Bucs QB Rush Not Totally Putrid
December 12th, 2013
Adrian Clayborn tracks EJ Manuel last Sunday.
Each week Greg Bedard, the Xs and Os guy from theMMQB.com, breaks down and grades defensive linemen and defensive lines in the NFL. This week something jumped out at Joe.
Yes, once again, Bedard rates Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy as the second-best tackle in the game (trailing only Houston’s J.J. Watt). So for the GMC haters, just admit you were wrong. You will feel better. Otherwise, just crawl under a rock for everyone else’s sake.
But the thing that really caught Joe’s attention was how Bedard grades the Bucs defensive line as a whole.
To hear former Bucs players who have access to microphones, guys Joe respects a great deal for their insight, the Bucs are putrid beyond belief in pressuring the quarterback. Well, per Bedard’s grades, while the Bucs may not make people forget the Steel Curtain or the Fearsome Foursome, but Bucs are mired in the middle of the pack.
Bedard has the interior line of the Bucs graded in a tie for 18th place. Again, not great, probably not good, but certainly not horrible.
Sacks are not the only element Bedard factors, but pressures, hits on the quarterback, etc. Of the 11 sacks from Bucs interior linemen, GMC has five. Some teams that earned a lower grade than the Bucs are New England, Green Bay, Pittsburgh and — this stunned Joe — in last place, Chicago.
Oh, and per NFL stats. the Bucs are 18th in team sacks with 31, four more than last year’s season total and the Bucs have three more games to play.
Oh, and then there’s this little nugget from Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune:
After registering a season-high seven sacks during their 27-6 victory over the Bills on Sunday, the Bucs surpassed the 30-sack plateau for the first time since they recorded 33 in 2007. Tampa Bay now ranks 18th in the league with 31 sacks.
So, are the Bucs miserable beyond words with harassing quarterbacks? No. Could they improve? Sure. The Bucs just may not be as bad as we may think they are up front on the defensive side of the ball.
December 12th, 2013 at 5:42 pm
I think what makes us feel we have a horrible pass rush is the lack of production from the DEs….I would like to see where they match up.
December 12th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Joe,
Is it possible to get your own stories about the bucs. You are our shortest connection to the bucs but you are constantly quoting people outside the local market on the bucs.
That is not really a news story. I honestly don’t know what you call it.
But it would be nice to get the back story, or the inside the huddle story instead of the what do you think about the bucs story.
I honestly don’t care what Bedard says and I really don’t even know who he is.
December 12th, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Jo_mama:
Not sure what you are suggesting. Joe has content each day every day he writes, and from others both locally and nationally. Maybe you just aren’t reading? If Bedard isn’t a good enough source for you, maybe you shouldn’t be reading any football stories?
December 12th, 2013 at 6:28 pm
Joe I think he wants you to plagiarise these quotes and pretend they’re your own.
Seriously though, I get his point but if someone else has good content there is no reason to ignore it.
December 12th, 2013 at 6:42 pm
LOL.
This is what Joe has done for over five years now… and what has made him such a success. Good content and good information is good content and good information. Who cares what city the author is sitting in when he types it?
December 12th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
TampaBayBucFan raised a good point. The lack of production from DE’s is what makes it seem worse than it is. We really need to figure out a way to get DTN off the field.
December 13th, 2013 at 2:04 am
I keep hearing how bad the DE’s are. I don’t think Clayborn is as bad as many make him out to be. On the opposite side I agree, and I’m sure that every QB that studies the Bucs D line knows to “escape” to the opposite side of Clayborn. Now I’m not saying that he’s been perfect, but other things are playing into his lack of production. I think Gholston May help shore up the opposite end some, But he is still a rookie and I’m sure that most QB’s are taking their chances with him instead of Clayborn, leading to Gholston’s recent production. If his numbers keep increasing I think we’ll see both ends production skyrocket. JMO.
(Just an after thought: When they started using Cayborn on the weak end his production went up at first and then leveled again. I think this was the product of QB’s not realizing that he was on that side and escaping toward him instead of away from him. Once that made it on game tape they would start looking for him. Just sayin’.)
December 13th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
I tell you, I was at the Buffalo game and when we were on D I tried to keep an eye on 93(it was hard from Sec. 330!). That dude was UN-blockable! He was in the backfield on almost every play. Yeah, he hasn’t put up the numbers(which WILL happen when you’re injured, just sayin’) but I dare anyone to key #93 during the 49’ers game and tell me he stinks!
Joe, I’m a believer!
Go Bucs!
December 13th, 2013 at 1:54 pm
We weren’t wrong in year 1, year 2 or year 3. We’re 3 for 4, Joe. We want him to be good, we don’t want to crown someone who’s almost done with his 1st good season.
He’s good, but please jump off his wang until he shows consistency.