“The Secondary Stinks”
January 10th, 2025
Tough talk from two ex-Bucs.
An old Bucs assistant coach and a 2020 and 2021 Buccaneer pulled no punches this week.
Joe’s noticed a common theme among national media types.
If they don’t watch the Bucs closely, they rave about the Tampa Bay offense and its ability to outscore teams in many ways while glossing over the Bucs’ defensive struggles by saying something like, “Todd Bowles always has a good plan.”
For those who watch more closely, they’re nearly ill watching the Bucs’ pass defense each week and aren’t shy about sharing their feelings.
Retired Bucs offensive lineman (2020) and assistant coach (2021) A.Q. Shipley, a true Tampa Bay supporter, expressed his disgust this week on the Clean Pocket podcast.
“The secondary stinks,” Shipley said.
That comment came after Jay Gruden, Chucky’s brother and a former Bucs assistant coach, said of the Bucs’ defensive backfield. “I really think their secondary is awful.”
Gruden thinks the Commanders will do everything they can Sunday to be aggressive on first down, attacking the Bucs secondary and putting rookie QB Jayden Daniels in more positions to run. Daniels is the Commanders leading rusher and he set the NFL record for rushing by a rookie QB this season.
Shipley added that the Bucs should be very scared of Washington because they’ll find “scoring opportunties everywhere” if they can do just an OK job picking up the array of Bowles blitzes.
The Commanders’ offense will be aggressive trying to avoid 3rd-and-long, Gruden noted, so Bowles can’t drop the exotic blitzes that Washington couldn’t handle in Week 1.
Joe loves this matchup because it’s so even. Stressful but fun because both teams are winning and have great strengths with clear weaknesses.
Shipley picked the Bucs to win on the back of their offense; Gruden picked the Commanders, though he’s a huge Baker Mayfield fan and is concerned Washington’s shaky kicking game will bite them in the butt.
Sunday night has all the makings of a wild roller coaster ride.
January 10th, 2025 at 10:57 am
Shipley is 100% correct…….
Hayes is a backup CB playing like the rest of the Secondary……and it shows every week.
Jamel Dean has not lived up to his contract and has been injured.
Mike Edwards is always injured.
Thank God Winfield is back because we need SOMEONE back there that is a quality starting caliber player.
All this “soft zone” defense crap Bowles has been playing because he knows his CBs cannot cover any starting WRs in this league.
January 10th, 2025 at 10:58 am
They’re not wrong. Even when Windfield is in, this secondary is god-awful.
Odds are Daniels will shred them with his arm and legs.
This is a bad match-up for the Bucs, especially in Prime Time.
Hope I’m pleasantly surprised.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:01 am
With VV dropping back in pass coverage, we ALL know the problem. The ‘Skins know too. The defense has to saddle up or it’s going to be a long night. Still think Bowles is coaching for his job Saturday.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:03 am
Wish I could monetize that astute observation. It’s bad and it’s been bad for a long while. We do a lot of horn blowing for Licht, maybe rightfully so, but somehow he skates on the consistent inadequacy of this unit as a whole…AND no edge rusher.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:10 am
Clean Pocket , Gruden Loves Football, Green Light with Chris Long, and The Fantasy Footballers are all really good shows IMO, I watch most of the content and it’s insightful and entertaining stuff.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:11 am
The CHALLENGE has been thrown!!
January 10th, 2025 at 11:39 am
you all forget, the pass “defending” of the commanders. our front 4, hopefully 5, will destroy their off line. winfield can contain. dean actually good corner. only run routes are outside. THEN, our offense is better. 3 rbs, 2 receivers, oline, cade may be back, but te is actually decent. 35-14, bucs
January 10th, 2025 at 11:39 am
No lies told here
January 10th, 2025 at 11:48 am
Watch our defense shock everyone start off fast a keep it going Shaq is back not saying he is a big difference maker but he’s back with a lil rust knocked off I honestly don’t think this team is going out in the first round they will make a good run for the Super Bowl maybe another KC match up
January 10th, 2025 at 11:54 am
The head coach decides who stay and who goes. A former defensive back who can’t field a decent secondary and every year fans blame the talent except on draft night and the offseason. Could have found somebody better than Hayes but Bowles wanted him so that’s on him because he’s a veteran in this I’m gonna let you complete the pass so I can tackle your defense. Pass defense has sucked since he got here including 2020. Super Bowl run. He praised for that game plan in the Super Bowl against the banged up o line and injured qb but easy to forget that first half massacre against KC in the regular season. Defensive coordinators adjust to what’s available on game day except in Tampa
January 10th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
This is still the defensive coach who shut Down Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes in the same season.
He has shut down Hurts twice.
I know our defense has holes but Playoff Football is different and the Bucs have experience.
We do have several young guys who play over aggressive early and it will be a big game for them.
Washington has a rookie QB and we have no idea how he will look.
He might look freaked out.
He might Go Off.
what we do know is Tampa will win this game No Matter What, JD does.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
The secondary stinks AND there is no pass rush. This will eventually lead to the end of the season.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Bucs beat the Commanders, Lions and Eagles. Actually I think they got shredded by Falcons on Thursday night after that because sirvocea Dennis went on injured reserve, it took Bowles a few games to adjust and made a huge difference, that’s when Bowles defense took a turn for the worse. He probably has more wins if Dennis doesn’t get hurt regardless of the secondary injuries.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
Winfeld hasnt done a damn thing THIS season to prove that his return will make any impact….he’s been just as bad as the rest of them
January 10th, 2025 at 12:29 pm
Don’t get excited with Winfield and Dean possibly being back.
