Dominant Bucs Run Defense
September 27th, 2022
Bucs linebacker Lavonte David.
On Sunday, the Bucs knew they had to shut down the Packers’ strong run game to have a chance.
Before kickoff, Green Bay had one of the best run games in the league, ranked sixth in rushing yards and third in yards per carry.
And what did the Bucs’ defense do? It buried the Packers’ run game. The Packers had just 67 yards on the ground and averaged 2.68 yards a carry.
The 2.68 yards per carry was the lowest for the Packers since October 2019 when Chucky’s Raiders shut them down. The game was also the first time Green Bay ran at least 25 times and had but 2.68 yards a carry since November 2016.
Sad the Bucs wasted such a wonderful defensive game.
And this just in: No defensive coordinator has held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing more than Bowles since he came to the Bucs in 2019, a total of 35 times.
September 27th, 2022 at 4:22 am
I’m trying very hard to move on, Joe. I had a guy come up to me and say “haha we finally got one on you”. Even the local media said how legit our D is. Seeing articles like these just reminds me of how ridiculous last week was. Let’s hope our offense shows some fight against KC.
September 27th, 2022 at 7:31 am
Ya for 30 minutes!!! It’s a 60 minute game.
September 27th, 2022 at 7:53 am
It sure seemed like they ran better……but their longest run was 10 yards and the Bucs held Aaron Rodgers to -1 yard…..
Rodgers usually scrambles for some…..
I don’t think we missed Hicks…..
September 27th, 2022 at 7:55 am
Listnfrmafar, exactly! They were slicing and dicing in the first half. Had we just held the Packers to a field goal on one of their two TD drives, we win.
September 27th, 2022 at 8:10 am
Not in the first half. The run defense is a big reason they lost. Yes they kept it close in the second half, BUT the first half they gave up enough points to lose, and the swiss cheese run defense was rearing its ugly head.
Thankful they got better in 2nd half, gives hope that they can play run D, the first 2 games were not good on Run D
GO BUCS!!!
September 27th, 2022 at 8:15 am
Is Bowles right now the best defensive coach in the league?
We really have to consider that!
September 27th, 2022 at 8:53 am
Some of you on here are hilarious. Let’s blame the defense for the loss. A team should win every time allowing only 14 points.
September 27th, 2022 at 9:06 am
This is how these comments sound: “Next time our defense has to shut Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense out for 4 entire quarters so this 12 points our offense can score all game is enough to win” LOL
The Packers offense scored it’s last pointd at the 8:44 mark in the 2nd qtr and got stopped on every offensive drive from the 5:57 mark of the 2nd qtr to the conclusion of the game scoring NO points. In that same span our offense scored a whopping 9 points even with our defense forcing a stop on 9 consecutive GB offensive drives that started in the 2nd qtr and stayed that way until the end of the game.
@Geno711
Arguably the best, certainly amongst the top 3/5 defensive minds in the entire NFL.
September 27th, 2022 at 9:06 am
Listnfrmafar … ‘Ya for 30 minutes!!! It’s a 60 minute game.’
Patience Grasshopper; it’s the final result that counts. Bucs’ D gave up 14 total points to the Packers; that should’ve been enough to win. BUT … close only counts in horseshoes & hand grenades.
If you look at those first 2 drives, it wasn’t the run that killed us; it was the effectiveness of Rodgers short passing.
o First drive (TD): 5 runs (15 yds); 5 passes, 5 complete (60 yds). All runs but 1 were between the tackles (and the 1 outside LOST 2 yds). All passes were short. Excellent mix of plays covering 75 yds in 10 plays (6:04 time used).
o Second drive (TD): 4 runs (11 yds); 8 passes, 7 complete (60 yds). Half the runs were up the middle (6 yds); other half were outside (5 yds). All passes were short, and one turned out to be a big one (23 yds). Excellent mix of plays again covering 71 yds in 12 plays (6:49 used).
Bucs offense did OK when we got the ball first (10 plays, 5:55 used, resulting in a FG), but stagnated after that. Their next 2 drives were 3-and outs, and our defense must’ve been bushed from the Pack’s long drives & high temps. I showed in the Packers’ 3rd drive.
o Third drive (fumble on the goal line): Packers marched 60 yds in just 6 plays, starting from their own 38, to get to our 2-yd line, then fumbled into the end zone. Packers ran on 4 plays (17 yds, all between the tackles), and passed on 2 plays (both short: 1 for 40 yds & the 2nd ending in the fumble).
