Bill Sheridan Believes In the Pass Defense
November 16th, 2012
The Bucs’ secondary has been roasted and basted like a Thanksgiving turkey this season. There is no denying the numbers and the painful viewing.
The Bucs pass rush isn’t as ugly as in past years. However, it’s surely average at best by NFL standards. The defensive line is sack-challenged again, and Bucs blitzes only have had modest success.
But despite the woes in pass defense, defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan insists the Bucs have strong pass rushers and that the inconsistent secondary has the ability.
“I think our front, for the most part, does a great job of pushing the pocket. It’s not like we’re getting stonewalled and we’re not advancing the quarterback. That’s happening,” Sheridan said yesterday. “You know, we may not have sack numbers to prove that, but we have quality pass rushers, even if we just rush four guys. And those guys are getting to the quarterback.”
As for the defensive backs, Sheridan said successes in the secondary leave him confident moving forward.
“I’ve seen our back end guys play good coverage enough I know they can do it,” Sheridan said.
Joe appreciates the optimism, but Joe is no believer in the pass defense.
Joe isn’t seeing how the Bucs are going to get much more out of two first-time safeties, banged up Eric Wright, E.J. Biggers and the rest of the group. These guys already are coming up with big plays game after game, and it’s still not enough to avoid getting grilled for huge yardage.
Joe could see the pass rush improve, as DaQuan Bowers gets in top form, and Gerald McCoy’s young motor stands out as the march for the playoffs presses on.
November 16th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
lies
November 16th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
I’m with you on this Joe. Our CB’s need a complete make over. Only ones I think need to stay are Gaitor and Johnson. Neither are starting corners in this league though. At least not yet anyways. Wright is ok but not worth the money were paying him.
November 16th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
I wonder even McCoy is going to hit a “rookie wall.” His hasn’t played a full season yet.
November 16th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Wright isn’t going anywhere. Next year’s salary is guaranteed
November 16th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Anyone wanting Wright gone has lost their senses. The Bucs would be on the hook for too much to not play him. I think his game will improve the longer he is here. It wasn’t Wright that offenses were picking on.
I see a lot of promise in Johnson but both he and Biggers have a lot to prove…and Biggers is not doing well at all. One pic doesn’t erase all the crap play he’s shown. But…at least he doesn’t quit on plays anymore.
And speaking of UNPROVEN…Joe, what exactly has Bowers done to prove himself so far? I hope for the best…but he has to earn the props, not just have them handed to him. I don’t have a problem with him at all and THINK he will live up to expectations…but lets not give credit until it is due.
November 16th, 2012 at 4:19 pm
@BigRob
Good one, rookie wall.
The Bucs pass defense sucks, no amount of pats on the back will make it better. Safety or CB blitzes compound the problem.
November 16th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Some of the stout run defense is at the expense of pass coverage, but not all.
We’re still giving up way too many big plays and biting too much on play action. I can’t see us fixing the problems this year but at least envision some modest improvement.
Anyone else here find nearly impossible to comprehend a Bucs offense that can shoulder the load for a porous defense? I can almost see Monte Kiffin projectile vomiting!
November 16th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
According to Profootball Focus Leonard Johnson grades out better than Talib in pass coverage (not as good in the run). He has played almost as many plays too. According Profootball Focus Barber is a freakin’ studd against the pass and the run. He is the second best safety in Coverage. Where we have a problems is actually with Barron who is great against the run but a liability in pass coverage, literally in the bottom 5. From what I have seen he bites on play-action and pump fakes and is continually out of position. Good news is he appears to be getting better. Biggers scores out a little better than Wright but both are pretty average cover corners. Myron Lewis is bad corner and thankfully does not see much playing time but actually Brandon McDonald was a worse corner than him. Couple that with the fact we get very little rush from the right so teams slide coverage and you get a recipe for disaster. Another reason our pass defense is bad I would say is who we play. We have played one “bad” quarterback (Brady Quinn), the other quarterbacks we have played are all top 10 rated passers when we played them (save Cam Newton) and he lit the Bears up for over 300 yards. Also we have such a good run defense teams seem to not really bother trying to run. Unless it is in their DNA (Washington, Minnesota or KC).
Hopefully Schiano can make LeQuann Lewis and Leonard Johnson even better and maybe Daniel T(whatever his name is) can rush like he did against the Chargers. Then we can make the playoffs and maybe even some noise once we get there. With our offense our defense only has to be average and we could dominate. Imagine if we had a healthy Nicks and Joseph. I am happy with BUCS. I think we have a great young squad, good coaches and a great GM. They are trying to fix the problem with our defense but it is not an easy fix obviously. We need another good pass rushing lineman or two and I think 2 more good corners. Also we need time for Barron to get better in coverage. Future looks bright though.
GO BUCS !!!!
November 16th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Good God Joe .. Relax.. The strides this team has made in what was a disaster last year is far better than anyone suspected. The local radio stations were negative enough. (Although everyone is on the bandwagon lately.. Even Ian). This team knows exactly what’s needed in the offseason and the future is so bright I need shades ( couldn’t resist the old Chucky statement) Focus on all that’s right with this team which is a whole lot including an offensive explosion we have never had. I’m pumped as everyone should be.. The national media is finally catching on a little bit. A couple more wins and we will be the best story of the year..
November 16th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
You know Pete, I really take offense to calling Biggers a quitter, as you repeatedly do. Call him a crappy corner all you want, but not a quitter. There is absolutely zero evidence other than what you saw with your own eyes (might I point out it was with those same eyes that you still insist witnessed a late hit on Mark Barron against Steve Smith. I’m still waiting for that fine that you promised). Frankly, your eyes don’t mean squat, as you lose all credibility by not just admitting you were wrong from the beginning. If he was a quitter, he wouldn’t be on this team this year, period. If Schiano got rid of all those other guys (who could actually play), why in the hell do you think he wouldn’t get rid of Biggers? You are flat out wrong, and you really need to stop saying it – unless you can give some credible evidence (which we all know you can’t).
November 17th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
This makes me sick. What coach Sheridan said is exactly the opposite of what has been going on this year. A lot of times this year I have been very disappointed with our pass rushes inability to push the pocket, or make the qb change his launching point. I think coach Sheridan should be exposed for his mistakes that he makes so many times, I think with a great, not good D coordinator that this defense could be lethal (with some cornerback help).