Offensive Line Not Great, But There Is A Silver Lining
October 8th, 2024
“But no sacks, coach.”
This ought to enrage the pressures-are-more-important-than-sacks crowd.
The rest of us who live in the real world are breathing a sigh of relief.
Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis decided to chart all pressures allowed by every team this season.
His results show the Bucs ‘offensive line is really letting the team down in allowing so much pass rush. However, those always precious pressures (please note Joe’s sarcasm) aren’t turning into sacks at a high rate.
And for that, Joe is thankful.
The Bucs are the worst team in the NFL in allowing pressure — on over 35 percent of Baker Mayfield’s dropbacks. However, Mayfield isn’t getting sacked a lot. Only seven teams have a lower sack percentage when pressured. So in that respect, the Bucs are the eighth-best.
Mayfield’s nimble feet have allowed him to escape a bunch of those pressures. And maybe the Bucs’ offensive line is staying with their blocks just long enough so defenders can only get a pressure, but not enough time to get a sack.
Pressure rate allowed and sack rate taken on pressures (pending MNF)…
The Ravens and Lamar have done an excellent job working around the moving parts up front.
Baker and TB limiting pressures, but taking a high rate of sacks per pressure. pic.twitter.com/S4DipOyx68
— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) October 7, 2024
October 8th, 2024 at 9:31 am
Indeed there is a huge amount of hope for this franchise when you look at the BYE and the schedule after. Young guys will have more than a half season experience, old guys will get to heal better.
I’ll echo Buddha from another thread. GOOD LUCK to all as we get ready to face what could big the biggest challenge in my 25+ years in St. Pete. Stay safe!!!
The ole DJ will conclude with a verse from a classic song by the late great Bill Withers. Knowing this group I feel certain that there are many guys like me living on higher ground waiting for the chance to help our neighbors. Since I’m old I’ll probably help other old people get to their Doc appts and maybe some Meals on Wheels.
Sometimes in our lives
we all have pain
we all have sorrow
but if we are wise
we know that there’s always tomorrow
On a non serious level that fits the Bucs but on the VERY critical future for Tampa Bay up ahead please hold that thought.
October 8th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Barton struggled big time against Atlanta. Goedke being back should help. Guards are a weak link. Klein?
October 8th, 2024 at 9:33 am
I’m confident in this O-LINE, they will improve as a unit
October 8th, 2024 at 10:01 am
A bright spot: Justin Skule has had two very nice games
October 8th, 2024 at 10:14 am
What kind of pressure? Pressure up the middle? Pressure from the right? Pressure from the left? Does a hit count as pressure? Does the pressure disrupt the throw or just move the qb off his spot? Is a tipped pass considered pressure? What about pressure with affect or no affect to the throw? What about if two defensive players create pressure at same time creating happy feet for the qb? What is the% of successful plays with pressure? Like a completed pass or dump off to rb or is incomplete? Stats are fun! If they are going to break it down. Break it down. W’s are the best stat! Go BUCS!
October 8th, 2024 at 10:17 am
What am I supposed to believe about our offensive line? Should it be all the things I read in the preseason, or what I’ve seen with my own eyes during the regular season?
October 8th, 2024 at 10:20 am
Is it just me or is Joe’s article backwards to what the chart says?
October 8th, 2024 at 10:29 am
Joe you read that chart wrong. We have been sacked a ton but not pressured that often. When there is pressure he does get sacked.
October 8th, 2024 at 10:36 am
Billy you are right. This article is 100% the opposite of what the chart says.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:06 am
I would spend the next draft going OG & DL. Vea is older and Kancey is never available.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:22 am
I believe the offensive line will improve once Godeke is back and Klein has fully developed; he was a mauler in college. I think he could replace Bredson soon. Mauch is a second-year player, and he’s playing next to Skule, so I won’t say more on that. As for Barton, I believe he deserves a rookie pass. So the lines young give them time in a year or two could be s strong suit of the team like Detroit. With Vea getting into good physical shape, he could have another five years of playing ahead of him honestly look at elite DTs like Calais Canbell.
Honestly I think everyone appreciates Baker and recognizes that there’s another Super Bowl window, which motivates veteran players like David, Vea, and Evans. We will see though hopefully everyone can stay or get healthy and these oddities were just that Odd…
October 8th, 2024 at 11:23 am
This line has not gelled yet. Bredesen is OK, Barton is playing better then Hainsey, and will keep getting better, but he’s a rookie. Mauch has been disappointing. He hasn’t made the big jump we all hoped. Not sure he’s suited to play guard. He didn’t do it in college, this is pro football. Wouldn’t mind seeing Klien at some point. Of course Luke being out hasn’t helped matters. Hopefully they put it together sooner, rather then later.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:41 am
IDK, I interpret this data (along with my eye test) differently – The offensive line isn’t that good at pass protection and Baker is covering for them. Disappointing with multiple first and second-round picks on the line. One Baker leg/ankle/foot/knee injury and the sack rate will regress to the pressure rate.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:44 am
I was also thinking that Rich Hribar’s Twitter … ‘Baker and TB limiting pressures, but taking a high rate of sacks per pressure’ … was exactly opposite from what you gleaned from it Joe. Apparently I wasn’t alone.
But then again Joe, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Even the ‘pressures-are-greater-than-sacks crowd’ could see the point Hribar’s chart was making. Apparently ‘the rest who live in the real world’ were are breathing a premature sigh of relief?
October 8th, 2024 at 11:46 am
C Zach Frazier was drafted in the 2nd round by the Steelers and has been playing elite – one of the best in the league as a rookie. Yes, I know it’s very early, but let’s hope Licht didn’t pick the wrong Center.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:48 am
Imagine if Baker had more time….with his accuracy and our weapons….magic
October 8th, 2024 at 12:11 pm
This chart states the opposite of the article, however….
