ll see what Licht, more importantly the Glazers decide. Go Bucs!
November 6th, 2024 at 7:28 am
Don’t think they think they are a contender or they would have made moves but they didn’t. The defense has been pretty awful the last few games find it hard to believe that they would think they don’t need serious help on the defense.
November 6th, 2024 at 7:29 am
Teams that put so much value on draft picks are teams that feel they are still rebuilding.
November 6th, 2024 at 7:33 am
So disappointing, and the hits keep coming 😞
Agree with Hodad too. This isn’t only on Bowles, it goes higher up. The decision has been made. Status quo.
Optimistically, we could win against the 49ers, Giants, Panthers…, and come back. Other teams will lose. Evans will be coming back soon too 😊
November 6th, 2024 at 7:53 am
If I am the GM and the HC tells me with sincerity he is good staying with his guys and doesn’t need anyone else – then I let him ride, or hang, with his own rope
GM shops, HC cooks…
We shall see…
November 6th, 2024 at 8:03 am
I need to take a break from reading about stubborn Todd and his mushrooms 🍄🟫 in the backfield. Time for Coen take over and get a real DC next year. Time for Jason to do something about the personnel situation on the defense. Bucs need talent and depth on the defense. By depth I don’t mean someone off the practice squad that isn’t ready to start. Offense is fixed, now fix the defense Jason.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:11 am
Licht might be sitting and waiting for Billy
November 6th, 2024 at 8:19 am
Hope everyone enjoyed that Trifecta whuppin they took last night. This doesnt changed the next 4 yrs, this changes the next 20 because things getting flipped at the judiciary level is spicy. Using beta male tears for my coffee this morning. Never tasted so good
November 6th, 2024 at 8:22 am
Licht is letting Bowles own this…..keep in mind, Licht didn’t get to pick Arians replacement, Bowles was forced on him. Year 3, you’re looking at 9-8 again…..Bowles isn’t a good HC and isn’t the long term solution so why handicap the next coach by giving away draft picks for guys that might not even be a good fit for next years roster.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:26 am
It really didn’t help that Bowles has Josh Hayes covering him all night( don’t even know if that is his name). Why not tell McCollum to cover him all night no matter where he lined up. I feel like sometimes Bowles does things just to try to prove the fans media wrong. Except Bowles has been failing miserably at it.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:52 am
This team consistently gives up 3rd and a mile. Bowles scheme is garbage. Worst defense in the league, and he is the general. And then make conservative decisions and rely on the defense? Cmon already, this team has to try to win shootouts weekly.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:52 am
A little better coaching and we might have won that game. The refs were a bunch ot retards too.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Defensive line has 2 good players, Vea and Kancey. The others lack ability to get leverage and hold up against most offensive lines. Licht’s judgement on slime and edge rushers hasn’t built up enough beef to stop the running game. When Suh and Vea were paired this team couldn’t be ran on. Building defensive lines through draft hasn’t worked for Bucs. They should be buyers in the FA market next year for bigger and more aggressive D lineman. This 3/4 defense hasn’t held up this year.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:54 am
The thing about the defense that irks me most is how half the time we leave at least one guy unguarded at all. None near him.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Seems to me that the offense is generally getting it done. Gotta focus on fixing what’s broke: defense.
November 6th, 2024 at 8:57 am
What are you willing to trade? I don’t think you’ve mentioned what the items on your wish list are worth to you. Draft picks? Players? Which ones? What are they worth to other teams? It takes two sides to make a deal.
November 6th, 2024 at 9:01 am
Hopkins looked washed against competent defenses the Todd Blows Cover Who defense makes him look like a Pro Bowler and not a 5th alternate Pro Bowler like Winston, like a good Pro Bowler
November 6th, 2024 at 9:04 am
In 2023 the man had over 1000 yards receiving and averaged over 14 yards per reception. He made a great living off of young DB’s and on a wet field where DB’s were at additional disadvantage he had his way Monday night.
Once the ‘old man’ beat the Bucs defense deep the in routes were going to be there. TE’s did the damage against the soft middle.
An additional thing that Hopkins has not done in 4 years is run routes for a decent QB.
November 6th, 2024 at 9:05 am
Where are our big name safeties? Awful.
November 6th, 2024 at 9:06 am
And the JTS experiment is over. Get him off the field and let’s see more Watts and Ramirez
November 6th, 2024 at 9:21 am
Lol @ people saying licht thinks the talent is good enough to win… ok well that means in april draft, Licht has no plans on drafting Defensive Backs and Pass Rushers.. talent on this current team is good enough right? Lets draft another punter and backup QB, maybe even a 4th tight end. You guys are hilarious.
November 6th, 2024 at 9:47 am
I can’t say it enough fire Todd and let’s move on
November 6th, 2024 at 9:57 am
Joe, Doesn’t matter what players you have if you call soft zone 75% of the time…..
November 6th, 2024 at 10:26 am
On the plus side Baker has a real chance of throwing 40+ tds trying to compensate for Toilet Bowles swiss cheese soft zone defense
November 6th, 2024 at 10:34 am
I m not here to defend Bowles cause i like to make soft comments with 10yd cushions.
However i dont agree with many fans giving a pass on Licht.
Yes he has drafted some really good players but also some average. FAs also. He has to get his share of the blame.
You cant think you are a serious contender and start the season with your 2 edge guys being Diaby and JTS. We all know for 3 years now that JTS is average at best and Diaby had a good rookie season as a situational pass rusher. Its different to have to play most of the game.
You cant start a season with Britt as your MLB. We all saw in the divisional game vs Detroit that he cant cover.
We over value some of our players.
Bowles have the majority of the blame for the Defense and the team but Licht has also his share. He does not get a pass.
Go Bucs
November 6th, 2024 at 10:41 am
Kittle has entered the chat
November 6th, 2024 at 11:01 am
If we were defending SB Champs and currently undefeated when Godwin and Mike went down, I guarantee Licht pulled the trigger on a deal or 2.
As eluded to previously, the Bucs are saving it for next season. We all hoped things would work out this year to the point of going for it and didn’t quite happen. As a fan, I wish they would have been more aggressive this season, but it’s a tough spot.
November 6th, 2024 at 11:15 am
If you are fielding an inferior player because you want to hang with who you have, you are not serious about winning.
November 6th, 2024 at 11:15 am
Fire LovieII. Today.
Not happening but nothing will improve until that happens .
November 6th, 2024 at 12:26 pm
Fred McNeil … ‘The thing about the defense that irks me most is how half the time we leave at least one guy unguarded at all. None near him.’
I’m with you Fred, but you never see any mention of that in the articles or comments. From what I see, that’s the result of extraordinarily high amount of blitzing that the Bucs do. I think Bowles feels he needs to blitz so much because we’re not pressuring the QBs any other way.
Problem seems to be that his blitzers aren’t getting through (not enough speed, not enough gaps being created, blitzers not strong enough to power through?). It’s leaving huge gaps in the defense that even rookie QBs can find.
And going along with that, dropping OLBs into coverage is a standard problem with the 3-4 (too much middle ground for 2 ILBs to cover?). This whole defense just has me shaking my head right now. We’ve seen how good it can be with Bowles as the DC … WITH THE RIGHT TALENT TO MAKE IT WORK (just look at 2020 & 2021). Now we’re seeing how bad it can be with the wrong talent. Right now we’ve got 8 viable starters … plus 3 Walmart greeters.