Here Comes The Blitz
January 21st, 2021
Bringing it.
Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will allow the Bucs to either live for one more game or die in the frozen fields along Lake Michigan on Sunday.
That’s the word from Matt Bowen of BSPN. The football X’s and O’s analyst doesn’t believe Bowles will stray from his personality, and that is one who loves to blitz.
Bowen expects Bowles to craft blitzes to utilize the skills of Bucs speedy inside linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David in an effort to plant Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers into the turf of Lambeau Field.
In the Week 6 win over the Packers, Todd Bowles’ defense had a blitz rate of 40.5%, and that number climbed to 56.3% on third downs. In total, Tampa Bay sacked Rodgers five times in that game. It’s all about simulated pressure, zone pressure and Cover 0 blitzes (man coverage with no safety help). The Bucs simply have to attack the pocket with multiple pressures that create both free runners and one-on-one pass-rush matchups.
I expect Bowles to get after Rodgers again on Sunday with schemed pressure that allows Tampa to bring heat off the slot and utilize the high-level traits of linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David as second-level rushers. That’s the identity of this defensive unit under Bowles.
If Bowles does blitz, whoever gets his number called better get home and get to Rodgers before he releases the ball. Take away the 38-10 Bucs blowout of the Packers in October, Rodgers has been an assassin against the blitz.
Joe is actually convinced the Bucs are bringing nose tackle Vita Vea back not so much to defend the run, but to eat up blocks in pass defense in an effort to get Jason Pierre-Paul, Shaq Barrett and Ndamukong Suh loose.
In the last five games, the Big Three have a grand total of one sack (Suh). That cannot continue if the Bucs hope to be playing in two weeks.
January 21st, 2021 at 12:27 pm
Just watching the last few games the pressure up the middle has been lacking and I hope Vita can bring that back. Shaq and JPP have been close but the QB’s have been able to step up.
January 21st, 2021 at 12:27 pm
I agree with that. Get more one on ones… hopefully the Green Bay tackles don’t hold as much as the Saints did.
January 21st, 2021 at 12:38 pm
What WiscoJoe said!
January 21st, 2021 at 12:45 pm
i wanna see rodgers hit the deck at least 3 times sunday….
lets go bowles….
GO BUCS!!!
January 21st, 2021 at 12:53 pm
I want to see the look on his face like last time just before the half. Suh in his grill and AR just like WTF is going on.
January 21st, 2021 at 1:30 pm
Come on man!!!!! Please don’t “play to not lose” Play like you are Mike Tyson and thats not Buster Douglas
January 21st, 2021 at 1:34 pm
@Wisco
You’re absolutely right. Vea is a beast and if you watch our games before his injury, there’s a night and day difference.
That said, we didn’t have him the first game. Our blitzes were the exception to Rodgers’s season. Bowles had GB’s O-line confused. The big question is will they be able to do it again? Blitz or not, if Rodgers and his Oline are on, it’s going to be a shootout.
January 21st, 2021 at 1:36 pm
i wanna see rodgers hit the deck at least 3 times IN THE FIRST QUARTER sunday!
January 21st, 2021 at 2:27 pm
95% of the time Roger’s rolls to his right when he is under pressure, rarely rolls left or steps up. I hope Bowles knows this.
January 21st, 2021 at 2:38 pm
i just hope they find way to take the 1st games blitz look, and play off them, cuz if we do the same ones, rodgers will eat us up
January 21st, 2021 at 2:41 pm
Suh is AR’s boogyman
January 21st, 2021 at 3:28 pm
Wasn’t GB down a LT in that first matchup with our Bucs?
January 21st, 2021 at 4:51 pm
(The) Joe, WiscoJoe, Mitch, SB and ArmchairGM are all right on the money!
The return of VV50 cannot be overstated. He’s not in football shape, and his reps will be very limited, but he’s a player like no other on the roster.
GO BUCS!!!
January 21st, 2021 at 5:02 pm
@Cannon: Their LT went down during that first matchup.
GO BUCS!!!
January 21st, 2021 at 5:16 pm
The corners should be playing press and jamming at the line on a blitz. Take advantage of the five yards of contact allowed. DONT HOLD but hit em, run with em and cover!
Our corners are made for this and our line will bring it!! GO BUCS!!!
January 21st, 2021 at 5:17 pm
Also have to consider the lack of holding penalties on the last two teams we have played even though they are basically getting their jerseys ripped off.
All the practice and preparation in the world cannot change the refs keeping their hands in their pockets.
January 21st, 2021 at 7:35 pm
Having the resident Rhino V Vea eating up lineman allows T Bowels to run the defense the way he likes. Todd loves to blitz, but that is hard to do when rush lanes are not clean. Todd runs a 3-4, so the pressure is always going to come from the LB and sometimes the safeties and DL. Again this is why they drafted D White and not Josh Allen or some other DL. GO BUCS!!!
January 21st, 2021 at 7:52 pm
BucEmUp Says:
January 21st, 2021 at 5:17 pm
Also have to consider the lack of holding penalties on the last two teams we have played even though they are basically getting their jerseys ripped off.
All the practice and preparation in the world cannot change the refs keeping their hands in their pockets.
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How long have you been a fan? I’m still coughing and laughing. The problem is the Pack aren’t dependent on the refs like a lot of teams. Aints are a classic example. Bucs have to play perfect again to win. C’mon, Tampa Bay!!