Suits Noticing Bucs Defenders
November 14th, 2020
Growing reputation.
Albert Breer of SI.com is well plugged in with NFL suits. It likely goes back to his days as an NFL Network national reporter.
Why does Joe bring this up? He mailed/e-mailed/texted/faxed suits representing all 32 NFL teams to vote for various NFL awards at the midway point of the season.
Breer received ballots back from all but one team. That’s damn impressive (honestly, Joe would have thought maybe 13 would have responded).
In the responses, let’s just say a couple of Bucs are on NFL executives’ radars.
In the vote for Defensive Player of the Year at the halfway point of the season, Bucs inside linebacker Devin White got three votes. Lavonte David did not receive any, nor did Carlton Davis.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Rams DT Aaron Donald (10 votes).Also receiving votes: Steelers OLB T.J. Watt (8), Browns DE Myles Garrett (7), Buccaneers LB Devin White (3), Cardinals S Budda Baker (2), 49ers MLB Fred Warner (1).
This is very interesting to Joe. Here we are as Bucs fans and we see flaws in White’s game, maybe one big one. Yet guys whose careers are to break down players think White is one of the best defenders in the NFL (and best on the Bucs).
Maybe Todd Bowles was right?
For Defensive Rookie of the Year, it’s no surprise that some shot-callers voted for Bucs safety Antoine Winfield.
Winfield is no joke as a defender. When he blitzes, you are reminded of Rondé Barber. He’s a ballhawk in the pass. He hits. He’s just a damn good ballplayer.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Ravens LB Patrick Queen (12 votes).Also receiving votes: Washington DE Chase Young (9), Panthers S Jeremy Chinn (4), Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield (4), Colts S Julian Blackmon (1), Bears CB Jaylon Johnson (1).
Joe admits to being little bummed not seeing any offensive player voted on (not even Tristan Wirfs for Offensive Rookie of the Year).
November 14th, 2020 at 8:22 am
Seeing that Chase Young was the # 2 overall pick….not surprised he is the only player ahead of Winfield……Chinn was tied & looks to be a very good 2nd round pick from the Panthers.
November 14th, 2020 at 8:24 am
The more time goes by this year, the Devin is going to have to defend the pass. So this is nice to hear for now, but he has alot of room to grow. He is an excellent athlete, but when you watch the Bucs, then you have watched his struggles this season and last. Again he is an excellent athlete but he is no where near DPY. GO BUCS!!!!
November 14th, 2020 at 8:29 am
This defense got exposed big time last week. I spent good money on that game and left at halftime. Good teams with good defenses don’t let that happen. The defense has been overhyped this season and now we will see if they can turn things around or if the Saints game revealed what this team really is. I think tomorrow’s game should be a pick’em.
November 14th, 2020 at 9:36 am
TheBradyBunch … I agree; it’ll be “interesting to see if the Saints game revealed what this team really is”. Can they put the Giants game & the Saints game behind them, correct their issues, and play solid football against the Panthers? Personally I think the Panthers will give them all they can handle, and the Bucs better bring their A-game if they expect to win.
Might be wrong here, but I think the Bucs’ offense has been ‘plodding’ all year long. It feeds off of our defense’s TOs to get on-track it seems, and that shouldn’t be necessary. This offense SHOULD be dominating ball games from the 1st qtr on. IMO THAT’S ON COACHING … as in p-poor strategy/game-planning, play-design and play-calling. And that’s been going on all season (a lot last season too IMO despite all the yardage we put up).
Defense is on the hot seat also far as I’m concerned. Since losing Vea they’ve stagnated; actually gone backwards to be precise. It seems apparent that Todd Bowles defense isn’t as unlike Mike Smith’s as many seem to think. BOTH focus on run defense as a top priority, AND simultaneously getting a interior DLine ‘push’ to be effective. In Todd’s case, that ‘push’ is needed to create blitzing opportunities it seems. No ‘push’ and our blitzing doesn’t get there in time to keep the opposing QB from eating us alive with short passes. It looks like he’s even tried playing a lot more zone to compensate (a la Mike Smith). Didn’t work then; not working now.
That’s become our biggest defensive weakness. It’ll be really interesting to see how Bowles adjusts against the Panthers. (Hint: Teddy Bridgewater is pretty decent at short passing IF given time).
November 14th, 2020 at 10:27 am
Jimmy Dean and Sean Murphy-Bed need to be benched.
