YaYa Diaby Showing Promise
November 13th, 2024
Quick.
OK, regular readers know what Joe thinks of pressures. But, yeah, pressures are better than nothing, even though Joe thinks pressures are next to nothing.
Joe has a lot of hope for Bucs outside linebacker YaYa Diaby. He’s still young. Has a ton of heart. And at times is beastly.
Still, two sacks over 10 games? Even Diaby will admit that won’t cut it. So he’s looking at maybe four sacks this year?
Diaby, is giving Bucs fans a glimmer of hope, though.
Per @Doug_Analytics, who gets some of his intel from FTN Data, Diaby averages the ninth-quickest time to get pressure on a quarterback.
That means Diaby is getting himself in position to make a play, or preferably, level a quarterback. His average is 2.39 seconds to get pressure. That’s slightly better than Micah Parsons (2.41) and almost as fast as Maxx Crosby (2.38).
Alex Highsmith of the Steelers only needs 2.03 seconds to get pressure.
So there is something there with Diaby. The next step is getting him to level quarterbacks, not just scare them.
Time to Pressure Leaderboard
• 2 Steelers rank among the 4 fastest
• Chris Jones as dominant as ever
• Travon Walker with the 4th-most pressures as charted by @FTNData, but the slowest time to pressure (min 22 pressures) pic.twitter.com/qnFw7Whgez— Doug Analytics (@Doug_Analytics) November 13, 2024
November 13th, 2024 at 4:39 am
He is the only one doing well. Ranked no 25 on my favorite analytics site. Yaya is our highest Edge guy. Our others Braswell(91) Joe (102) and Nelson(104) are all near last in the league.
November 13th, 2024 at 5:15 am
He will probably stack up some sacks against weaker opponents down the stretch.
November 13th, 2024 at 5:16 am
Agreed, YaYa is doing really well. Over Aiden Hutchinson too!
November 13th, 2024 at 5:25 am
So much promise, not production. Yeah he’s fast running into the tackle, but then he gets stoned. No speed to power, not much lean, and bend. He’s not a starter, be a decent back up. He constantly let’s QBs outside the pocket, doesn’t seem to have good instincts, or take good angles when rushing. Guess he’s good at the two Ps, pressure, and promise. Call me when he makes a play.
November 13th, 2024 at 5:47 am
Joe … ‘But, yeah, pressures are better than nothing’.
You’re slipping Joe; turning soft. Hold the line; sacks are everything.
Bucs’ defense has allowed opposing offenses to run 664 plays this year … 260 rushing, 376 passing & 28 sacks. So we’ve managed to sack opposing QBs on a whopping 4.2% of their plays. We’ve blitzed 299 times in our 10 games, and achieved a grand total of 93 pressures … 28 sacks, 35 QB knockdowns & 29 Hurries. Projected over 17 games, that amounts 508 blitzes and 158 pressures … 48 sacks, 60 QB knockdowns & 50 Hurries.
Compare that to 2020 when we had Vea, Suh, JPP & Shaq … 542 blitzes and 193 pressures … 48 sacks, 68 QB knockdowns & 73 hurries. Or compare it to 2021 when we had the same guys … 532 blitzes and 224 pressures … 47 sacks, 77 QB knockdowns & 95 hurries.
Looks to me Joe like we’re pretty much on-track to get the same number of sacks we got when we had a Top-10 defense with Vea, Suh, JPP & Shaq out there. We’re blitzing roughly the same number of times per season, but our ‘pressure rate’ is down. Hmm, maybe that’s why opposing QBs are completing 68.6% of their passes against us and we’re sporting the #28 defense? Of course, back in our Super Bowl year our #8-ranked defense allowed opposing QBs to complete 69.0% of their passes, but we won’t go there.
November 13th, 2024 at 5:53 am
In years past JTS would often get close too. I used to think that showed promise too.
November 13th, 2024 at 6:16 am
Promises, promises….
November 13th, 2024 at 6:40 am
Joe please don’t insult yourself with saying Pressures are next to nothing. 75% of Interceptions are due to pressures.
Jeshush man!
November 13th, 2024 at 6:58 am
2 sacks…wow
November 13th, 2024 at 7:14 am
That D has all the talent in the world on it but Bowles isn’t helping things. Vita has like 5 sacks & Kancey already has like 4 sacks just in the 4 or 5 games he’s played. So yeah it’s all there in a way. I think if somebody else just takes over the D they could help turn it around. It’s not like they’re old they’re a young D.
November 13th, 2024 at 9:17 am
AGAIN…is the high ankle sprain plus him dropping back some causing a slow start?
November 13th, 2024 at 10:03 am
But how is he in pass coverage? (The preceding comment was brought to you by sarcasm. Sarcasm. It’s what’s for breakfast.)
November 13th, 2024 at 10:15 am
I like YAYA, but he is nothing WOW…., he didn’t do anything spectacular yet this season, of course when your competition is Nelson JTS and Braswell, you will always shine…..
November 13th, 2024 at 10:23 am
😂😂😂😂 he’s a injury prone JOKE
November 13th, 2024 at 10:42 am
Fred McNeil Says:
In years past JTS would often get close too.
^^^^^^
The next article could be: “JTS gets close but can’t close”. Same exact article but with a negative spin. Joe’s fans would be berating JTS nonstop.
November 13th, 2024 at 10:52 am
If only Brian Burns was available to trade for this past offseason!
November 13th, 2024 at 11:35 am
No No will make it through his first contract. Time will tell if he gets a second one. Right now it appears to be a No.
November 13th, 2024 at 11:37 am
JTS is making more plays on the field than No No. Not the backfield mind you, but elsewhere. Still probably not worth keeping depending on the price. But No No shows no more promise at this point in his career than JTS did at the same time. Licht is just awful at picking pass rushers.
November 13th, 2024 at 12:33 pm
Showing promise? Where? At his local bodega? In weightlifting sessions with JTS? Seriously?
November 13th, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Drafting a couple of linebackers this draft inside and outside.
November 13th, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Hard to get sacks when receivers are wide open all game.
November 13th, 2024 at 3:39 pm
Yep. What a promising Defense. 4-6 worth of promise. And probably a losing season worth of promise. JTS and Brasswell worth of promises. Time for a divorce from the promises your Defenses never kept Todd Bowles. Time for you..to pack your bags and fulfill the fans wishful promise.
November 13th, 2024 at 3:55 pm
If only the linebackers and safeties could cover the middle of the field and not give up 1400 yards and 13 TD’s in the first 10 weeks with an average of 2.25 seconds before the throw… Yaya would be a double digit sacker already.
November 13th, 2024 at 10:15 pm
What Fred McNeil said.
November 14th, 2024 at 1:35 am
where is randy gregory when ya need him………………ha
November 14th, 2024 at 11:48 am
Pressure that makes the QB have to move around and get out of his thought process. So just come off the ball and shove the tackle into the QB and pick up the fumble. Haha.