Imagine If The Bucs Didn’t Have To Blitz So Much
July 3rd, 2024
Rookie edge rusher Chris Braswell.
Yeah, Joe is a broken record and will continue to be until the most important position on defense is resolved.
And that’s an edge rusher.
Sure, Joe has hope YaYa Diaby can develop into a more feared pass rusher and Chris Braswell can be effective as a rookie. Sure, Joe hopes the proverbial light bulb finally flickers for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. But Joe is starting to think that the lack of an edge rush is hurting the Bucs in more ways than what is obvious.
The Bucs got quarterback pressure from blitzes roughly 43 percent of the time they blitzed, per the stat site @fball_insights.
Now just think if the Bucs didn’t feel they had to blitz that much. Last year the Bucs’ pass defense was lousy, allowing the fourth-most passing yards last year.
The way Joe looks at it, if the Bucs had a feared edge rusher, two things would happen: Blitzes would be more effective and the Bucs wouldn’t have to blitz so much and might be able to force more coverage sacks, or grab an extra, coveted pick or two.
How often defenses generated pressure when they blitzed vs didn’t last season. pic.twitter.com/zf9khvBD2L
— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) July 2, 2024
July 3rd, 2024 at 11:23 am
Vea has taken on double teams basically his entire career.
That’s one reason he only plays 55% of the snaps.
But if we have accepted the fact that he is a half time player, why haven’t we invested a high draft pick into Vea 2.0. Another huge NT?
We could easily find the best NT in college football next year in the 1st round. Which is what we must do.
Poor Vea. Taken on double teams his entire career and our DE’s still can’t get 10 sacks. Remember when Shaq had 18.5? That was thanks to Vea.
July 3rd, 2024 at 11:56 am
It might be a bit early to decide next year’s 1st round pick…but if Vea is incapable of playing a full 60 minutes, why do we have him?
Tony Dungy’s first day on the job as head coach was all about having his defense play 60 minutes and not take plays off. He noticed players taking it easy on some practice plays, and had Monty whip them into shape.
Considering players have it easier in practice these days, they should have the strength to be on the field more.
July 3rd, 2024 at 11:57 am
Also…maybe Chris Braswell will be that pass rusher you want, Joe.
July 3rd, 2024 at 12:04 pm
All depends on if the extra guy can make a play or force qb to err. I’m not convinced their pass D will ever be great with bowles around. Too many easy completions to keep the guy in front of em. He only takes chances with the blitzers not with the back end. Risk up front safe in the back. Backwards mullet I guess you could say
July 3rd, 2024 at 12:19 pm
Hey teacher guy, you need a teacher.
July 3rd, 2024 at 12:27 pm
The goal should be to get pressure with 4, we haven’t been able to do that consistently since we broke up the bookends of Barrett-JPP. This is also Todd Bowles we’re talking about. Getting home with 4 just means we’ll something more exotic in terms of blitzes if we can find a 4 man personnel grouping that can consistently apply pressure.
Would like to see, if we can’t put teams in a whole and they can come out in the 3rd qtr run us ragged then how often can we be in pass rush situations?
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:06 pm
It really comes down to the “front 3.” Vea and Kancey are two thirds of a perfect trio. We need a miracle from Logan the Oaf, or someone else to step in to the DE spot opposite Kancey.
Then we could even worry some QBs just with the front three, a’la the days of 1979 Creamsicle.
This is more important than the OLB IMO.
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:17 pm
Well, technically there isn’t a position known as edge rusher, so you harping about it seems null and void. What’s his position of play anyway?
Chris Braswell- DE
Chris Braswell- OLB
Or something else. Cause it sure as spit isn’t edge rusher
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:20 pm
The Sky is Falling
The Sky is Falling
Quick Jason – trade next year’s 2nd and 3rd rd picks to the Jets and charge another $75M to the credit cards to get Reddick in here STAT – so Joe can sleep at night……
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:37 pm
Imagine if they didn’t sit back in that soft zone and let offenses move the ball at will…
Also ‘blitzing’ 5, when you’re basically running a 5-2-4 isn’t really a blitz at all.
What I’d be interested in seeing is how often the Bucs brought 6 or more, and the pressure rate on those – and what the outcome of the plays were (I’m legit not sure if the Bucs were better or worse in that situation). For all the talk about those ‘exotic’ Todd Bowles blitzes, to my eye, since he’s become the head coach the Bucs don’t seem to run them very often. But perhaps I’m wrong, I’d love to see the hard numbers if anyone has them.
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:48 pm
teacherman1983 … ‘Remember when Shaq had 18.5? That was thanks to Vea.’
Uhhh, I’d say that’s 33% right. The year Shaq hit 19.5 sacks (2019) he had Vea, Suh AND JPP working with him. It was a matter of ‘pick your poison’ … hard for defenses to stop all 4 of them simultaneously. His ‘Pressures’ demonstrate that.
o 2018: Pressures: 9 (with Denver) … 275 def snaps
o 2019: Pressures: 51 (with Suh, JPP & Vea) … 889 snaps
o 2020: Pressures: 42 (with Suh, JPP & Vea) … 822 snaps
o 2021: Pressures: 39 (with Suh, JPP & Vea) … 767 snaps
o 2022: Pressures: 16 (Vea but no Suh or JPP) … 382 snaps
o 2023: Pressures: 19 (Vea but no Suh or JPP) … 652 snaps
Major falloff in his sacks & pressures in 2022 & 2023. Shaq’s injury obviously impacted, but replacing Suh & JPP with Hall & JTS impacted Shaq’s on-field performance just as much. Probably allowed defenses to focus more on neutralizing Shaq in 2022 & 2023.
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:49 pm
Smart! Joe would sleep better, and so would Bucs fans. Because the Bucs would win.