Licht over paid for BOTH
Neither has been a difference maker this season
Players and scheme are AWFUL!!!!
January 10th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
I am with First Name Greatest… could not agree more. Although I will say I will settle for a 75% Winfield over whatever has been starting in his place. Dean just cant play. Period. This game scares the hell out of me. I am fully confident in offense and have little to NO confidence in defense. Bucs need to start fast, control the clock with the ground game and just make a few plays on defense. I am very concerned that the defense will not be able to get off the field. And we will see how much experience matters. Big difference in that area for both teams.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Have to keep Daniels in the pocket! That will allow Vea to get pressure up the middle. Force him to dink and dunk up and down the field. Hold them to field goals and let Baker win the game. Easier said then done though!
January 10th, 2025 at 12:43 pm
I’m guessing more soft zone instead of man this game as well since you can’t turn your back on Daniels
January 10th, 2025 at 1:09 pm
It’s not the talent in the secondary, it’s the scheme and the complete lack of underneath coverage by our ILB or flat coverage by our OLB
We get roasted in the middle of the field week after week after week
Expect a heavy dose of Zach Ertz between the hashes and a lot of down n outs and ins with McLauren against the blitz
We don’t cover the middle of the field, we like dropping 20-30 yards off the ball to prevent the big play and in man we (Britt/Russell) just get beat repeatedly
January 10th, 2025 at 1:11 pm
They definitely can’t afford any mistakes on either side if it costs points. Go out there like your playing the Chiefs brother for the rest of playoff series and I guess everybody’s got hit the smelling salts lol. Just kidding you gotta be a certain breed or whatever or you know That DAWG !!!! I might have had a couple of heart attacks in multiple games these guys have had some tornado like finishes, we all know the storm is coming and for a little bit I just had to tell myself, it gonna be alright just hang on..
January 10th, 2025 at 1:17 pm
Pewter Power: If your defensive system is dependent on a backup linebacker (Dennis didn’t start a game this year) is it a sound system? Where were the backups with speed, ready to play? Who was the LB that was with the Bucs for over a year and still didn’t know the system? How can these defensive players be so confused, guys who’ve been with the Bucs for years, yet Kirk Cousins has such an easy time figuring out the “complex” system? A lot of questions that Todd Bowles evidently doesn’t have the answers for.
January 10th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
Defense will be the downfall of this team. Hope Baker and the offense can win in a shootout
January 10th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Bucs are going to have to score over 40 to win Sunday Night……Plain and simple.
January 10th, 2025 at 1:46 pm
@bakertillidie
the foreskins added latimore since the first game.
January 10th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Looking towards the draft, I’m having a hard time deciding where that first round pick needs to be spent – CB or LB.
The Bucs need to find the next Brooks-David LB, but the secondary has more holes than an Alec Baldwin alibi.
January 10th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Everyone on ESPN’s Let’s Go! is picking the Commanders because of our poor defensive secondary.
January 10th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
The group of backups is not very good, shocking
January 10th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
Really hoping the defense can continue playing at least close to as well as it has since the bye.
Opponents are undoubtedly better now but if we can hold opposing teams to 20-25 pts then our offense (which without a doubt will be perfect like always in some people’s eyes 🙄) should be able to bring it home.
Should be a good game but I really like our chances.
January 10th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
I just think saying the players suck makes Bowles and his defensive system look worse. His system has been in place since 2019. He played safety in the nfl and has been coaching secondaries since the 90’s. Until someone comes up with an excuse for why the pass defense was just as bad with elite pass rushers in place then Bowles is the common denominator
January 10th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
The secondary will cost us this game IF they can’t cover or tackle . Make Liam coem are head coach !
January 10th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
I think Chris Simms said it best. The Bucs are putting 5 or 6 guys on the line in blitz formation and leaving the middle of the field uncovered. The Bucs automatically give up 10 yards a play in the current formations. Need more focus on giving up huge chunks by not blitzing so often and getting a lot more help in the backfield.
January 10th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
Which Bucs secondary do we think stinks. All of them or just the the backups tossed out onto the field?
IE Do we really believe a secondary that started with Winfield/Whitehead/Dean/McCullough sucks? Even when they’re all healthy?
THAT sucking defense beat Washington, Detroit, and Philly at the beginning of the year when they were healthy. Then it all started going downhill with injuries and inconsistent lineups. At times during the losing streak it looked like a fire drill gone amuck back there, guys still learning their positions, who was playing next to them, what to expect.
But those young guys have been forged in the fire of that losing streak and some of them show great promise and others like McCullom have fulfilled their promise.
January 10th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
This game should not be close. Washington loses to Atlanta if the Falcons call a timeout. They one one game against playoff teams. Buccaneers won 4.
Buccaneers 34-13
January 10th, 2025 at 5:57 pm
Jay Gruden coached Washington so he would probably pick them to win even if the Bucs had their 1999 defense on the field…. Still his point of tge secondary is valid.
January 10th, 2025 at 6:35 pm
This is a pivotal game for Bowles. Lose and he has to be fired. Win and I guess he stays only to put us in the exact same position next year: barely above .500 and scratching for a playoff spot.
January 10th, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Joe in Michigan
Didn’t think you would take away from my comment that the system was dependent on Dennis instead of simply the team playing better with him on the field. It’s not my fault Bowles is too goofy to play the best players. If you want to be fair about my post Bucky was a backup most of the year too before Bowles came to his senses and even called him a situational backup after the bye week to reflect on what was working for the team.