Bottom line though: Run defense held strong in those 3 drives (13 runs for 43 yds), but we got eaten alive on the short passes (14-of-15 complete for 160 yds). Bucs lucked out … that 3rd Packers drive could’ve been the back-breaker. Instead, the Pack never scored again.
September 27th, 2022 at 9:17 am
I choose to look at the silver lining of this loss. I was concerned with the defense after the Cowboys and Saints seemed to have more success running on us. The D showed up in a big way against Green Bay. If our WRs hold onto the ball, we probably win that game. Once we get back Evans, Godwin and Jones this team will be scary considering the addition of Beasley, who is much better than Miller.
September 27th, 2022 at 10:28 am
Yep, Final results are what matter,
LOST, let’s see, we can spell with CAPS or not. lost, yep means the same thing.
If a defense only gives up 14 the team should win.
Why make excuses for losing.
Sorry, the D is to give up less than the offense scores. NO EXCUSES.
GO BUCS!!!!
September 27th, 2022 at 10:34 am
Nacho was beasting. And Hall finally showed a little something as well.
JTS still inconsistent, though he did get some pressure on Rodgers a few times.
September 27th, 2022 at 10:58 am
August 1976 Buc … ‘LOST, let’s see, we can spell with CAPS or not. lost, yep means the same thing’.
You got me LMAO. CAPS; no caps? Nice.
If the Bucs’ defense has to hold teams to 11 points or less each game this season, I’ll take the bet that won’t happen. Only the 2000 Baltimore Ravens allowed fewer than 11 PPG average in a season (165 pts … 10.3 PPG). Not to say that record can’t be beat, but Vegas would surely say no.
September 27th, 2022 at 11:04 am
Unbelievable … You’re right about Logan Hall; he finally showed up … BIG TIME. Got 1 sack, 3 QB hits (half of our total), 1 TFL plus 1 solo tackle. Didn’t key on him to see where he was playing (27 def snaps … 44%), but I’m wondering if they altered how they were using him.
September 27th, 2022 at 11:06 am
Hopefully it is not a season long slump, but when needed, it matters.
Like you say DR about complimentary football, well good, bad or ugly, this fits that.
If the offense only musters 12, then give up 11 or get beat.
This is not harsh, it is just simple reality.
I like Bowels not making excuses and having a Derrick Brooks “Not giving up a blade of grass” mentality.
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 27th, 2022 at 11:57 am
August 1976 Buc … ‘I like Bowels not making excuses and having a Derrick Brooks “Not giving up a blade of grass” mentality.’
Interesting because I see Bowles’ philosophy quite a bit differently. His approach IMO is to stop the run, not give up explosive plays, and wait for the other guy to make a mistake. Seems to me like he’s willing to cede territory in the process, and even give up the FG if necessary, to accomplish the bigger goal of winning.
Last year’s defense ranked #5 in Points Allowed, but #13 in Yardage Allowed. Back end played off quite a bit it seemed to me, but they gave up relatively few explosive plays compared to other teams. And in the process we ranked #5 in takeaways.
This year’s defense ranks #1 in Points Allowed, and a very nice #4 in Yardage Allowed (thanks largely to having a healthy defense IMO). Rodgers I think set a blueprint for how to handle our defense though, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see our next opponents use a similar approach IF they have the horses to do it (most don’t IMO). Healthy mix of running (mostly between the tackles), and a lot of dinkin-and-dunkin with short passes all over the field to wear us out and control the clock.
And that’ll probably work UNTIL our offense comes alive and starts putting up oodles of points (hopefully). Then that approach will be too time-consuming and opponents will have to open it up more. We’ll see.
September 27th, 2022 at 1:08 pm
August 1976 Buc Says:
September 27th, 2022 at 10:28 am
“Sorry, the D is to give up less than the offense scores. NO EXCUSES.”
Amazing that you say that on a team that is number 1 in the NFL out of 32 teams in scoring defense and since Todd Bowles has come to the Bucs, they are number 2 in takeaways out of 32 teams.
I see the progression here.
In two months:
Defense can never give up a touchdown.
Three months:
Can never give up a TD or a FG.
Four months:
Needs to create a turnover every drive.
Gosh darn you are the best defensive coach ever. We should all just listen to you.
September 27th, 2022 at 1:58 pm
Tom Brady, our makeshift offensive line, and the scrubs that we had at wide receiver, with the exception of Gage, lost us that game. Brady hasn’t shown himself able to overcome the ineptitude of lousy players yet like he has in the past, but it’s early yet. Our run defense was getting owned early in the game, but to their credit, they shut that sh!t down.
