Interesting Stats On Bucs’ Passing Game
May 22nd, 2022
Bucs QB Tom Brady.
Over at Sports Information Solutions, they devote an entire page to Bucs stats. It’s not too stat geeky (at least not to Joe) and you won’t find a friggin’ grade anywhere (thankfully!).
But what you will find are rankings in all sorts of categories.
For example, Tom Brady is the classic old-school dropback quarterback and naturally, per SIS, no quarterback dropped back to throw (and not run) more than Brady. But here is where it gets funky.
Did you know Brady ranked No. 2 in short dropbacks? And with deep dropbacks (seven-step?) he was No. 22.
Joe would never have guessed that. For a deep-throwing offense, this intel really threw Joe a curve.
Combine fewer than expected deep dropbacks with Brady’s crazy-quick release, and the Bucs’ damn good offensive line, and it’s pretty easy to figure out that Brady had the least percentage of pressures from pass rushers, per SIS.
Here are two other passing stats to chew on:
* In the rankings of most-blitzed quarterbacks, Brady was No. 26. Perhaps that’s because of Brady’s short drops and laser-fast release. Defenses just didn’t blitz him.
* The Bucs ranked No. 32 in using play-action passes. Now this is sure to aggravate folks! Brady is lethal with play-action. It’s like his bread and butter. But in 2021, no team had a lower percentage of play-action snaps than the Bucs. That’s right.
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May 22nd, 2022 at 8:57 am
Most of the time, TB knows where the hole is in the coverage as he is walking up to the line. That is a big reason he is able to get the ball out so quick. 7 step drops will cause Brady ending up on the sideline, please stay at the least of those. Why cause undo risk, when it is not really needed. Again, the Surgeon knows where the holes are in the coverage. Time to shred some more coverages TB12.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:06 am
If KT can execute … this bodes well for a smooth transition for the OL and supporting cast
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:07 am
The Bucs having the lowest play action percentage is coaching malpractice. Add to that empty sets at any down and distance with Brady at QB. Oh yeah, and throwing long on 3rd and short or pounding it up the middle on every 1st down. Poor play calling by BL and BA last year. Still not letting Bowles off the hook for the last RAMs game. Where do I find a job whereby I totally screw up then immediately get promoted?
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:18 am
Yep, it’s not just the quick release. Brady is the master at reading coverage before the snap, and rapidly processing the field after the snap. And there is no QB better at navigating within the pocket. It is unequaled. He doesn’t need a seven step drop, and he doesn’t need to manically scamper around the backfield like Curly from the Three Stooges.
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:18 am
Still not letting Bowles off the hook for the last RAMs game. Where do I find a job whereby I totally screw up then immediately get promoted?
Maybe when the defense you run, puts and epic beatdown in the Super Bowl of a Mahomes led offense. No one up to that point in Mahomes career had stopped him and embarrassed the KC offense like the Bucs D did to win a championship.
Same Coach in Super Bowl, and the Playoff loss to Rams
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:25 am
If the Bucs run the ball more often, they will utilize play action more often.
Bucs pass twice as much as they run the ball.
Brady’s last year in NE they ran the ball 20% more than Bucs.
Bucs have the weapons at receiver when Godwin is healthy. Until he is healthy, we might see more run and play action.
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:34 am
I too want to see more play action passes, but to do that you have to establish a running threat.
But even in games where Lenny was eating up yards, we never went to play action.
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:50 am
Maybe our play action isn’t to fake the run to pass the ball, but rather fake the pass to run the ball.
May 22nd, 2022 at 10:23 am
With BA gone, and done meddling with the offense, the Bucs actually have a chance to evolve their offense into a modern scheme and use PA the way it should be used.
May 22nd, 2022 at 10:38 am
The Bucs offense is the #1 Redzone offense the last 2 years.
Brady throwing for over 10,000 yards, 83 TDs in the 2020-2021 regular seasons, and 13 more in the 2020-2021 post seasons. That is 96 Tds in 2 years. Sounds pretty good to me.
30+ points a game in 2020, and 29+ points a game in 2022
96 TDs, over 10,000 yards, Not bad, and they can still be better.
So the offense is doing fine.
