Suffocating Run Defense
September 24th, 2019
Will Gholston has been doing what he does best
Yes, the Buccaneers’ secondary looks broken in pass coverage, and it likely is.
The run defense? That’s another story.
Through three weeks of the NFL season, the Bucs are allowing 3.0 yards per carry. That’s the third best rate in the league.
The run defense has been physical, as well. The Bucs literally beat up Saquon Barkley with a ferocious hit by safety Jordan Whitehead, followed by a knockout blow from Mike Edwards. In the previous game, the run defense treated Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey to one of his worst day as a pro.
The Bucs are doing all this without rookie savior linebacker Devin White, which is impressive. So far, it’s been mission accomplished in the run defense with Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh working as powerful first line of defense, with Will Gholston looking extremely active and strong.
Joe has seen a similar act before — in 2012. That Bucs team, the fighting Schianos, had the top-ranked defense in the NFL, which was complemented by one of the worst-performing defensive backs in NFL history. This year’s secondary isn’t that bad, but they have a whole lot to prove after Sunday’s hot mess against the Giants and a rookie QB.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:15 pm
As the sworn member of the “I Don’t Know Why Gholston is on this Roster Club”, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised with his production. I won’t go so far as to say that I was “wrong”…..yet.
3 games does not erase 6 years.
The run defense has been stout. Vea looks like a tree-trunk out there and Suh is constantly pushing the pocket.
The weird part about this is that pressure is supposed to relieve the secondary a bit. We’re getting pressure. Secondary, it’s time to do your part.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Let’s hope it’s not too much like the 2012 defense.
A good run defense is great, but ends up worthless when you have the worst secondary in the league.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we are that bad this year. But- there have been gaping holes and wide open receivers in every game so far.
And now we have the rams coming in with their offensive whizkid head coach. Gonna be a tough test for VH3 and the rest out there. Rams will destroy us if they keep making the same mistakes we’ve seen the last 3 weeks.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:18 pm
Gholston is finally blowing up….it helps having a healthy V and Suh though….thats why Shaq is blowing up too.
Just need those DB’s to get fixed…..and never EVER leave the middle of the field open for a QB 10 yards away for the goal line.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:19 pm
We’ve given up almost 300 yards to tight ends so far this year. Albeit damn good ones, but it’s a hole that needs to be plugged!
September 24th, 2019 at 12:19 pm
Historically great Bucs teams began with dominating defenses !….
Bucs will upset the Rams on Sunday
September 24th, 2019 at 12:23 pm
We have a running game by committee , we have a secondary by committee.
Front seven is different. He have so far playmakers.
We won’t win if we are by committee team.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Joe –
I would go all out right now for Ramsey and Gordon.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:31 pm
The secondary looked like they were in zone and let SS and EE gash us for huge gains.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:32 pm
Bowles is hoping the front 7 are disruptive enough to force hurried throws, this is why I think the secondary has played zone. If they play man and don’t don’t get a rush #28 and #36 are 3 yards behind the WR. If Cam wouldn’t have been so inaccurate we would be 0-3. We are in for a long season when better QB’s and schemes come our way. But no one is going to run the ball on us, unless it is outside.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:34 pm
Adrnagy,
Almost every team has a RB by committee scheme. The days of an all down back are rare.
Where is the money going to come from to get Ramsey and Gordon? Jags want 2 first round picks and we gotta pay Ramsey. Add on the fact that he’s probably a locker room cancer.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:37 pm
The secondary didn’t lose this game, Joe
The Defense let a rookie QB be Giants’ leading rusher, burn them for 2 td runs and scramble for critical gains to continue drives-
And Engram wasn’t covered by a db on his 75 yard td run
The linebackers and rookie free safety share most of blame
September 24th, 2019 at 12:38 pm
The good news…..no great news is that we have a stout run defense that smothers the run.
The bad news is…..teams are forced to pass on us…….we absolutely must fix our secondary……I think our Safeties are OK….but our CBs are not covering that well.
Vita Vea is a monster. There should be an action hero named after him….movies, video games….books, magazines, toys and monuments.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
So we can stop the run, so the opponent just passes like there’s no defense. Perfect.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Calling the secondary broken is a bit dramatic. A bad game is more accurate. The week before they held Cam Newton to under 50% and zero TDs……..Don’t remember what Garapollos numbers were but he didn’t exactly light us up.
