Gerald McCoy: No. 5

May 27th, 2014

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The stat nerds at Pro Football Focus are winding down their Top 101 players in the NFL, based on stats of course. Three teams had two players in the top-10. One was the Super Bowl champs. The other was the NFC East champs.

The third team was the woeful Bucs.

Of course, we all know Lavonte David made the list. Now, we know defensive tackle Gerald McCoy made the list.

Sam Monson describes what put GMC into the top-10.

Key Stat: His 80 total pressures was bettered by just four other players; three edge rushers and Watt.

Gerald McCoy has become the prototypical 3-technique or under tackle in a 4-3. He is the pass-rushing player on the interior of a four-man line and the player usually tasked with beating a guard one-on-one and disrupting plays in the backfield. McCoy has become as good as anybody at shooting gaps and playing on the opposing side of the line of scrimmage. The level of pressure he has been able to generate playing on the inside, despite little help around him, is remarkable.

In any other year McCoy would likely be the Defensive Player of the Year, but in 2013 he couldn’t even be the first runner up in that category at PFF. Despite being overshadowed by the years Watt and Quinn had, McCoy should not go without notice and he is well worth his place at No. 4 on the PFF Top 101.

Three things spring to mind for Joe:

1) How can a team have two of the best players in the NFL and be so rotten like the Bucs were last year? That’s almost impossible to fathom.

2) As good as the Bucs defense was last year, it goes to show how pathetic the offense was, given the Bucs drafting No. 7 overall.

3) The Bucs have one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL and few sacks to show for it. How absolutely criminal was it that GMC got little to no help dirtying a quarterback’s jersey. What an outrage!

14 Responses to “Gerald McCoy: No. 5”

  1. PRBucFan Says:

    #4 🙂

  2. brandonbucfan Says:

    “How absoluteley criminal”…….. That’s why we heard the stories we heard about GMC going to Schiano and BEGGING to get rid of their rush scheme. Again, that’s another reason why I am high on the BUCS future… Last years staff didn’t know what they were doing! I think Lovie has put together a great staff.. Look for great things this year from GMC Johnson and the rest of the DLine plus of course #54

  3. Harry Says:

    Joe, did LVD and GMC tie for 5th place? Yesterday you said LVD was #5. Maybe GMC is #4? Sorry, had to bust your balls. LOL

  4. Bucfever40 Says:

    Ian Beckles was locked on to GMC for the longest time, always describing how much of a bust he was and blaming him for his bicept injuries , McCoy has REALLY taken his game to a new level where Warren Sapp used to roam, so has Lavonte David. If we needed to replace Sapp and D. Brooks, we could not have done better than Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, they even have a chance to become BETTER than the 2 great HOF’ers, wow!

  5. duthty rhothdes Says:

    GMC is number 4 on the list and LVD is #5, go to the site its pretty in depth on the rankings, like stated above how can the bucs have 2 of the best in all of football and be so turrible has to go back to coaching

  6. Jim Walker Says:

    Go back and watch the double reverse play that St Louis ran on us. Watch how GMC was the only player trying to make a play. Clayborne, David, and all the safeties just watched him score. At least Revis ran, but took a bad angle. Pathetic.

  7. Bucsfanman Says:

    GMC took a lot of heat early on, and I think you could make a case for it being warranted. Since then, however, he has been phenomenal. I can’t wait to see how he performs with some talent around him.

  8. William Says:

    Coaching, Coaching, Coaching!!! Problem is solved for 2014 season. We will see competition. Instead of 1st half competition we will see 60 minutes of good COACHING!

    Beers will be drank because of excitement not depression….

  9. Bucsfanman Says:

    “Beers will be drank because of excitement not depression….”

    That’d be my preference but I’m drinking ’em either way!!!

  10. Bear the Bucs Says:

    Schlitz for everyone ! I’m buying.

  11. Ryan Says:

    My answer to #1: Greg Schiano.

  12. tiny tim Says:

    GMC is #3 according to the list

  13. PRBucFan Says:

    1. J.J. Watt
    2. Robert Quinn
    3. Peyton Manning
    4. Gerald McCoy
    5. Lavonte David
    6. Richard Sherman
    7. Evan Mathis
    8. Lesean McCoy
    9. Andrew Whitworth
    10. Marshawn Lynch

    He’s #4 Timy Tim 🙂

  14. Harry Says:

    If being #4 did not register for Bucs fans, being the next best player behind Payton Manning should make GMC’s importance register! WOW