Warren Sapp: Bucs Defensive Tackles Don’t Rush The Passer
February 16th, 2022
Todd Bowles under fire.
Legendary No. 99 of the Buccaneers, Warren Sapp, sounds a little annoyed with his beloved team, specifically defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and the manbeasts of the Tampa Bay defense.
And he calmly opened up the subject on national television and radio.
Joe was surprised to see how invisible Sapp was during Super Bowl week. He was in Los Angeles but passed on the high-profile interview circuit. Yesterday, however, Sapp joined The Rich Eisen Show on Peacock and SiriusXM.
There Sapp fired a rockets at the Bucs’ pass rush and Bowles.
“There’s nothing wrong with that Tampa Bay team except the defense, they can’t rush the passer from inside. You know, my two tackles inside, they don’t believe in rushing the passer. Nah. We play run,” Sapp said. “There’s not [Hall of Fame running back] Earl Campbell in the backfield. Crazy. They throw the ball.”
Talking about the pain Tom Brady is feeling leaving football, Sapp went right to the stunning finish.
“For somebody like Brady, I mean he’s right there if Todd Bowles don’t call the all-out blitz, “Sapp began. “My linebacker Lavonte David is standing there with his hands on his hips as the play is going on. Unbelievable, man. C’mon.”
In Sapp’s day, he was known for playing the run enroute to the quarterback, so Joe understands a bit of what Sapp is saying about Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea. Their roles are different in this Bucs defense, but Joe also agrees that they’re underused as pass rushers.
Sapp also probably wonders why both guys are off the field so much. Vea played less than half the snaps against the Rams while Suh played two-thirds. The Rams’ defensive tackles each played more than 97 percent of their available snaps.
February 16th, 2022 at 10:32 am
I’m glad we extended Vea, but if he’s only playing half the snap… why? The key to beating the rams was getting in staffords face up the middle, and we didn’t…damn
February 16th, 2022 at 10:37 am
Ask the invisible man Toilet Bowles. Vea wasn’t even position to do anything that last play, he was lined up outside their left tackle. DR posed this question, why aren’t Vea and Suh in more? Could it be the Bucs have a bad coaching staff? Could it be David was confused on the play? Could it be Bowels only had to call a 3 man rush and sideline prevent? Could it be BA was asleep? I say yes to all of the above.
February 16th, 2022 at 10:41 am
Take out JPP…..Bowles still has Vea, Suh, Shaq, David and White up front, yet still cant come up with a scheme on defense other than blitzing constantly? His entire scheme is built assuming the offense keeps scoring so the defense can keep attacking. If we are behind or in a dog fight, Bowles scheme gets exposed and teams dice us up. This defense struggled against some very weak teams with even worse QBs….a defensive guru will make life miserable for bad/rookie QBs. You want to send a message to lure back Brady….fire Bowles and hire Flores as DC.
February 16th, 2022 at 10:43 am
Joe, how is your opinion why Todd was so good during 4 play off games last year?
February 16th, 2022 at 10:51 am
And at the other extreme you had GMC who seemingly only played pass, and offenses would scheme to let him run upfield while the running back runs through a different gap, taking him way out of the play.
I think the 1-gap vs 2-gap is another difference. Those DTs are anchors designed to take up 3 OL-men to let the DE’s or blitzer eat. I agree though it does seem like a waste of VV’s talent. Just because he can beat double teams, doesn’t mean we should use him as such most plays.
February 16th, 2022 at 10:52 am
Bowles crapped the bed with play calling and everyone knows it.
February 16th, 2022 at 11:04 am
Get Fangio!!!
February 16th, 2022 at 11:34 am
Fire overrated Bowles. He wasted the season with his vanilla phony schemes.
February 16th, 2022 at 11:35 am
Mikejp, maybe because he didn’t go on back to back interviews the Friday and Saturday before the biggest game of the year and spent very little time preparing for the Rams. Oh and maybe opposing OC’s watched those games and saw how he schemes. Oh and maybe he should of realized like every sports media person on the planet that you do NOT blitz Stafford. That’s why!
