Snap Counts! Major D-Line Shuffling
September 18th, 2017
Sunday’s numbers
It was a weird game yesterday in the world of the Buccaneers’ defensive line rotation.
Why? Because it’s unclear how much defensive coordinator Mike Smith was resting players or was rolling through a planned rotation.
That’s a beautiful thing. Joe will take a 29-0 lead in the fourth quarter every darn week.
Here’s the snap count breakdown for the eight defensive linemen who played, via Pro Football Reference:
Robert Ayers 75.0%
Noah Spence 70.3%
Gerald McCoy 62.5%
Ryan Russell 54.7%
William Gholston 50%
Chris Baker 39.1%
Clinton McDonald 37.5%
Sealver Siliga 7.8%
Of note, Spence and Gholston got starting nods at defensive end. Ayers got the most snaps, in part, because he does double duty playing inside.
Also, McCoy is typically up around 80 percent, so he got a welcome break.
The Baker-McDonald battle for playing time will be worth watching.
September 18th, 2017 at 4:45 pm
This is what they want. One of the reasons Koetter said he wanted to hire Jay Hayes as D-line coach was because how he managed to develop a D-line rotation and keep guys fresh.
Also, this gives us a ton of flexibility to throw different personnel for different looks… Spence being a real wildcard. I really like the way this is shaping up… Yeah, they need some better pass rushers, but that will have to wait until next year. For this year, they’ll have to generate the rush through scheme and blitzes. We could do a lot worse.
September 18th, 2017 at 4:55 pm
rotation doesn’t just help late in games, it could be a difference maker late in seasons. surprised about Ryan Russell’s usage but i bet the score and the long layoff gave the snap counts a little more of a “preseason week 3” vibe. Ryan Russell won’t get that many snaps in a tight game, I’d imagine
September 18th, 2017 at 4:56 pm
Yes keep the Dline Fresh makes Zero sense there wear them out as your defense goes as far as the Dline.
September 18th, 2017 at 4:58 pm
Baker had a relatively light load. Not sure why.
September 18th, 2017 at 5:03 pm
Baker is there to stop the run. Bears stopped running before half time
September 18th, 2017 at 5:07 pm
William Gholston is turning out to be, one of the best 4-3 defensive linemen in the league. Good game from the kid.
September 18th, 2017 at 5:13 pm
I still would like to see a DL pop free for a sack every once in a while. I had RedZone Channel on my second screen yesterday and it happens to every other team: either an OL misses a block or a D line runs a stunt and someone breaks free and buries the QB. Just never seems to happen with the Bucs.
September 18th, 2017 at 5:18 pm
this will be needed without the bye and all
September 18th, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Gholston was quick on the fill; his assignments were sound.
Plus he maintained solid 1 & 2 gap integrity.
September 18th, 2017 at 5:42 pm
Seeing GMC down around 62% was refreshing (40 snaps out of the 64 total). Too many games in the past had him in the 75-85% range, and it cost us in the 4th qtr IMO. Would love to know how many 3-4 sets we used during that game (may be part of the reason why GMC, McDonald, Baker & Siliga together only had 94 snaps all together (64 defensive snaps in the game for the Bucs should’ve meant 128 total DT/NT snaps I’d think if we used a 4-3 defense 100% of the time?). Obviously Smitty was also rotating in several other DLinemen in the interior DLine.
September 18th, 2017 at 5:48 pm
I don’t think you can overstate the effects of yesterday’s brutal Florida weather.
What was it…low 90’s with heavy humidity?
DK wanted to blame it on conditioning and the disruption of IRMA…I simply do not believe there’s much you can do when Tampa weather is that brutal for a 1PM September kickoff. Wonder how many guys got IV’s at halftime? Obviously LVD could have used on…that was a nasty calf cramp!!!
I think we NEEDED to rotate heavily to keep our big uglies from keeling over with heat stroke.
Next week this will not be an issue..inside with AC…how sweet it is!
The game against the Giants is a 4PM kickoff which should help some and of course the Pats are at night.
Next game that could even come close to being in difficult weather would be our home game against the Stinkin’ Panthers at 1PM but that’s the last weekend of October so hopefully it’ll slack off by then.
September 18th, 2017 at 5:59 pm
Koetter and Smith doing it right!
September 18th, 2017 at 6:23 pm
Didn’t the Bucs open the game in a 3-4? That means NS57 started at Leo? Rush LB… No?
September 18th, 2017 at 7:16 pm
I haven’t seen, heard or read much on Gholston all off-season not even on Hard Knocks but once the real season started he immediately made his presence known. Good game yesterday!
September 18th, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Was Ayers “Beasting” on the field yesterday?
September 18th, 2017 at 8:14 pm
Expect Jac SMith to take Russels snaps when he’s back. That’s a nice rotation
September 18th, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Refreshing is seeing GMC not running 5 yards past a play claiming to cause havoc, yes he can cause havoc but he can also make the play instead of taking himself out of the play just to look good !!!
If He continues going after the ball instead of posing for the cameras , he will have 50 tackles this year with less snaps and the D will be much better not having to cover his gap while he tries to look good !!! If he quits taking himself out of plays he will pick up a tackle a game just off that , never seen such a talented guy actually remove himself from the play trying to look good as much as ole Gerald…………… The guy is Good but man he needs to stay in the play and he did a pretty good job of it Sun !!! Gerald quit being a helper and just go after the dam ball and dominate and poof you will have 5 tackles and a sack before you know it , poof you will get more attention than you get running 5 yards past the play trying to look good !!! Gerald This is your year , play ball my man !!! You are one talented dude , now go do it !!!
September 19th, 2017 at 8:31 am
Fat Baker is out of shape hence his low %. At some point, (probably too late) Baker will realize why guys go hard during the late preseason to prepare. Hopefully, he will be in football shape by week 3-4. The rest of this was by General Smith’s early season plan and the 20+ point lead let him play it to perfection.
I have seen enough Sims. When Dougie comes back, its time to move on. Barber’s rock solid play solidified that issue.
September 19th, 2017 at 8:48 am
JOE– any update on Jack Smith joining the D-line rotation?