September 27th, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Buczilla … ‘Our run defense was getting owned early in the game, but to their credit, they shut that sh!t down.’
Watching the game, I kept thinking the same thing, on those first 3 drives especially. But on going back and relooking, Packers ran 13 times in those 3 drives, and the Bucs held them to 43 yards (3.3 YPC).
Pack had been averaging close to 6 YPC rushing in the first 2 games, so we held them to roughly half of what they’d been getting. Against Dillon & Jones that’s pretty good IMO. Forced Green Bay to turn more to the short passes, with which they ate us alive on those 3 drives. But then we thankfully got that under control too.
September 27th, 2022 at 4:37 pm
Both run and pass defense were atrocious in the first half, lost the game right there.
Given the injuries and issues on offense that everyone knows are serious, defense’s job for the forseeable future, if not the whole season, is to carry ALL FOUR QUARTERS OF EVERY GAME. You don’t want to hear this but it’s true.
Fall into a hole, give the opposing team momentum and confidence, and this team loses, even if the deficit is a few scores. This is the fact until and unless all of the offensive problems are fixed, and that will take time, roster changes, COACHING IMPROVEMENTS, and major chemistry repair.
September 27th, 2022 at 7:18 pm
@Steele
Asking the defense to basically shut teams out to compensate for an offense that averaged 3 points a quarter and didn’t engineer it’s only touchdown drive until there was 4 minutes left in the entire game is kind of wild. So defense, shoulder the load of the entirety of the game while our offense gets it’s collective head out of its butt? Don’t allow any points, get the ball back to
The offense as much as possible, even if they haven’t score more than twice in a single game through 3 games? Does the defense have to score too?
September 27th, 2022 at 8:56 pm
DR, Todd is not making excuses, and speaks very straight forward about the team. I like that. Thats how you get better.
Thats what I meant by the “Not giving up a blade of grass mentality.
Geno, it is not amazing, THEY LOST
#1 defense in points is great for a talking point, but it still only = 2-1
Any poster can say whatever, but you play to win, not lose.
You tell me what defensive player on the Bucs is happy about losing?
Try to find a Defensive coach happy about losing?
So whatever it takes in a particular game is what counts.
If you score only 12, then 11 is the most you can give up for that game and win.
Yeah the offense needs to get going, but it is what it is.
This is the NFL, either put up or shut up, 2nd place is the first loser, and means you are watching someone hoist the Lombardi.
September 27th, 2022 at 8:57 pm
DR, Todd is not making excuses, and speaks very straight forward about the team. I like that. Thats how you get better.
Thats what I meant by the “Not giving up a blade of grass mentality.
Geno, it is not amazing, THEY LOST
#1 defense in points is great for a talking point, but it still only = 2-1
Any poster can say whatever, but you play to win, not lose.
You tell me what defensive player on the Bucs is happy about losing?
Try to find a Defensive coach happy about losing?
So whatever it takes in a particular game is what counts.
If you score only 12, then 11 is the most you can give up for that game and win.
Yeah the offense needs to get going, but it is what it is.
This is the NFL, either put up or shut up, 2nd place is the first loser, and means you are watching someone hoist the Lombardi.
GO BUCS!!!!
September 27th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
Certainly, they lost as a team.
“A genius in the NFL is a guy who won last week.” John McKay.
McKay on unhappiness from his team.
“Everyone is unhappy at times. Even my wife. Only she doesn’t get interviewed about it.”
McKay on how much fans liked him.
“It was about three-to-one that I was not an SOB. But there were a lot of ones.”
McKay on how to be a good coach.
“I keep a picture of O.J. Simpson at my side at all times to remind me of the days when I knew how to coach.”
McKay on how to coach offensive lineman.
“Hold them when you’re at home. Don’t hold them when you’re away.”
On playing Green Bay in Green Bay.
“If a contest has 97 prizes, the 98th prize would be a trip to Green Bay.”
On the importance of training camp.
“It’s shattering when a player loses interest in camp. When you lose your desire to stand around and eat steaks.”
Lastly when asked What do you think of your team’s execution coach.
“I’m in favor of it.”
September 28th, 2022 at 1:40 am
geno lol lol Maybe you forgot “Throw McKay in the Bay” lol also
Thx for the lol.
As bad as they were back in the beginning, the offense so far in 2022 would have looked like gold to the old Silver Fox McKay and the fans lol
Lastly when asked What do you think of your team’s execution coach.
“I’m in favor of it.”
Now we see why it looks like it does, the Ghost of McKay is running the offense lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
l