February 16th, 2022 at 11:41 am
yeah something was really wrong on that play as you watch the film…lavonte was standing there with hands on hips…something went very awry…
as a team, we paid the piper…
and now as the crazy ex-girlfriend used to say……tom is “secretly furious”
#WeHaveAyeSecretlyFuriousGoatOnOurHands
February 16th, 2022 at 11:50 am
We could of had Aaron Donald if Lovie had manned up to GMC. Still dreaming…..tho
February 16th, 2022 at 12:02 pm
We’re all going to need therapy if we keep dissecting the Rams game. The outcome doesn’t change and it makes us crazy. Arians will not fire Bowles. He may have been hoping Bowles got a HC gig, but that didn’t happen. BL is here to stay, too. Arians would retire before he would fire either.
February 16th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
Sapp needs to do us a public service. Privately.
Get face to face with Todd’s Bowels (maybe arsehole to arsehole) and have the conversation. Basically beat the tard out of him.
We would all feel better.
Thanks, Todd.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:12 pm
Very good Defenses win Championships. Just ask them LA Rams.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:14 pm
How did Todd’s Bowels go from Genius to Simple Jack in a year?
Seriously, Licht should insist he see a doctor and be provided with a full report.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:21 pm
Listnfrmafar … Obviously you & I don’t share the same opinion of Todd Bowles, but we do both seem to have questions about what was REALLY going on with that last play. And especially in terms of personnel alignments & usage.
Lavonte David is a TEAM CAPTAIN. What was he trying to accomplish on that play? Did he even know what the play was? Same thing with Devin White. He supposedly has the headset linked directly to Todd Bowles. If guys weren’t lined up properly, why didn’t he take action? Even with Bowles calling a blitz, there was something (?) badly wrong going on out on the field.
But then in the defense’s defense, go back to the 2:25 to go mark in the 4th qtr where Suh stripped the ball from Akers & the Bucs’ offense got it at the Rams’ 30-yd line with Rams leading 27-20. Had Akers not fumbled & Bucs recovered, game probably would’ve been over at that point (Bucs had no time-outs left). Instead, Bucs’ offense got the ball back & scored to tie it with 42 secs to go.
I tend to look at everything that leads up to the bad play. The first Rams’ play after the kickoff, where Stafford ran & fumbled then recovered it, COULD have cost them the ballgame. The very next play (20-yd pass play to Kupp) IMO was even worse than the last play of the game in terms of the defense not playing heads-up ball (SMB falls down & Edwards did a terrible job of backing him up; way too far off). And for the record, Bowles only rushed 3 on that play, and still the remaining 8 defenders couldn’t neutralize Kupp. Stafford had all kinds of time to pass, and if he hadn’t hit Kupp, he would’ve found someone else. MAYBE that’s what’s why Bowles called for a blitz on that next play? That play hurt terribly because it set the stage for that last play (and especially not keeping Kupp inbounds on the tackle).
February 16th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Maybe Bowels had a series of mini-strokes. Or maybe he’s just been exposed as a Doh-tard.
The deafening silence and refusal by anyone on the team to address the final two Kupp receptions indicates something rotten and scandalous. Hence Tom’s decision to run from the Bucs into the forelegs of his stable mate. At least he can probably have a lifetime supply of Ivermectin thanks to Geezella, so he has that going for him.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
Not only was David standing with his hands on his hips, Sapp had also pointed out that the safety, Edwards, went running across to guard the TE that a blitzing SMB left open – which left Cupp one on one with Winfield Jr- just a total clusterF that cost Bucs a date in NFC Championship game.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
DR, maybe so but what are the odds SMB trips over his feet again? I don’t remember who but a player had Kupp wrapped up and Kupp struggled to get out of bounds. On the same previous play why weren’t the DB’s protecting the sidelines? FYI, that play took 16 seconds the next snap was at the 26 sec mark. Bottom line rush 3 again and let Kupp or OBJ catch in across the middle. I hate that BA controlled the TO’s that last drive, I think Brady would of managed them differently. I remember Brady looking back to the sidelines as he setting up for the spike. I don’t know the answer but I do know it shouldn’t of been the all out blitz and why players were confused, that’s a whole other problem.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Suh’s play has been declining steadily the last three years. It’s hard to notice, because he’s so durable. Vea is simply the best run stoping D lineman in the league. It’s kinda nonsensical to say they aren’t good pass rushers. It’s not really what they do. Their job is to eat blocks and stuff the run. Expecting them to be something they are not isn’t realistic.
