Tampa-2 “Dying Out”
September 18th, 2010
The defense that made the Bucs world famous, thanks to former defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, is dead.
Well, maybe not dead, but on life support. That’s what Carolina coach John Fox said in a phone conference interview, documented by Tom Balog of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
”The ‘Tampa 2′ is kind of dying out in all the teams,” Carolina head coach John Fox told the Buccaneers’ media contingent on a conference call Wednesday. “I’m not saying nobody ever has it, or uses it. Like all coverages, there’s no perfect one. Otherwise, everybody would run it every play.
”I think that’s kind of true around the NFL. Tampa still uses it. We still use it,” Fox said. “I think everybody in the league uses it, just not exclusively.”
Fox said the new wrinkles, featuring varied blitzes and front combinations, that Buccaneers head coach-defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has added to the former Tampa 2 of his predecessor, Monte Kiffin, is not radical.
Interestingly, earlier this week while speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network, Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber claimed the Bucs ran a Cover-2 defense on one play, and that was late in the second half of the win over the Browns last week.
Barber, who coined the phrase, “Tampa 2.1,” suggested the defense the Bucs are running is a “Tampa 2.5.”
September 18th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
As the West Coast Offense fades into memory, so will the Tampa 2.
September 18th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Buccaneer calling card has always been great defense….John McKay instituted and was laughed at for the “Tampa 3-4” before the Tampa 2…..
and the beat goes on …….Raheem it’s on you now !
put up or take a seat along with Bennett,Williamson and Wyche
September 18th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Raheem has proven the ability to evolve, be innovative and play to his personnel strengths. Heck, who runs a 3-3-5 on a regular basis? We do because we have the guys to do it.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
After watching the game tape from last week, John Fox has to be scrambling. Raheem threw a ton of different looks at the Browns. None of which was the traditional Tampa 2. the evolution of Coach Morris hybrid Tampa 2 will be fun ta watch. Sure confused “Buc killer” Jake last week!!
September 18th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Scrambling??? From what?? He will be looking for a third running back to carry the ball the starters will be tired of ripping off 8yard dive plays up the middle. Ive seen some promise on defense but baby steps….
September 18th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Lets lay off that zone blitz and put Crowder rushing the passer instead of getting lit up by a tight end Mastermind needs to stick with some base defense and let these 2 rookie lineman stuff the run
September 18th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Jlynch who would you rather have.
Rookies in Gerald McCoy and Brian Price or
Chris Hovan and Ryan Sims?
Yes were young but still better then last year when they ripped a bunch of 8 yard gains up the middle on us.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Hmmn…remember when we first started playing the Tampa 2? Hardly anyone was using it and we were so good that people started copying us.
The Tampa 2 is not fading from the NFL…there are several teams still using it.
But here in Tampa, we’re building the Tampa 2 Hybrid…we’ve gone green!
Seriously though…Fox is in for a bit of a surprise, along with much of the NFL this weekend. We’re going to win this weeks game, and even if it ain’t pretty, I’ll take it.
Because every ugly win now will only help us when we win pretty later.
And I hope we keep being underestimated…ecspecially by our opponents.
September 18th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Actually, Ronde said in the same interview that you quoted him as saying that they only ran the Tampa 2 one play in the last game that Tampa was now running the “Tampa 2.4” not the “Tampa 2.5” as you quoted…..but who’s keeping count, huh, Joe?
September 18th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Interesting…checking on the Bucs Media pages, the roster has Stroughter as the #2 WR.
1) 19 Mike Williams 81 Micheal Spurlock 85 Maurice Stovall
2) 18 Sammie Stroughter 17 Arrelious Benn 87 Preston Parker
That means Benn and Spurlock will be the slot WRs, right?
September 18th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Hey Joe, have you read the report on NFL payroll for this year? The bottom three are Kansas City, Jacksonville, and guess who is dead last, The Buccaneers, with 80mil in payroll. And they will make a profit of well over 200mil just in Shared TV revenue. All under the guise of getting younger! Hope all you Glazerites are happy to hear how the money is being spent on good players & good Coaches. The bottom line for the 3 Glazer Grinches is cash, and lots of it, by not spending any money and collectiing hundreds of millions in profits! And you wonder why we fans aren’t happy!
September 18th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Jlynch- what the F**^ are you talking about??? Have you even had a tv on this year? I haven’t seen ANYONE ” ripping off 8 yard gains on the this year, have you? Who?!?! I watched the Carolina game. And they looked pathetic. They Damn sure went’ ripping off 8 yd runs! They pretty much were getting the Giants Foot shoved up their butt. We out gained the Browns on the Ground. So I guess Jlynch is watching different games than we are !
September 18th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Montie Kiffin developed the Tampa 2 because of the Talent he had. He had 4 down linemen who could rush the passer without much help.
Teams who don’t have the talent can run it, but won’t get the same results. The talent also have to be sound tacklers, otherwise it can get ugly.
Morris is simply doing what good coaches do & that is develop around your talent.
September 18th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Yet another reason Morris sucks: takes the team back to a “dying” defense. Bring back Jim Bates!
Tampa2 is right!! The Glazers are just lying, cheating “grinches.” Everyone should boycott, especially since the Bucs are losing!!