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:55 pm
Joe says ” the lack of an edge rush is hurting the Bucs in more ways than what is obvious.”
Then proceeds to stat the obvious.
July 3rd, 2024 at 1:57 pm
teacherman1983 … ‘why haven’t we invested a high draft pick into Vea 2.0. Another huge NT?’
Agree 100% that we need one and I think we’ll see that in this next draft, either with a Rnd 1 or a Rnd 2 pick. Vea’s probably got about 3 more good years in him. His contract goes through 2026 (potential out after this year, but I suspect we’ll keep him for all 3 years).
Our other wide body is Greg Gaines, and he’s on just a 1-year contract. If Kancey, Diaby & Braswell have good years, we could afford to spend a high pick on a DT to replace Gaines (and ultimately replace Vea).
July 3rd, 2024 at 2:37 pm
I was hoping for Jared Verse, but he went to the Rams. That is water under the bridge now. This could be YaYa’s breakout year. Looking forward to see what Braswell can do. No worries yet.
July 3rd, 2024 at 3:18 pm
Isn’t Reddick holding out for absolute top dollar in NY as we speak?
Would he be a “cultural” fit. I’m not a fan.
Dudes not shown up and says he won’t be at training camp til he gets a new deal.
Gregory’s been crucified here for not showing up so far. They may be in different situations and diiferent players but my casual view is that type of money over everything attitude is a poison in itself.
Not to mention the money. A steep price tag for a couple extra sacks at the position. I think we can find those sacks elsewhere without digging ourselves that much deeper in debt.
I’d like to hear what Whitehead thinks about Reddick…since they were teammates
Reddick
July 3rd, 2024 at 3:58 pm
When were they teammates? Jets traded for Reddick this offseason. He played for Philadelphia and before that Arizona. Whitehead went to Pitt; Reddick came from Temple. Whitehead is from Pennsylvania; Reddick from New Jersey.
So Reddick wants a raise to play for the Jets. We’re talking about the Jets. Do you blame him?
July 3rd, 2024 at 4:35 pm
So Reddick sign a contract and now wants a raise? How does that work?
July 3rd, 2024 at 6:04 pm
Defense Rules – I wish we knew what those pressure numbers were when they brought 4, 5 and 6, and see if there is any correlation in the number of ‘exotic’ blitzes being called. To my eye, it certainly seems like there’s been a huge dip in those ‘exotic’ blitzes over the last two years – and that would coincide with Shaq’s numbers – because you’re much more likely to get pressure with 5 and 6 man rushes than you are with 4 man rushes.
Although, with Shaq, I really think it was mostly about the injury. As Shaq himself said, he was a marginal athlete to begin with, and guys like that can’t afford to lose a half step.
July 3rd, 2024 at 6:05 pm
Joe, didn’t we beat philly in the playoffs? Where was Reddick?
July 3rd, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Yep, you nailed it Defense Rules. Shaq was tearing it up when he had JPP, Suh, & Vea wreaking havoc. That’s what we’ve been missing. Curious to see if YaYa & Kancy in their 2nd season can be the disrupters that JPP & Suh were. Then, if Braswell adds effectively to that, we’re cooking with gas! Next year within the 1st three rounds I agree, we need to get another stud DT and an elite ILB.
July 3rd, 2024 at 8:23 pm
hopefully the rookie can play or jts steps up
super bowl or bust
July 3rd, 2024 at 8:38 pm
When Vea returned from injury to play in the NFC title game against the Packers, Shaq went nuts. And we all saw how he chased Pat Mahomes all over the place in the Super Bowl.
July 3rd, 2024 at 8:39 pm
Didn’t Wirfs eat him up? Guess he’s a bum, right? Better off with JTS, huh?
July 3rd, 2024 at 8:43 pm
Watts can bring pressures and I am confident that he can learn to pay this scheme by learning to drop into zone coverage.
Watts is not only very good with pressures but a sure tackler and playing behind the line of scrimmage for TFL opportunities.
Ramirez isn’t far behind either.
July 3rd, 2024 at 9:18 pm
Go back and watch Simeon Rice play for us. Havoc wreak8ng linguistic marvel he was. DE has been a top priority for far too long, and apparently only some of us feel it’s a top priority.
July 3rd, 2024 at 11:48 pm
Thanks for bringing that up Joe! That has me grinning. Remember like it was yesterday. When Vita came back for that NFC Championship game in ‘The Frozen Tundra’, it was on! Shaq was feasting. And, Whitehead went all Ronnie Lott bringing the wood. Then the Super Bowl, Mahomes set a record scrambling several hundred yards running for his life!….lol
July 4th, 2024 at 7:04 am
If we could dial up a blitz at the oportune moment like we did with Kiffins HOF defense…Wow! Seemed like when we needed a stop or a TO he dialed one up to make it happen.
If we could just get stops without having to throw all these exotic blitz packages at out oponents it would help everone.
You are not wrong Joe.
Go Bucs!
July 4th, 2024 at 8:52 pm
The Bucs are okay at “edge.” They need another very good down lineman. A first rounder next year would be great. Sign someone like Ogbah for this year.
July 5th, 2024 at 7:32 am
Funny how the Bucs haven’t started playing THIS season but talk of solution to the lack of pressure problem is NEXT year’s draft! I get it but just know there lays the problem why the Bucs will stay less talented to the 49ers & Lions. It’s to the point it’s a talent race and we need to recognize BOTH of these franchises draft better than the Bucs do while also making better moves in free agency!! What exactly is the culture and identity today at OneBuc???? I also see the Rams & Packers recognizing team weaknesses and filling those needs faster and more effectively than the Bucs do as an organization BUT Go Bucs🚩☠️💯!!