Clayborn: Fans Have Reason To Doubt
September 2nd, 2013
The Bucs’ pass rush last year was pretty much dismal. Sure, it hurt that right defensive end Adrian Clayborn was lost early to an ugly knee injury.
In Joe’s eyes, the Bucs, for the short-term, didn’t do much to help their pass rush. They let sack leader Michael Bennett walk for little and all but handed his duties to highly-touted Da’Quan Bowers, who has all but taken his gift and thrown it away in the Bay.
Bucs fans are on edge about the pass rush, or lack thereof and Clayborn doesn’t blame them, so he told Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune via Twitter.
@RCummingsTBO: Bucs DE Adrian Clayborn on doubters of Bucs pass rush. “We haven’t rushed that good in the past year so they have good reason to (doubt).”
Clayborn is right. It’s time to put up numbers, i.e. sacks. Why should Bucs fans feel comfortable about a non-existent pass rush when it appears on face value the defensive line has receded, not improved?
Sure, Akeem Spence appears to be a player on the rise. He has more skills than his predecessor, but as Bucs commander Greg Schiano said himself, he’s a rookie prone to rookie mistakes.
Joe thinks it is very telling that all three of the Bucs’ Day 3 defensive line draft picks made the final 53-man roster. That is almost unheard of and speaks to how thin if not weak the defensive line is, sans stud Gerald McCoy.
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:11 pm
“Final 53 man roster”….yes…for the first of 16 seasons.
I more concerns here that anywhere else….we will see!!!
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Love Clayborn. He tells it like it is. And brings it on every play.
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:20 pm
I think we’ll see a modest increase to about 32-35 sacks this year. Nothing spectacular but improvement nonetheless. Expecting more than that is unrealistic based on this group of players’ past performance.
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
We have 6 DEs……
Leaves us a little weak with LB, S, WR,
Little heavy at RB, QB (would love to get by with 2)
With 6 DEs and a couple that can rush from inside….we have depth…but quality is a ?
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:43 pm
To me, it’s not really about sacks, it’s more about be disruptive and getting the QB out of his comfort zone or off his spot. I think with our secondary it will cause QB’s to be a little more skeptical about just throwing to designated timing routes. They will take longer to go through their progressions which will allow our pass rush to get there and move them off their spot. Where I agree to a certain extent that a dominating pass rush is a great luxury, having a dominating secondary should help to even the odds with a mediocre pass rush. Unlike last year where we had a mediocre pass rush but a terrible secondary. This year you will see more coverage sacks than any of the last couple years. JMO
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:44 pm
no pass rush= 5-11 one great db 5 average db’s =5-11
one above average LB the rest average to slighly below average = 5-11
one great saftey one average =5-11
QB is is a one read and run qb who is trying to be a pocket passer =5-11
gm is way below average = never above 500
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:49 pm
John
You need John 3:16 instead of 5-11
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:50 pm
john’s I.Q. = between 5 – 11
September 2nd, 2013 at 2:54 pm
John….why not focus on the positive…..we have one great player at every position except TE & perhaps QB
Martin, Jackson, Nicks/Joseph/GMC/David/Revis/Goldson
That really ain’t bad. It all depends on 5……
September 2nd, 2013 at 3:02 pm
one more no depth at any position = 5-11
September 2nd, 2013 at 3:24 pm
John… please do stick around throughout the season. I fully expect you to be proven wrong. Oh and thanks for another keeper for my files.
September 2nd, 2013 at 3:42 pm
hope i am wrong. no pass rush and one great DB the rest unprovn isnt good. one read QB who thinks he is a pocket passer…… vincent jackson or revis gets hurt??? 4-12
September 2nd, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says
“We have 6 DEs……
Leaves us a little weak with LB, S, WR”
I’m guessing that we’ll trim down on DE a little bit after we find true DTs that work out.
We were not low on WR until the last couple days. I would like to see a LB, a Safety, and a better CB for depth brought in.
And one particular FB
#John Conner!
September 2nd, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Oh, come on…. that could be said about most any team. If Calvin Johnson and/or Matthew Stafford go down the Lions are done. If Adrian Peterson goes down, the Vikings are done. If Tom Brady goes down, the Patriots are done. If RGIII goes down, the Skins are done. If Eli Manning goes down, the Giants are done. If Andre Johnson goes down the Texans are done, Chris Johnson, the Titans are done, Andrew Luck, the Colts are done. Defensive players qualify too…. an injury to Sherman could end the Seahawks chances, Patrick Willis could be the downfall of the Niners with an injury.
Some teams are pretty much done without any injuries. I can’t see the Bills or Dolphins doing much this year. The Raiders have no shot. Could the Jaguars be worse off if Gabbert gets hurt? Maybe MJD, but I can’t see them having much success in any regard. At least we’re in a position that we have starting talent on the starting lineup to begin the season. What happens after that, and how the team adjusts is unknown for all teams. So basically, every team in the NFL is a 5-11 team because they’re all susceptible to an injury to a major component of their offense or defense going and disrupting their season. Brilliant.
September 2nd, 2013 at 7:05 pm
Obviously the Bucs have depth issues. It is not a numbers game with the Bucs keeping a certain number of WR’s, LB’s etc. Its a matter of keeping player you hope have a chance to contribute. There is no doubt this roster will change in the next few weeks as roster moves are made around the league. The key is that the Bucs finally are at a point where we have a valid starter at almost every position. They have improved and need to continue to do so. For now we will go as far a Josh can lead us. He is the only choice for 2013 so lets get behind him. He did set a record for TD’s and yardage and has had quite a few comeback victories. The guy has capability. Having the fans backing could only help. Go Bucs.
September 3rd, 2013 at 7:02 am
[…] Tampa Bay Bucs have had difficulty rushing the passer in recent season. But defensive end Adrian Clayborn says fans have good reason to doubt the team’s pass rush heading into 2013. Despite spending a plethora of draft picks on the defensive line over the last […]