🙂
September 18th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Tampa 2, nice report there guy. At least somebody is making money these days. If more businesses were making that kind of profit, everybody would have jobs and the CITS would be sold out again. Sorry, I didn’t know it was a crime to have a profitable business. I guess that defies every Obamanomic’s principle.
September 18th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
JimBuc Says:
September 18th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Yet another reason Morris sucks: takes the team back to a “dying” defense. Bring back Jim Bates!
Tampa2 is right!! The Glazers are just lying, cheating “grinches.” Everyone should boycott, especially since the Bucs are losing!!
Do u even read about our team or the comments infront of u? We dont run all Tampa 2. Do some research instead of posting nonsense.
September 18th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
The point, Jimbuc Joel, is that the Glazers aren’t trying to win s#*! All they want is the cash to pay for their out of Counrty interests. Don’t you think they might have picked up a good FA or 2? But whatever they do is alright with you. Because you obviously haven’t care for winning in your life! As for the poster that says they are winning, good luck with that! I’ll be here in 5 weeks, will you? I would predict the Dreams firing in 10 weeks, but it is obvious that the 3 scrooges don’t give a damn about wins. Only the cash!
September 18th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
@tampa2
You know, that point would hold a lot more water if the team wasn’t actually improving from game to game.
I don’t really care if they are players in FA sp long as the future is bright. You come here and whine about them not spending money when they are making money…it’s not against the law to make a nice profit, bud.
And the last 2 years, there was no real point in spending money in Free Agency. Think about it…every position you can suggest they address in FA has been addressed in this years and last years draft.
Free Agency has it’s uses, yes…but only when you already have a nucleus to work with or if you badly need one position filled (such as kicker last year).
So, with the direction this team is moving, your point is moot…and tiredsome. You really should consider the whole picture instead of just Free Agency.
But I suppose ignorant people prefer to hate more than use common sense. You’re not a hater are you?
September 18th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Are the Glazers saving dough with Rah and Dom? Of course they are but Im happy with Raheem and Dominick regardless if they were bargain hires or not. I used to be on the whole “they dont spend money thing” Which is true and they could of signed more then they did, but what would a 30 year old free agent do if were still 2 years away from contending? He’ll be 32 and on the decline. I’m willing to allow them to establish the core and acquire free agents to supplement holes. We had no good young talent and needed to establish that first. You dont focus on free agency for your core and draft holes, that doesnt makes sense. If they still dont spend money after that then we have problems
September 18th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Pete Dutcher said
“And the last 2 years, there was no real point in spending money in Free Agency. Think about it…every position you can suggest they address in FA has been addressed in this years and last years draft.
Free Agency has it’s uses, yes…but only when you already have a nucleus to work with or if you badly need one position filled (such as kicker last year).”
I was typing my post as u were, so didnt see yours. Were obviously on the same page
September 18th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Besides…we have more guys from Free Agency on this team then you acknowledge, Tampa 2.
September 18th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
It’s pretty sad when the Bucs have an important road game tomorrow against the Panthers and you guys are crying and whining about the Glazers and the Coach. This proves the theory that a lot of people on this site are not Bucs fans and have some other reason or agenda to be dogging the coach, GM, or the owners. I wasn’t big on the Raheem hiring, but he’s here now and it is what it is. There are too many people on this site rooting for them to lose just to show they are right. That my friends is not a fan!
September 18th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
The two biggest spenders in free agency in the last five years are the Redskins and the Raiders. It’s worked out real well for them hasn’t it? The lowest spenders in free agency? The Colts in the last five years? The Colts!
September 18th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
That should say the lowest
September 18th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Bucnjim and jimbuc are for sure 2 different people.
September 18th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Ash I like Price and GMC the will be very good very soon. Hovan and Sims were just overmatched Capt Tim did you see the preseason games lots of yardage on run plays We need bigger linebackers to run stuff TJack hits Talib hits on the field we will see if Sean Jones is better than Sabby
September 18th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Jlynch- Give me inexperienced instead of overmatched any day.
September 18th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Ash I agree with you !!!
September 18th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Tampa2…you realize the Glazers are still paying Gruden, right? & Raheem was seen as an up & coming coach(finished second in Denver to McDaniels), as well as the last credible link to keeping Tampa’s successful identity(ironically enough, with the Tampa 2, & even more ironically, he went away from it(after getting gashed by Carolina too many times)with the Bates/bigger bodies system…)
& the Glazers finished 2nd to Washington in trying to get Haynesworth, & tried to get both Cassel & Cutler, as well as spending on maybe the best FA back(Ward)& a guy they thought would rebound(Clayton). But hey, don’t let facts get in the way of your negativity…
September 18th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
PLUS, they’d seen too many years of “plug the holes with older/expensive players” with the Gruden/Allen era, which doesn’t give you much foundation to build on(& why they are gone), *&* wasn’t how we built the Lynch/Sapp/Brooks era.
September 18th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
good stuff christopher
September 19th, 2010 at 5:11 am
What do the saints play? They have a 4-3 that’s really got a lot of different looks. I don’t think the 4-3 is dead it just needs to be more confusing and rely less on great D-Line.
September 19th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Wake up Joe, It’s gameday.
Jamie Dukes, Joe Theismann, & Jason Cole all picked the Bucs.
I slept in my Jersey, and was only semi-drunk.
Let’s get fired up! Go Bucs!!!