How The Pass Rush Was Reborn
November 14th, 2017
Bucs coach offers details.
In winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter’s eyes, the defense played such a dominant game Sunday against the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets, that it was just about perfection.
Wait, what? Yeah, that’s what Koetter believes.
Koetter said the defense met so many team goals, it was what he believes was a rare performance on Sunday, so he told dangerous Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV Channel 8 during their weekly exclusive sitdown.
“When you look at our Goal Chart, you hardly ever get every single goal on defense and we did this game,” Koetter said. “To have six different guys with stats, and production from tackles and Brent Grimes with an interception [and] different pass breakups.”
The real shocker came from the previously invisible pass rush. The Bucs had a total of eight sacks coming into Sunday’s game. Despite being down three of the top four defensive ends the Bucs banked on before training camp began, the team got an improbable six sacks Sunday.
The secret was simple, said the Bucs second-year head coach.
“Playing with a lead, it shows with your pass rush,” Koetter said. “It can look like it is non-existent when you are playing from behind. But all of a sudden when you get the lead and the other team is playing in a desperate mode, and the other team has to abandon their run game, all of a sudden that pass rush looks a little better.”
And the Bucs had that lead in the second half because of the defense.
Now the next piece of the puzzle is to find out why the hell that same defense allows an average of 33 points a game in road games. Only Indianapolis has a worse road defense.
To see Lucas’ full interview with Koetter, click below.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:10 am
A switch to 3-4 in the future is gonna make this defense really shine. Beckwith and Spence can be productive edge rushers.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:13 am
What a novel premise! Playing with a lead!
It helps your defense AND your offense. Our QBs should not be putting the ball in the air 40 times. It’s a recipe for failure.
We’re not going to win too many games with 15 points. Koetter had better figure out a way to get this offense moving and scoring TDs not FGs.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:19 am
it also helps playing a dysfunctional Jet’s team led by Josh McClown… Nothing to get excited about just another win against a pathetic team. nothing as changed, bucs are still a horrible bucs team ran by a bunch of clowns. Wake me up when a cancer93 captained defense shows up against a NFL quality team and is successful. It has not happened in 8 years so I wold not hold my breathe
November 14th, 2017 at 10:19 am
it was the Jets,
the Jets
If they can continue week after week, I am willing to listen to the sound bytes
November 14th, 2017 at 10:20 am
Mike Smith still needs Grimes in there to play adequate defense against the top receiver to send in the blitz
**am i wrong in saying that with hiding VH3 on the slot or actually have VH3 off the field…our defense is better because the offensive coordinator cant target him?
yikes, that sounds so bad
i thought elliot did a nice job
“Forget he is a 1st round pick, get his a$$ out off the field my job is on the lin”
Licht beer
November 14th, 2017 at 10:21 am
faker
it may sound bad but it is accurate as hell…. Vh3 has NO business on a nfl team much less being taken high round 1… he needs to be coaching pop warner in clearwater ASAP…
November 14th, 2017 at 10:31 am
Some would argue the pass rush showed up because the effort and want to was finally noticable.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:35 am
BS. We had a lead in buffalo and this ugly arse defense couldn’t sack a high school QB. This game was a fluke. 5-11 at best
November 14th, 2017 at 10:35 am
So the fact that we are always behind (typical 3 points at halftime) is why our d line isnt getting as many sacks????? Wow it does all fall on our offense which right now just isnt that good.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:40 am
TMAX
I was watching the game and how well the defense played and it didnt look like our porus defense all year. couldnt figure it out. looked like no leaks , broken coverage and no gigantic windows whatsoever. this couldnt be our defense. all e levels playing together. what was it. it seemed like the offensive coordinator trying to dial up some plays against us but couldnt find our weak point….
milli vanili not on the field and doing his schizophrenic dancing
November 14th, 2017 at 10:42 am
@Nick2 no s#$t. I don’t get the HC man. Dood blows so much damn smoke. A team with a 3 point lead isn’t going to abandon the run especially going up against the Bucs secondary and DLINE. Unreal how stupid Koetter thinks we all are. Wow.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:43 am
Koetter said the defense met so many team goals, it was what he believes was a rare performance on Sunday
sounds like he’s saying it was a fluke to me…..defense wasn’t played like that since last year….defiantly not this year…..hope they keep it up but it sounds like dirk was just as surprised as everyone else….that’s a bad sign when your HC is surprised that a unit performed well…..GO BUCS!!!!
November 14th, 2017 at 10:47 am
Definite fluke of this joke of a game against an offense that set pro football back 10 years, lets see how this great sack machine does against a real pro OT in laremy tunsil who should be a buc yet jason licht has no clue
November 14th, 2017 at 10:50 am
This guy is reminding of lovie. Every week talking about goals and specific stats they need to have as if that matters. Please stop it because the only way you’ll keep your job is by eating the “W”. This is offensive coordinator non sense that’s needs to be changed since your head coach. Wins matter more than explosive plays and these other stats you look at Dirk. Horrible
November 14th, 2017 at 10:55 am
tmax- How was that “prime rib”?! Maybe you should make that your routine? When tmax ‘eats’/has “prime rib” the Bucs D shows up.
