Where’s The Bucs’ Proud Run Defense?
November 4th, 2013
Somewhat lost in today’s gut-punch by the Seahawks was the Buccaneers’ inability to stop the run.
Marshawn Lynch is a great running back, but this was a very special game he had against the Bucs, methodically pounding out 125 yards on only 21 carries without breaking a huge run.
Once upon a time (2012), the Bucs had the NFL’s best run defense. They were dominant with Michael Bennett and Lavonte David among the league leaders in tackles for loss, and week in and week out teams couldn’t bust the Bucs’ run defense. Yes, the Bucs run-blitzed all the time and their secondary doomed them, but the run defense wasn’t phony last year.
Yet this season the run defense is barely average. What happened?
Is it the loss of Ronde Barber in run support? That’s unlikely given how Mark Barron has played the run.
Is it because the regime waved goodbye to Bennett and Roy Miller? Perhaps.
Or is it because offensive coordinators have caught on to the Bucs and adjusted better than the Bucs have? Joe’s going to go with that. Outcoached.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:25 am
Not having Bennett & tired schemes (like not holding containment) seem to be big contributors
November 4th, 2013 at 12:26 am
It’s because the run defense was not that good last year. Sure, statistically it was great. And the line did a good job of tackling for loss and preventing breakouts BUT they were also a team that was rushed upon THE LEAST. This wasn’t just because they were good against the run, it was also because they were atrocious, historically atrocious, against the pass. They were near the top in pass attempts against and gave up the most yards in the air.
So was the rush D good last year? Yep. Was it as good as it looked? Probably not. I’m not too sure how hard teams tried to run on the Bucs when they could just do whatever they wanted in the air.
It’s also not they’re bad this year. They are still a solid rush D, just not like last year. I think the improved pass defense is causing teams to rush a bit more on them.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:42 am
The defense blew this game. How in the hell do you give up a 21 point lead? Good god. If its not one thing, its the other. Its not Schiano, its the players. Wheres the fuC%I* million dollar man? Wheres the spy to contain the goddamn QB? Wheres the tackling? This team is so goddamn inconsistent it makes my head spin. Or maybe its just the alcohol. Can’t wait until this season is over!
November 4th, 2013 at 1:03 am
Defense allowed 7 first half points and gave the offense the ball back 3 times on 2 Ints and a fumble recovery. How is this the defense’s fault? Maybe if we actually had an offense in the 2nd half of games, our defense would hold up. Instead we curl up into a ball and go 3&out over and over…and then blame the defense for getting tired.
November 4th, 2013 at 2:06 am
This D-Line is the biggest bunch of posers in the NFL. They can’t even sniff an opposing QB. Absolute embarrassment!
Teo-Whatever, Bowers, Clayborn, McCoy, Spence, Landri, Gibson, etc… You SUCK!
November 4th, 2013 at 2:27 am
Our players are getting tired of doing all this useless stunting. We have Clayborn behaving like like a 3-4 LB and are wasting McCoy’s talent. That’s not what they are good at and what we drafted them to do.
November 4th, 2013 at 2:28 am
The defense was on the field the second half the o sucked.
November 4th, 2013 at 2:56 am
“Is it because the regime waved goodbye to Bennett and Roy Miller? Perhaps.”
The regime? Do you mean…
ROCKSTAR???
Don’t be afraid to say it. I don’t think you’ll lose your snowballing privileges with him by doing so.
November 4th, 2013 at 6:51 am
Good question that I have no answer for, but I do think we win on Monday night.
November 4th, 2013 at 7:20 am
The run defense was good last year. That’s why we were the least run on team. Look at the Avg. 3.5ypc. Think we were top in TFL in the run game as well.
The weak links on this team is #1 Sherridan, and #2 whoever made the bad personnel calls. Probably a Schiano/Dom combo: Talib, Bennett, no FA TE in a nice market, Ogletree, keeping Freeman around for 5 years of suck, all the terrible draft picks etc.
November 4th, 2013 at 8:26 am
@jbeach.
I’ve been hearing that comment about winning the upcoming game all season. I just hope your right.