Defensive Tackles Need To Improve
March 11th, 2012
When Gerald McCoy was lost for the season, the play of the Bucs defensive tackles wilted.
On a slow, sunny spring Sunday, the last thing Joe wants to do is get bogged down in statistical graffiti when it comes to football.
But one doesn’t need to be a stat geek to understand that the Bucs’ interior defensive line was one reason opposing running backs abused Bucs defenders like tackling dummies last season during the grotesque 10-game losing streak.
The spreadsheeters at ProFootballFocus.com have a breakdown on interior defensive linemen, and two Bucs who started last year, Brian Price and Roy Miller, were amid the bottom rung of defensive tackles.
Now part of the reason the Bucs’ rush defense collapsed is of course the poor (Joe’s being polite; it’s a Sunday after all) play of the linebackers. Matador tackling by cornerbacks didn’t help much either.
It’s no coincidence to Joe that when Gerald McCoy went down with an(other) arm injury after four starts, the rush defense progressively got worse.
For the Bucs’ run defense to remain stout, or improve, GMC will need to stay on the field.
March 11th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Wow! A picture of GMC not giving that stupid bug eyed smile…AND IN UNIFORM! hold on to that pic, Joe. Its like having a snapshot of an endangered species.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how Schiano and his def staff make adjustments to personnel as well as scheme with this young def line. Damn I hope this is a big year for us. Go Bucs!
March 11th, 2012 at 1:13 pm
the accumulated young talent on the DL will pay huge dividends for years to come…..
March 11th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
The ranking fits the film. Price and Miller looked awful last year. Led to Foster, Black, and Hayes looking awful which led to the secondary looking awful. It all starts up front and if the line can not do its job that burden is trickles to the LBs and secondary. And with O-linemen at 300+lbs, that is too heavy of a burden for LBs and DBs..
March 11th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Sign a good backup DT in free agency. We’d be fools to trust McCoy and Price to stay healthy again.
I would think that after two seasons we would’ve gotten something out of them instead of dead last defensive rankings. Sorry, but if you’re injured all the time, you’re useless.
Hope it’s different in 2012. Stay on the damn field.
March 11th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Need to add some depth via free agency. Jason Jones would be great, would immediately start along side McCoy if not push him for his spot. We can not go into the season banking on McCoy and Price staying healthy, and improving their game play if they do.
March 11th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Our D-line is horrible we need to address this by getting mario williams.. Mark dominik said free agency was to address draft mistakes our whole D-line has been a mistake except for adrian clayborne… You can say injury had a play in that.. But lets face it the Nfl thats an excuse..
March 11th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
@Nate So, Bennett is a mistake? Bowers is a mistake? You know, you would be the only person on the planet to believe that. DE is set. There will be no signings outside of UFAs.
March 11th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Joe, Before Price got injured there were good things said about him. Do you think he still has a chance be a dominant player?
March 11th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
We have no idea what this line will be, MRio Williams was no beast his first year, the texans were wondering if they made a mistake. Now they have a full offseason with new strength and conditioning coaches, let’s see hoe they do. This team is still a few years away, lEts just see if they can be competitive and show improvement.
March 11th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Price went to TC with cruel …eructating…pain
and played…
his heart and competive desire regardless of how his career plays out will forever stand tall in the Bucaneer toughness hall of fame…….
Lawrence Dawsey
March 11th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
GMC may not be the next coming of Warren Sapp. Like him or not the guy causes disruption. Most teams wont run up the middle if GMC is regularly breaking through the O line. Whether he sacks the QB, he is still in his face causing problems and shortening the time frame the QB has to get the ball off.
As for B. Price. The guy was no more 75% healthy at any part during the season and caused more disruption then a LOT of fully healthy D lineman in the league. Another off season worth of rest and a full OTA season will severly increase his production.
My thought of 2012 with our D line. One of the scariest in the NFL. Clayborn with an entire off season to train, GMC, Bowers, and Price having the ability to get really close to 100% healthy. This is the break out season we’ve been dieing to see out of our D-Line. Mark My words.
