Stopping The Run… And Pass?
July 17th, 2021
Bucs DC Todd Bowles
Like most champions do, the Bucs came together last year in the playoffs. You always want ball out and get hot and peak right when the playoffs begin.
So what if the Bucs carry over that defensive play into this season? It is an enticing thought.
We all know the Bucs can stop the run. They have for the past two seasons. How about stopping the pass? Well, they did that against the best offenses in the NFL in the playoffs — in succession, Drew Brees, drama queen Aaron Rodgers and Pat Mahomes. It was beautiful.
Well, to be fair, the Bucs didn’t exactly dominate Rodgers, but they did force him into a critical pick late in the first half that set up Scotty Miller’s touchdown for the ages, and they stifled Rodgers just enough in the second half. That’s when park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady went full-blown Jameis Winston by throwing three picks.
So yeah, the Bucs will shut your arse down on the ground. If the pass defense can play as well as it did in the playoffs, this Bucs team is going to curb-stomp just about everyone this fall.
July 17th, 2021 at 12:19 am
The intensity of the playoffs???
I don’t know if any team can keep that level of play up for an entire season!
But if they can come close to that intensity on defense, and the offense clicks the way IT can, we’re looking at a balance that the NFL rarely sees and I don’t see a team out there that can compete!
GO BUCS
20-0
July 17th, 2021 at 4:49 am
This is why they play the GAME!!
July 17th, 2021 at 5:43 am
Todd Bowles’ teams history in terms of defense effectiveness during his first 2 years with each of his last 3 teams has been one of adjustment IMO. His team’s overall ranking improved in terms of POINTS ALLOWED in the 2nd year with both the Cards & the Bucs, but deteriorated significantly with the Jets (they didn’t have the horses obviously, and it only got worse in 2017 & 2018):
o 2013 Cards (#7 … 324 Pts): #1 run (1351 yds); #14 pass (3728 yds)
o 2014 Cards (#5 … 299 Pts): #13 run (1739 yds); #29 pass (4152 yds)
o 2015 Jets (#9 … 314 Pts): #2 run (1335 yds); #13 pass (3763 yds)
o 2016 Jets (#28 … 409 Pts): #11 run (1581 yds); #17 pass (3898 yds)
o 2019 Bucs (#29 … 449 Pts): #1 run (1181 yds); #30 pass (4322 yds)
o 2020 Bucs (#8 … 355 Pts): #1 run (1289 yds); #21 pass (3945 yds)
With all 3 teams, Bowles appeared to have adjusted his defense in the 2nd year. In the case of the Cards & Bucs, it apparently worked since the number of POINTS ALLOWED in the 2nd year DECREASED (Jets did far worse in Bowles’ 2nd year, but he wasn’t the DC & they obviously didn’t have the horses on defense).
With the Cards and the Jets that seems to have hurt the run defense a little, but not with the Bucs (we maintained the #1 run defense ranking). Yet his pass defenses have seemingly been quite consistent over the years (average or worse in rankings), averaging around 3900 – 4000 Passing Yards Allowed. It’ll be interesting to see if our 2021 Bucs’ defense continues to achieve a high Run Defense ranking or to see if Bowles compromises that a little to achieve a better pass defense and fewer POINTS ALLOWED (presumably higher overall ranking).
July 17th, 2021 at 6:36 am
With all the same players & coaches, it seems to me that we should continue to stop the run quite well…..I’m counting on extra experience and extreme confidence from our DBs……their coverage should improve…..have to prove it on the field…..but I believe they will.
July 17th, 2021 at 7:15 am
The secondary was inconsistent much of the season. Playoffs were much better. I think the talent is there but the coaching strategies need to get better at in-game (and even between-games) adjustments. There are some pretty astute contributors to this blog who have given details on such. The pass D could (and probably will) become more consistent and better with the experience of last season. I think the overall D will be great this year.
July 17th, 2021 at 7:30 am
“FIRE JASON LICHT!!!”
Just walking down memory lane.
Shakespeare said it best:
“Oh ankle biters, where art thou?!”
July 17th, 2021 at 8:12 am
A great pass defense works inline with a great pass rush. We know the Pass defense was much better when Vita Vea rejoined the team in the playoff.
July 17th, 2021 at 8:13 am
Todd Says:
“FIRE JASON LICHT!!!”
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If he hadn’t stopped drafting every shiny object he found, and finally started paying attention to the trenches, I’d still be saying that.
July 17th, 2021 at 8:42 am
Everyone in the franchise is 110 percent focused on going back to back and we have an amazing franchise at the moment with the greatest ever on top. Highly unlikely this secondary will fall off if not improve by a lot on the WIN NOW! ‘21 roster.
July 17th, 2021 at 12:31 pm
Noticed you took down America’s Team comments 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻BRAVO !
THIS IS WHY POLITICS HAVE NO BUSINESS IN SPORTS 🤔
ORGANIZED TEAM SPORTS ARE AN ESCAPE FROM THE NONSENSE….
Hopefully The Fifty Million a Year Man 🤮🤢 Rodger Goodell figures it out before the NFL television ratings circle the bowl 😏
July 17th, 2021 at 12:45 pm
If you can get a good pass rush with the front four, you have a good chance to stop the pass. The Bucs CBs seem to play best in man, so keep that rolling and let the LBs run to the ball.
July 17th, 2021 at 1:51 pm
When the defense is locked in, they are more fun to watch than the offense. 🙂
July 17th, 2021 at 4:20 pm
Tom Brady went full-blown Jameis Winston by throwing three picks. ROFL!! That’s priceless!! It’s such a great thing that our defense made those picks null and void! That’s what I love about this team. The offense hase the defense’s back and vice versa. Wait until the special teams get involved with Darden!! I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!!
July 18th, 2021 at 2:57 am
Buckaroo Boozie Says:
“Hopefully The Fifty Million a Year Man 🤮🤢 Rodger Goodell figures it out before the NFL television ratings circle the bowl..”
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Agreed!
#GooGalisEvil
July 18th, 2021 at 10:22 am
“JPP and Suh is the keys to the defence
Without these 2 our corners will be exposed
Barrett is nothing without JPP
Suh controls the middle and gets lineman off of DWhite
JPP and Suh is another year older
Will their bodies holdup?”
Kobe Faker
July 18th, 2021 at 11:11 am
Yes they came together in the playoffs and on to win the super bowl against one of the best offenses in the history of the nfl and held them to 9 points. For some reason I just don’t think they are going to play that way next year in the reg. Season idk why I think that maybe some ptsd still from the lost decade. I sure hope they do play like they did in the playoffs.
July 18th, 2021 at 3:52 pm
Just be at least an average defense and get hot for the playoffs again and I’ll be fine with that. But I fully expect this defense to be a lot more like the regular season defense last year as opposed to the playoff defense. I’d LOVE to be proven wrong, and for the playoff defense to be the new norm, but I just don’t expect it to happen.
July 18th, 2021 at 8:07 pm
@Kobe Faker
Long time no see! I was worried. Thought maybe you took the vaxx.