What the chart doesn’t show is the Bucs very fast TTT, which is designed to mitigate quick pressure. A 3D graph would show this better.
So this chart is actually showing how quickly TB is giving up a lot of sacks very quickly on longer developing plays, which also relates the depth of target (ADoT).
The line is hurting the offense, just not how this chart or article are suggesting……..
October 8th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
TBBF … Or MAYBE Baker is being very accurate because Coen’s keeping his throws short (where he’s more accurate?) AND because he’s got some very elite weapons to throw to.
Mike Evans has a career 15.2 Yards/Reception. This year it’s down to 12.0 Y/R; his lowest prior to this year was 13.8 Y/R. Mike’s longest play this year? 24 yards. Dink & dunk.
October 8th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
Hodad … ‘Barton is playing better then Hainsey, and will keep getting better, but he’s a rookie.’
For some reason Hodad, I keep thinking that Barton would be much better as a Guard than as a Center. I think Mauch is a good backup (Guard & Tackle), but not a starter. Jury’s out on Klein IMO, simply because we haven’t him perform in ‘real’ games.
I’m almost tempted to say we should be searching for a quality veteran Center (a Ryan Jensen clone?) and build a beastly OLine that’ll serve us well for 5, 6, 7 years at least.
October 8th, 2024 at 12:28 pm
WatchMore – you’re right. The chart shows the opposite of what Joe is saying. Looks like we have the highest rate of sacks with pressure. We’re being pressured on less that 30% of the passing attempts, but Mayfield is being sacked on about 1/3 of those pressures.
October 8th, 2024 at 1:02 pm
That chart says literally the exact opposite. low pressures on the X-Axis and high sack rate on the Y-Axis.
October 8th, 2024 at 1:35 pm
“However, those always precious pressures (please note Joe’s sarcasm) aren’t turning into sacks at a high rate.”
You might need to rewrite this article Joe, the chart shows we’re giving up sacks to pressure at the highest rate in the league!
October 8th, 2024 at 2:35 pm
Defense, whatever makes us better. If that’s getting a vet center, so be it. I still think Barton can be elite at center. If we had better guard play, it would help the rook out. Be nice if by November Barton, and Mauch turn into a good combo. They’re both early in their careers, we should expect growing pains.
October 8th, 2024 at 2:45 pm
If the OL is allowing a bunch of pressures that only fall short of sacks due to the QB’s agility, then the OL has real problems.
October 8th, 2024 at 2:47 pm
Watch More is right: I hadn’t even looked at the chart, just read the text.
October 8th, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Some of these comments are hilarious. Our line is young and will continue to improve. How many of you were ready to throw Luke in the trash after his rookie year?
You want a Jensen clone? Jensen wasn’t a great player his first few years. Player development is a process. We have tones of great young talent on the O line that will continue to improve.
October 8th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
Boge … Was talking about a VETERAN Jensen-quality Center, not a rookie Jensen. Using a Rnd 1 pick on a player for a position he’s not really spent much time at is a gamble. Like when we put Luke Godeke at Guard last year? Wrong position, but once we moved him to Right Tackle, he flourished. Bucs did the same thing with Marpet (when we moved him to Center), but then recanted & moved him back to Guard. Yup, where he flourished too.
October 8th, 2024 at 6:39 pm
The pressures are killing our offense.
Mayfield is constantly scrambling. Running backs getting hit in the backfield.
Mauch is horrible. Bredesen is really bad.
Graham Barton is getting ate alive at Center. They are killing him
It was a stupid move, trying to get a guy who played left tackle for 3 years to adjust to both the NFl and playing Center.
As expected- its to much for him.
Sign lil-“iel Collins to play Center.
Move Barton to Mauch’s spot.
Guess we live with Bredsen- but Id start letting Klein get time at that spot.
The line sucks. AGAIN!!!. Right where I said it would months ago.
Its A pathetically vad effort by our GM, to fix a problem that has haunted us FOR 3 STRAIGHT YEARS. its inexcusable that Our vacks and Mayfield are trying to be effective behind those horrible players.
Fix it Licht. Thats your job, and you’ve failed this line horribly for 3 years.
FIX IT.
October 8th, 2024 at 6:51 pm
After a nightmare first game, Justin Skule has played above average.
Even better than expected.
Tackles once again arent a concern, but a strength. And Goedeke returning is a real plus.
Since the interior line has been horrible- EXACTLY HOW I SAID IT WOULD FOR 6 months straight!!,
Then how about this.
Sit Mauch and play Barton in his spot. Rotate Skule in to Bredesens spot.
I think Skule might be a very good guard.
Then sign L Colluns to play Center.
That just might fix our train wreck Interior O line.
October 8th, 2024 at 7:23 pm
@Josh. What kind of fan are you? Where’s all this patience coming from? Wait a year or two? This is the not for long league. We demand instant gratification.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:01 pm
Goal should be to build a line like Detroit Lions O line. Can be no doubt that overall it is a superior NFL line. They have drafted well on both O and D lines and should be competitive for next 7years. Easier said than done without high draft picks. Have to find hungry sleepers like maybe Klein. Hard to play two rookies next to each other. Curious about Hainsey as a swing O lineman. He would become an interesting player if he were groomed to play anywhere on the line. So far underwhelmed by guard play. Let Hainsey try LG for a game or two. He is bound to be hungry to play.
October 9th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
Joe what do you think about having a weekly show on my pay per view livestreaming channel. It would be a great way to engage with the guys, and generate revenue for the blog. The name is Livverr and it has features of zoom
, Spotify and pay per view.