For sure you can always be better.
But to say the Bucs offense needs to evolve,
The numbers say different.
How many passing offenses have 96TDs and 10,000 yards in 2 years in the history of the NFL, Modern or throughout the decades?
Well we know one of them is the Current Bucs Offense.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 11:34 am
Change that play action Stat immediately
May 22nd, 2022 at 11:48 am
You can’t play action when you run an empty backfield……I’d love to see the stats on empty backfields….
And, we need to stop with the low-percentage third & short passes…..need 3 yards & throw it 20 downfield…..
May 22nd, 2022 at 11:53 am
I’m going to do my best to soak in every moment of this year since it’s a safe bet that we will never have as good a qb as Brady moving forward. Considering our mostly horrific qb play throughout the years, Brady’s numbers and efficiency are mind boggling and we are lucky to have him.
I’m looking forward to seeing Trask as well, but if he’s not the number two by the end of the year that tells me he ether really sucks or our normally good, competent coaches have f’d up.
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:08 pm
August 1976 Buc … Granted our offense has been ‘doing fine’ for these past 2 years with TB12 at the helm, but I have to agree with Jeff that we need to ‘evolve’. The day is coming (probably next year) when we won’t have The GOAT to run this offense, and we’ll have no choice. BA’s ‘Bombs Away’ offense needs someone like Tom Brady to make it work.
Besides, one thing that’s helped our offense immeasurably these past 2 years has been the takeaways generated by our defense … AND our offense’s awesome capability to capitalize on those takeaways. Colts led in that department for the 2020-2021 period (58 total takeaways), followed by the Cowboys (57 takeaways), then the Bills (56 takeaways) … then the Bucs (54 total takeaways). All 4 teams have excellent Top-10 offenses AND Top-10 defenses. And to take that a step further, Dallas, Tampa & Buffalo ranked 1, 2 & 3 in scoring last season. Coincidence? Nah, I don’t put much faith in coincidences. I do have a lot of faith in COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL however.
As an aside August, prior to the draft I thought we’d be drafting to fix current ‘holes’ for this year. Changed my mind after the draft; we drafted PRIMARILY for the future. I thought we’d go primarily defense based on current needs, but we didn’t. Most of these 2022 guys will ‘cut their teeth’ this year, but become our bread & butter in 2023 & beyond (2 DE, LG, RB, P, CB, 2 TE). It’s a class that needs to be developed to fit certain schemes (to include more play action in follow-on years?), but every one of them have a lot of potential IMO. With excellent coaching, this MIGHT end up being JL’s best draft class. Only time will tell.
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:20 pm
DR, the Evolving will be after Brady.
And to me they did draft for right now, they went to strengthen the O line and D line immediately, was is needed. I hope Suh signs, but who knows. Still like the way they drafted. I said, O line D Line Secondary, or D Line O Line Secondary. And they went DLine OLine. Football is based on who wins the line of scrimmage, lol see the 2nd Saints Game, and the 2 Rams Games, as simple proof of that for the Bucs, and the Washington game, the 4th qtr drive by Wash was just flat painful to watch.
They will tweek some things, but any real evolving begins with Trask or another QB after Brady.
GO BUCS!!!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:25 pm
BTW 96tds and over 10,000 yards is HISTORIC for any passing offense. They did this, while still being dominated at the line of scrimmage against the Rams 2 times, and the Saints and Wash. Room to grow yes, but Historic none the less.
GO BUCS!!!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Yes, they should run more play action.
This stat is perhaps the greatest in Brady’s resume. From 2006-2016 Brady had 70 TDs and 0, that’s right zero ints when facing 5 or more rushers. Unless the blitz is expertly disguised, he’ll simply point out the blitz, adjust the recievers rout, and burn your ass. The best way to make sure he doesn’t destroy and demoralize your defense, is to find a way to get pressure with 4. You’ll still die from 1000 paper cuts, but at least have a chance.
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:52 pm
GOB…. Those are some read it and weep stas for Payton Manning and any other QB lol. 70-0 Along with 7 Rings of course lol. All the more I appreciate every minute, having this several year run with the GOAT.