BREAK OUT YEAR for the D- line, Freeman, and Benn
March 11th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
I would like to blame the poor coaching staff we’ve had for the last few years stunted the development of our young talent. Rah never could attract talented coaches due to the fact he was a young coach with little experience, this lead to Rah trying to do too much @ once. Trying to coach the D @ the same time he has head coaching responsibilities lead to his demise, sure some coaches can do it but not young rookie head coaches. Things were the same on the offense though as well, Rah could never bring in any coaches that were worth a damn.
March 11th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Oh btw for those who want us target Mario Williams… You are retarded. Plain and simple. If you are that kind of fan who doesn’t look at ALL the circumstances as to why the front 4 played the way they did last year. You are not a true fan of the Bucs or even football for that matter.
the strongest position we have on our D Line is our DE’s Clayborn, Bennet, and Bowers. Bowers and Clayborn of which i think will be steady productive stars for the foreseeable future. Bennett add’s quality depth. So where does the “NEED” for someone like Mario Williams comes into play ?
If we need to add anything to the D Line it’s a Veteran Quality DT, because GMC has history and Brian Price is one bad leg twist away from loosing his entire career
But to go after a HUGE name in a position we really don’t need to fill (like Mario Williams ) is just bad money management and a bad idea.
Just my 2cents.
*note- Haters, please don’t think i am bashing Williams. I think he would be a hell of a player. In our position this year tho it wouldn’t be a wise move or worth the money.
March 11th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Question for you Joe(or anyone who knows the answer),
What happened to Al Woods? I thought he was coming on strong. Also, how did Frank Okam fall down the depth chart so much?
Honestly, I would like to see Brian Price at the 3 technique and Frank Okam holding down the NT spot. To me, it seems that could cater to their skills sets more. Allowing them to be more explosive at their respective positions.
Thoughts?
March 11th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Al Woods went to the Seahawks last year with Todd Wash and Okam had a calf injury.
March 11th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
@thibs5599, DEFINITELY agree with the whole Jason Jones addition, and I’d be surprised if the team didn’t make a run at him. One of the least trumpeted needs on the team is the quality of the depth on the DL. If the team is looking for guys to compete for their spots, adding a guy like Jones, Bunkley or Okoye would be a good start. And as far as GMC goes, met him multiple times and he is a great guy, but at this point he really needs to learn to let his play do his talking for him.
March 11th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Mario Williams would make no sense at all. Great player, but he’d cost too much to be a rotational guy with Clayborn, Bowers, and Bennett.
March 11th, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Bla, bla,bla.
I remember arguing with you sheep before the season about how poor this D Line would be in 2011. You sheep were arguing that these 4 early draftees would easily surpass the 32 sack mark and would be one of the league’s best. Wrong!
I predicted 24 sacks, penciling in GMC for 3-4, I overstated both.
When rahrah called GMC’s fundamentals “pop warner.” When Warren Sapp calls him soft, when you have 2 IR stints in 2 seasons – you have been a miserable disappointment.
I agree that GMC is disruptive: disruptive to those who plan and rely on him being productive.
Now GMC seems to believe that rah’s horrible and undisciplined coaching caused him to disappoint. We will see who is correct about why GMC stinks: pop warner fundamentals or bad rah coaching now that the team has a real coach.
March 11th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Don’t break your arm Patting yourself on the back Thomas, you wont be able to type…
I like the idea of getting Okoye in our DT rotation, Wish we would have drafted him when he came out of college early. His Dad was a great RB…
March 12th, 2012 at 12:57 am
@Thomas 2.2
Hence why i said move Brian Price and Gerald McCoy into the same position and use them for rotation/situation football? Allowing both to not have to play full time and risk re-injury.
And to be honest i really don’t see your mad hate for GMC. I agree he hasn’t lived up to his potential yet. But 90% of your posts have some form of negative insult to him or Dominik. I mean are you mad he was the number 3 over all pick and your expectations were way high? Or are you just mad we drafted him period? I mean come on, give it a rest.
Michael Lombardi has us taking Dontari Poe at # 5 over.
Thoughts on that ? I mean he seems to be a beast and would play NT.
March 12th, 2012 at 1:51 am
TopDoggie:
Hope so but not sure if he will every recover from that injury.
March 12th, 2012 at 8:07 am
Thomas 2.2
You, sir, are a liar.