Lucky Bucs Rush Defense?
January 4th, 2021
Bucs DC Todd Bowles
Watching the Bucs win yesterday, Joe wasn’t all that impressed with the run defense.
Sure, Joe knows the Bucs were down key starters on defense due to The Sickness: Devin White and Shaq Barrett. Plus, Carlton Davis sat out with an injured groin. But Joe thought the Bucs defense was rather leaky.
Well, Chase Goodbread of NFL.com seemed to think the Bucs rush defense was just fine, outside of one play.
… the Buccaneers No. 1-ranked run defense held up relatively well against the Falcons. Brian Hill broke a 62-yard run to the right side to key a second-half touchdown drive that pulled Atlanta within 30-27, but other than that Bucs breakdown, the Falcons generated very little on the ground. It figures: Atlanta entered with the league’s 29th-ranked rush offense.
Some things never change. Former Bucs coach and current (for the time being) Dixie Chicks offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter isn’t much for having a decent run game unless he is forced to.
Still, Joe thought Koetter and the Dixie Chicks had an effective run game. What got them out of it was Atlanta couldn’t stop park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking Bucs quarterback Tom Brady. So being forced to hang with Brady, Atlanta couldn’t pound the ball.
The good news here is that Shaq should be back for the Washington playoff game. White? Unlikely.
January 4th, 2021 at 5:27 am
I think Goodbread makes a good point. Take that 62 yard rush off of the 127 yard total and you end up with 65 yards on 25 rushes for a 2.6 yards a carry compared to the almost 5 yards a carry the stats show. So yeah, the Bucs got gashed on that one specific play and that should have never happened but it was not like we were watching Barry Sanders circa 1994 chewing up the yards at RJS yesterday.
January 4th, 2021 at 5:43 am
Three of our best defensive players not suited up. Add in the Vea injury and
the Defense has proven to be pretty good at adjusting to injuries, unlike the Bucs of old. Glad to see SMB make some important plays in this game.
January 4th, 2021 at 5:51 am
T Gurley was 9 for 18,so yea take away the 62 yard run,we shut the em down.
January 4th, 2021 at 6:17 am
Sorry, the 62 yard run counts. It doesn’t matter, the Bucs won.
January 4th, 2021 at 7:52 am
Truly no offense, but tired of seeing posts that “…if we had Vea…”. We don’t. And we don’t have OJ, and we won’t have Devin White next week. Other teams have lost key players. Move on. The Bucs are very fortunate that we have had as few injuries as we have.
The Bucs will win next week without them.
January 4th, 2021 at 8:34 am
Harry you nailed it. Except I don’t understand the “truly no offense” I didn’t even read Joe’s post except for the headline and I said “what the frick” Rush defense is our LAST problem!!!!!!!!!!! If Todd B knew what the ^$# he is doing we would be undefeated. That soft zone will be the death of the Bucs. So far Tompa has covered for Bowles but the deeper we get, the better competition. All it will take is for our offense to hiccup a few times and then our offense even with Tompa won’t be able to score enuff points
January 4th, 2021 at 8:42 am
Joe outside of that one play they key hooked Atls run game. They had quite a few tfls and 0 gains
January 4th, 2021 at 8:49 am
I know this year has been totally whack, but can you imagine if Vita Vea had not been injured this year. No where to run and now where to hide baby. Right now, we’re playing with a patched up defense. But I shouldn’t complain. Every team has problems with injuries and Covid issues.
January 4th, 2021 at 8:56 am
BL IS WORKING MAGIC!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
January 4th, 2021 at 9:26 am
Todd bowles is no longer on arthur blank coaching list
I mean our pass defense is high school level bad
January 4th, 2021 at 9:51 am
Any update on Vea, Joe? Been months for a broken bone….I know the fella is hefty…but that things gotta be getting close by now.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:04 pm
I’ll second Kalind. What’s the status on Vea?
January 4th, 2021 at 12:20 pm
JPP was blatantly held by the tight end which allowed Hill to get outside on that play. Should have been called back.
January 4th, 2021 at 6:50 pm
Oh my God, Bucs kicked the crap out of Atlanta and who is to say the offense isn’t going to put up 30+ per game. If you don’t get to Brady it is impossible to cover all these explosive receivers, plus Rojo. C’mon the Bucs are the last team the other teams in these playoffs want to face. Take Alex Smith’s 7 yd passes away, game over.