Defense Rules, to answer your question, David and white were probably attempting to ascertain, why are we blitzing here? I understand it’s the players job to run the called play, but the call made no sense. Explain why you would ever blitz in that scenario. Maybe they just couldn’t believe the call, and thought something became garbled when the play came in. Even if everyone had blitzed, would the outcome be any different? Stafford is going to get the ball off either way. Stafford had the most trouble when the bucs didn’t blitz.
February 16th, 2022 at 2:23 pm
Bqen Green … ‘to answer your question, David and white were probably attempting to ascertain, why are we blitzing here?’
I’m gonna assume that you’re not serious with that answer. To be standing around out of position with your hands on your hips on the most important play of the game? I could accept it a lot easier if you hypothesized that both of them were intentionally trying to lose the game.
February 16th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
Listnfrmafar … ‘On the same previous play why weren’t the DB’s protecting the sidelines?’
Totally agree. That’s fundamental football 101. Should Bowles have reminded them ‘Hey guys, don’t forget to protect the sidelines’? Ya right. There were some serious players’ lapses in judgment on those last 2 plays that had nothing at all to do with what play was called. And some serious lapses in on-the-field leadership to go along with that.
February 16th, 2022 at 3:01 pm
‘Joe understands a bit of what Sapp is saying about Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea. Their roles are different in this Bucs defense, but Joe also agrees that they’re underused as pass rushers.’
I can understand a little of what’s going on with Suh; after all, he is 33 and has a lot of wear on those tires over the years. In the 3 years he’s been a Buc though, he’s played in all 49 regular season games (2,377 def snaps in the middle of the trenches) plus in all 6 playoff games. He’s averaged being on the field for 74.5% of the def snaps over those 3 seasons. Not bad for an ‘old-timer’ in his 30’s.
Vea on the other hand was only 26 this past season, and he’s been on the field a lot less than Suh. In those same past 3 seasons, Vea has played in only 37 of those same 49 regular season games (1,579 def snaps) plus in 4 of our 6 playoff games. He’s averaged being on the field for 49.5% of the def snaps over those 3 seasons.
Over those same 3 seasons, Suh has 14.5 sacks, 30 QB Knockdowns, 26 QB Hurries, 23 TFLs, 5 Fumble Recoveries, 2 TDs and 112 tackles.
In those same 3 seasons, Vea has 8.5 sacks, 18 QB Knockdowns, 12 QB Hurries, 12 TFLs, 1 Fumble Recoveries, 0 TDs and 78 tackles.
In all fairness, they do play different positions, but they do complement each other very well. Still, in that same 3-year timeframe, Suh’s productivity is almost TWICE what Vea’s is. So when some folks say that Suh’s ‘play has been declining steadily the last three years’ they best be careful what they wish for. Finding any DT to accomplish what he’s accomplished will be VERY VERY DIFFICULT.
February 16th, 2022 at 3:03 pm
WTF is your explanation Defense Rules? The slot corner blitzes. That leaves cupp one on one irregardless, (as my friends in Jersey say) even if they execute the play as called, the middle backer isn’t getting to Stafford. It looks like he was gassed, and the Rams quick snapped. If you go back and watch the broadcast, they are running a replay of the previous play. By the time the live broadcast picks up the play, the ball has already been snapped. If they fooled the guys in the truck, it’s entirely plausible they caught the bucs by surprise also. Ben personally likes swamp bucs answer. Maybe they thought bowles had a TIA and called the wrong play. Whatever the reason, to boil that game down to one play is kinda pointless. It would’ve been a blowout, had the Rams not placed the football on the ground. No strips, no punch outs. Those turnovers were about the Rams, not anything the bucs did.
February 16th, 2022 at 3:05 pm
The defense was suspect all year. Our schedule was very weak and we got exposed in the playoffs. If not for a quota system, Bowles would be fired.