I’m not sold on this either but I have to be optimistic. I just really have to question where it’s been all year.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:58 am
This defense at least cost us 4 games. Gotta lot to make up.
November 14th, 2017 at 10:59 am
The defense is just fine at home. It’s on the road when we can’t stop anyone.
November 14th, 2017 at 11:02 am
Bucsfanman
the prime rib was sold out when I arrived but they had 2 for 1 lap dances. Maybe we can get cancer93 a lap dance before each game and he will be able to play 4 qtrs
November 14th, 2017 at 11:17 am
I really enjoyed watching this game twice, having TiVoed it. But a realist will explain that it is highly unlikely we see that defense this weekend against a more mobile QB. Not to mention, we never play well against Suh, the shaved bear. We will most likely see our beloved Bucs poop the bed this Sunday.
November 14th, 2017 at 11:36 am
Nope…did not listen to the video..will not listen. Pass rush reborn? Cut it out and knock it off Joe!..Please sir!! One game and we are Titans of the pass rush?
What you smokin this mornin Joe? It was the Jets. string together some WINS and beat a front runner. Then, we start stickin our chest out. Play DEFENSE hard for the rest of the season. Then we shall see. Until then? We are what our record says we are …3-6. And anything under 500 means..You Suck!
November 14th, 2017 at 11:41 am
Spence can’t be a productive anything if he can not stay on the field. At this point he is another gamble the Bucs took a chance on and lost!
November 14th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Show that swag more Dirk! Go Bucs! Stay confident!
November 14th, 2017 at 12:18 pm
@tmax- Gotta love those 2 ‘fers!
I’d like to see them rotate GMC out more often. He’s getting a ton of snaps and looks tired down the stretch. We saw more clock control in this game and that should help this unit. I saw Ayers play inside with Gerald at DE on a play and I almost fell out of my chair. Props to the Hokie alum who came off the couch to get a sack!
We have got to be able to move the football and control the clock if we are to win many more games.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:19 pm
At this point in time I’m totally cool with tanking to draft Saquon Barkley (RB)from Penn State.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:50 pm
I don’t buy the “lead” argument at all.
Teams don’t go desperate when only down 3 or 6 in the NFL. That’s just a typical lead at any point in the game. We weren’t up more than 1 score until 6 mins left in the 4th quarter.
So no – this wasn’t because the offense played smart / conservative with a lead. It’s because the defense actually played well period. The offense still sh1t the bed and Fitzpatrick still made terrible throws and turned the ball over. Still looked a lot worse than non-hurt Winston and it isnt’ close.
If your defense needs a 3 or 6 point lead to play with passion vs being down 3 or 6 or 10 then f*ck man you must have the mental strength of toddlers
November 14th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
The Bucs are 3-6 .. with wins against CHI NYG NYJ.. and already Joe is back to calling Dirk a Winning HC, and pondering on the question: Why can’t the Bucs D always look this good ? … the standards in Tampa are just comical.. Guess what Joe ? Bucs will have a losing record this year and miss the playoffs. The D is not GOOD !!!! IDK why some of this is so difficult for you all to understand. The Bucs suck .. yesterday at work another average football fan made a crab legs joke when the Bucs were brought up .. that’s how relevant we are! NO ONE cares about us or knows anything RECENT about us because we are so damn awful ! What Jameis did when he was last relevant (@ FSU playing for a winning team consistentnly on a national stage) is what most people think of when they think Tampa Bay .. WHY ? Because the FSU national championship winning “star” is what people think of .. and they can’t think of anything memorable about Jameis in the NFL , because he hasn’t done anything , so they fall back on what the media use to filter out In abundance to the average drive-by football audience .. which includes stories about a young star stealing crab legs and being accused of rape. Like it or not , that is the current state of Tampa .. a 3-6 team with a struggling ailing QB that is completley irrelevant! Get in in your head ! We are bad ! We will miss the playoffs again ! Go Bucs ! Change the standards , change the culture , and WIN !!!!!!
November 14th, 2017 at 2:37 pm
I’m all for being positive, but until we see some consistency, “Pass Rush Was Reborn” is an overstatement.
November 14th, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Lord Cornelius Says:
November 14th, 2017 at 12:50 pm
I don’t buy the “lead” argument at all.
Teams don’t go desperate when only down 3 or 6 in the NFL. That’s just a typical lead at any point in the game. We weren’t up more than 1 score until 6 mins left in the 4th quarter.
If your defense needs a 3 or 6 point lead to play with passion vs being down 3 or 6 or 10 then f*ck man you must have the mental strength of toddlers
^^BINGO^^
I called BS on that statement as well….and if you know that’s the way your defense plays why don’t we go full 2minute no huddle when the game starts so we can play with the lead…..GO BUCS!!!!
November 14th, 2017 at 4:14 pm
Many may not have noticed but McCoy was liming up many times on the left edge.
November 14th, 2017 at 8:04 pm
Joe…
You spelled it wrong!
It’s J.E.S.T… Jest, Jest, Jest!
November 15th, 2017 at 5:36 am
They played a ton of 3-4 and blitzed almost every time- in 4 man line they played zone almost every time – finally some mix up and aggressive calls that worked…but it was the talent depleted Jets
Need3 more in a row