November 14th, 2020 at 10:30 am
HEY JOE,
NFL.com’s Mid-Season Rookie Rankings include the following:
#3 Overall: Tristan Wirfs
#9 Overall: Antoine Winfield
November 14th, 2020 at 12:23 pm
BradyBucs … Benching Dean and/or SMB isn’t the answer IMO. Better defensive scheming is. They both have some outstanding qualities but lately, for some reason I still can’t fathom, they haven’t been playing solid football. Davis, Dean & SMB are our future, as are Winfield, White & Vea. And very possibly Edwards BTW; he looks like he’s improving steadily; just needs to be more consistent in his play (as do they all at this point).
Fans forget how young (and inexperienced) all of them are. There’ll be growing pains for sure (like we’re seeing?) as other teams figure out their ‘tendencies’. But I’m confident that Bowles will keep them all focused & get them playing at a consistently high level. Just takes time.
November 14th, 2020 at 1:24 pm
Maybe we are better with Winfield at Slot CB instead of Murphy Bunting.
With Mike Edwards and and Whitehead at safety.
3 safeties and 2 CB as our base nickle.
November 14th, 2020 at 1:45 pm
Defense Rules,
Mark my words, Dean and SMB are *not* the future of this team. They’re the new Hargreaves.
I’ve never been a big fan of drafting corners. Rarely do they work out. I think that’s one position where you need to sign proven Vet free agents. There’s just too much risk, more than any other position.
Dean and SMB have not adapted to the speed of the NFL. They are both caught out of position and with too large of a gap with their coverage responsibilities. Dean was truly exposed in that Giants game. If Jones had better accuracy, Dean would have given up 2-3 TDs.
Dean and SMB both can “fly around” and appear super active in that secondary, but the moment our Pass Rush doesn’t get pressure on a QB, they’re both TOAST. Their weaknesses have been masked by our Pass Rush and the other talent we do have in the secondary.
We probably stayed with the Zone even after Brees torched us early and often in that last game, because Dean and SMB are incapable of playing man-to-man without getting seriously burned and Bowles knows it.
Dean & SMB just aren’t going to produce “coverage sacks” for this team. They just seem to lack to agility/recovery speed that’s required to play NFL corner.
November 14th, 2020 at 8:11 pm
I love White, but let’s be realistic. That ‘one’ flaw in his game is what separates average/journeymen linebackers from elite players. He can’t cover at all. I have no doubt he can work on this, and having him on the field has a lot of value either way. But until he improves against the pass, he shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same category as these guys. Agree on Whitfield though. I hope he doesn’t regress as Dean and SMB clearly have.
November 14th, 2020 at 8:17 pm
@bradybucs I disagree with you there. Yeah, SMB and Dean are not great, but they don’t get beat deep like Hargreaves did. Aside from the Giants game (where Dean looked lost and thanks only to Daniel Jones’ incompetence wasn’t burned 3 or 4 times for a touchdown), they’ve given up A LOT of receptions, but they haven’t looked as weak and slow as Hargreaves did. I’ve been a fan of this team for 15+ years and Hargreaves (along with Leonard Johnson, maybe) is the most frustrating player i’ve ever seen. Remember when, during his worst years, he would get roasted for 10+ catches and 150+yds per game and still celebrated when qbs underthrew their receivers? The only player on the bucs who, coverage wise, can be compared to VH3 is Ryan Smith. Let’s hope we never see either of them lining up on the los for the bucs ever again.
November 15th, 2020 at 7:55 am
Teacher man I had that same vision since week 2 clearly Winfield and Edwards makes plays. Smb gotta go hes like toast Jenkins lol
November 15th, 2020 at 11:50 am
Bucs,
Dean and SMB don’t get beat deep for a reason… we often play Zone and they allow massive open spots in the middle. Our safeties usually cover their butts on the deeper routes.
Getting beat deep is a more ‘sensational’ play as there’s nothing like getting burned for a 30+ yard TD over the top. BUT… it’s just as detrimental to a Defense when your cover guys are consistently beat in the middle for 10-20 yard plays. You’ll just get beat over and over and over as the Offense chugs down the field.
This is EXACTLY how Brees smoked us. No need to try and ‘beat’ anyone over the top for a deep pass play risking it all when you can complete 15-20 yard pass plays all day long and it only takes 3-4 of them to get in scoring position.
Dean & SMB are MASSIVE LIABILITIES on this Buccaneer Defense.
November 16th, 2020 at 5:50 pm
White over David?
Nah, sorry. That’s garbage.
And I like White a lot, but LVD is years ahead of him (as he should be).