February 16th, 2022 at 3:26 pm
You’re correct about the schedule QB1. More often than not, teams benefit by having a tough schedule. The vast majority of the time, when Brady failed in the playoffs, his team’s had weak schedules.
February 16th, 2022 at 3:29 pm
Pud slobberer. BkenGroin. Whatever you are. Take all your Thorazine at once.
February 16th, 2022 at 3:48 pm
DR, the answer is YES, the coach can and should yell out if the player(s) are not in position. You mentioned you coached, don’t you yell instructions to players while they are on the field. What coach doesn’t? Toilet Bowels?
February 16th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
Swamp sluts, the zine has been discontinued in the US. You maybe able to find a generic somewhere. Ben suggests you begin a regiment of several antipsychotics including but not limited to Quetiapine, risperidone. Also something for the tardive dyskinesia, we can’t have you typing and shaking all over the place. Grow up
February 16th, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Lot of confusion multiple games on D. We had a lot of backups playing for many of the games but that last play I saw what looked like guys looking around pointing fingers. Unless we were looking for a turnover I don’t get the call. We had all the mo going for us, that game goes OT-we win. That playcall will haunt Bowles rest of his career.
February 16th, 2022 at 5:04 pm
An organization with any sack would’ve fired him the next day. If we all can’t agree on that, then what are we really arguing about? Bowles has a track record of dumbass calls at critical times. If Stafford is killing you against the blitz, like he was, change strategy. Stafford historically struggles against just the opposite. Three man fronts with eight in coverage has consistently baffled him
February 16th, 2022 at 9:11 pm
You say player lapses, I say poor preparation. During that scoring drive by the bucs to tie up the game, the ensuing kickoff, and commercial break, that would have been a good time for a decent DC to huddle up his squad and get everyone on the same page. Lapses sure, but coaches, ughhh coach.
February 16th, 2022 at 9:19 pm
They played a large part of this season looking like the Jets did when Bowles was HC; unmotivated.
It is not a lack of talent, it is a lack of a coach getting their fired warmed up.
February 16th, 2022 at 11:33 pm
Look at me, I is a Pudriots fan! Let me put a consonant in my name, talk in the third person like I know stuff and display true ignorance. Nice you believe in your fantasies.
February 17th, 2022 at 12:59 am
I think part of it is they’re trying to push the middle while keeping containment because so many quarterbacks run in today’s NFL.
As for playing time, all I can think of is how I’ve seen the pass rush disappear in the fourth quarter the last 2 years when the defense gets tired at times. Maybe they were trying to rotate in more to keep legs fresh. I have no idea. If that’s what they were doing, they need to go rethink that because it didn’t work
February 17th, 2022 at 1:02 am
Have to give the Rams OL credit, nobody in the playoffs was really able to pressure Stafford consistently. Everybody talks about Donald and Miller, but the OL was also instrumental in the Rams SB run. Bucs defense otoh, never really came close to stepping up like they did in the playoffs last year. Both secondary coverage and the pass rush were horrible all year. Injuries surely were a big part of it, but everybody was back for the Rams game, and except for the fumbles, the Rams offense was dominant.
February 17th, 2022 at 2:54 am
We have 2 superbowls
Don’t hate enjoy.
February 17th, 2022 at 12:46 pm
The Bucs should have been in the Super Bowl! Their Defensive scheme in that last Rams drive was unacceptable. How in the hell does a Safety watch Cooper Kupp just run right past him as if he didn’t see him? Simply inexcusable! Had the Bucs been healthy and not have the AB drama, everybody knows they would have repeated as Champs!” They clearly had the best team in the NFL barring the injuries.
February 17th, 2022 at 1:54 pm
It’s the rare player that can dominate as a pass rusher in a 3-4 scheme. We
had one of the best ever in Leroy Selmon, but these dudes are like unicorns. Sapp even b!tched about being in a 3-4 and not being able to get on the field to rush the passer on third down in a recent article, so I have no idea what the hell he is on about. LOL, no one is even remotely close to Leroy on our current d line.