GO BUCS!!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 1:07 pm
I would not be surprised if a large % of deep throws came on play-action.
May 22nd, 2022 at 1:08 pm
Dirk Koetter ran way too many 7 step drops. The plays take too long to devolop.
May 22nd, 2022 at 1:08 pm
Brady is a football God and the Bucs are blessed to have him.
Oh yeah… more play action please!
May 22nd, 2022 at 2:16 pm
The Patriots always committed to the run. Its not surprising that Brady had those numbers. Last year we were tied or behind on the scoreboard a lot with our inconsistent, let’s not sugar coat it, pourous defense. We need to establish the run for sure. But we can’t do that always behind.
May 22nd, 2022 at 2:22 pm
August, poor Peyton Manning had to work to even identify the front. The Patriots would play a mix of 4 down even, and 3 odd, making it very hard to identify the mike. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 2:23 pm
More cowbell.
May 22nd, 2022 at 2:29 pm
TJ makes a great point. You can correlate Brady’s success in the playoffs to a strong running game. When Brady failed, it was all on him. No help. If your offense can’t make teams pay for light boxes, it’s very hard to beat good teams. If the bucs don’t run more this year, and commit to it during stretches of the season, they won’t win it all. Teams will simply play coverage all the time, and pick on the defense. It’s very hard to win that way.
May 22nd, 2022 at 2:46 pm
sparky, you gotta have that cowbell
May 22nd, 2022 at 3:08 pm
Why run play action when we don’t actually run? Two straight games (Buffalo and Saints) they didn’t run once in the first quarter. Bad logic even worse results in those games.
May 22nd, 2022 at 4:20 pm
Brady can get by with a short drop-back because we have such a dominant interior line. Hopefully that continues this year
May 22nd, 2022 at 4:23 pm
hope we go a short yard play more often 3 and 1 over the long bomb on 3 or 4 and 1 need to get 1st down and live to play another down
May 22nd, 2022 at 4:27 pm
Brandon, I think things could change this year. You might ask, what’s the difference? The bucs are vastly improved on the offensive line, in my opinion. Shaq Mason vs. cappa’s PFF grades are not close. He’s a road grater. The kid they drafted to play LG is another mauler. Many people here forgot how putrid the offense looked against the Rams. They want to put the loss on the defense, and blame the loss on injuries to the receiving corps. The bucs totally abandoned the run far too early
May 22nd, 2022 at 4:27 pm
need more runs and more play action !
May 22nd, 2022 at 5:02 pm
Scotty Miller’s famous TD catch in the championship game was a short-yardage situation…they figured we were just hoping to get in field goal range, so he had single coverage
May 22nd, 2022 at 5:43 pm
GOB Says:
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Yes, they should run more play action.
AND
From 2006-2016 Brady had 70 TDs and 0, that’s right zero ints when facing 5 or more rushers.
These seem related to me in that we are talking about passing plays. Otherwise not necessarily related thoughts.
May 22nd, 2022 at 5:44 pm
I am ok with more play action passing but don’t want to push play action passing and scrap what worked as one of Brady’s best seasons ever last year. Just saying, why fix what is not broken.
May 22nd, 2022 at 7:49 pm
@geno711 one of Brady’s best REGULAR seasons against lesser defenses. When they played dominant fronts like the Rams and saints Tom was throwing picks and getting body slammed all game long. Just like in shutout loss to the saints in December. You NEED to use the play action to offset a fierce pass rush. Otherwise the cam Jordan’s and Aaron Donald and von Millers of the world can just pin their ears back and get after your older Qb. Hence, the Bucs 0-3 record against the saints and Rams last season. Why did Brady play much better against the saints with the Patriots? Because the Patriots always established the run and then play action off the run. That’s why…
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:45 pm
What the heck ! I didn’t think a article could make me think like this . In 2020 after the bye we started using more play action and everyone seen the difference and we won a super bowl. How the F would we be last in 2021 ? Talk about Arians not wanting to change even for the goat. If I’m correct TB12 is the best play action QB ever right ?