Sounds unfair to throw away two good games on the secondary and proclaim us broken. Not to mention we are getting our hands on lots of balls and showing game changing ability back there. That has to count for something.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
Lets not get crazy….the bucs faced a gimpy jimmy G and washed up cam newton and then a rookie/HOFer…..so what do you do as a defense? You stop the run and let the crappy qb beat you….unfortunately the bucs ran into danny dimes and bowels had ZERO adjustments for a qb that is good and there is no since selling out for the run against wayne gallman which bowles did it appears….the bucs and bowles are up against it this week with a great run game and great pass game, now you pick your poison…mcvay is licking his chops facing a run stuffing defense with that putrid secondary…then if the bucs try and stop goff…then hobbled gurley may come at you
September 24th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
If there is not a drastic change for the better, there should be an organized, large scale, peaceful demonstration at the stadium prior to the next home game. That would get publicity possibly and force the Glazers hand on righting the wrongs done to this fan base.
September 24th, 2019 at 1:02 pm
The run defense is on point
September 24th, 2019 at 1:04 pm
Glad we are great at stopping the run, since teams are throwing now more than ever and all…. Why run against the Bucs? Take those free chunk plays through the air and score twice as fast!
September 24th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Jamel Dean needs to take over for Carlton Davis that would fix a lot
September 24th, 2019 at 2:03 pm
Bucs will upset the Rams
September 24th, 2019 at 2:51 pm
You know, some props needs to be given to that new QB of the Giants… he threw some really good throws that were well defended. He also did this in the face of a strong pass rush by the Bucs.
September 24th, 2019 at 3:32 pm
jimmyjack
i agree….
1 bad game and everything is broken….lol….
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 24th, 2019 at 3:32 pm
ALTER
I AGREE!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 24th, 2019 at 3:38 pm
The great Ronde Barber only played in ONE game his first year (1997), then got into all 16 games in 1998 but only started 9 games. From his 3rd year on, it was Katy Bar the Door … Ronde never missed a game after that through his last year (2012). Point being, it wasn’t until his THIRD year that he became a full-time starter.
In our present Secondary, here’s who we played against the Giants:
o Safety Jordan Whitehead … 2nd year guy (100% defensive snaps)
o Safety Mike Edwards … Rookie (97% defensive snaps)
o Carlton Davis … 2nd year guy (100% defensive snaps)
o Vernon Hargreaves … 4th year guy (100% defensive snaps)
o MJ Stewart … 2nd year guy (80% defensive snaps)
o Sean Murphy-Bunting … Rookie (9% defensive snaps)
And Jmon300, Jamel Dean didn’t even dress for the game (inactive). Still got a bum wheel. And keep in mind that VHIII was the guy everyone wanted to trade for a bag of peanuts after last year.
Bottom line: Todd Bowles right now doesn’t have much choice but to play who he has been playing. Ryan Smith is suspended (for 1 more game). Jamel Dean is still banged up, and hasn’t practiced in quite awhile. SMB missed time in training camp, and is gonna take awhile to catch up it looks like. All TB had left was VHIII, Davis & Stewart, and all 3 played just about the whole game. Thank heaven they’re all healthy.
Todd’s in much the same situation with our safeties. We’ve only got 4 safeties on the roster right now, plus Deone Bucannon who can fill in when needed. Whitehead & Edwards played virtually the whole game. Andrew Adams & Darian Stewart are both more experienced, but neither was here for most of training camp (plus Edwards & Whitehead are better anyways).
Face facts folks … TB’s running a kindergarten back there. The most experienced player in our Secondary has also performed the worst IMO. They’re all playing together for the first time, and it’ll take them awhile to get their communication down. Personally I think they’ve played extremely well for being as inexperienced as they are.
September 24th, 2019 at 6:19 pm
Who are we kidding it’s Jameis’s fault.
September 24th, 2019 at 7:10 pm
Bucsfanman
Why are you surprised by Will Gholston. He has Bern stout against the run since he’s been here. He doesn’t sack too much though is that my extra butter and extra soup
September 24th, 2019 at 9:17 pm
This defense was on a historically bad pace last year and they’ve had two games in a row where they looked like one of the better defenses in the NFL. A bad game should be expected, in fact a lot of bad games should be expected. It’s a young defense playing in an aggressive scheme that will get sacks and some TOs but is also going to give up big plays. We knew this before the season and even with this last game they’ve played way better than anyone with a brain would have thought. But it’s still mostly the same defense from last year and turning that all around in one year isn’t reasonable.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:04 pm
I’m very bullish on the Bucs’ defensive future. If you add JPP, Devin White, and 1 high impact rookie to this team’s defense next year, you might really have something!
September 25th, 2019 at 1:27 pm
IMO Minter is playing better than White was before he got injured.