Whetting Appetite For Defense
August 15th, 2016
Thursday just a preview.
Vanilla defense? Wow.
Thursday night against the Eagles, the Bucs were supposed to be in a vanilla offense and defense. Joe heard this from many at One Buc Palace prior to the first preseason game.
This would surprise Daniel Jeremiah. The fantastic analyst for NFL Network, a former scout who learned the ropes from Ozzie Newsome at Balitmore, saw the Bucs hardly were playing vanilla defense at all.
Appearing last week on “Schein on Sports,” hosted by popular sports radio and television personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively on “Mad Dog Radio,” part of the family of sports channels on SiriusXM Radio, Jeremiah was blown away by the defense of the Bucs.
“Normally in preseason, you see a bunch of vanilla coverages,” Jeremiah said. “Tampa was going after Carson Wentz. They were sending six guys on just about every snap.”
Saturday, Joe relayed Jeremiah’s quote to a Bucs type who smiled and said, in so many words, “we like to think we were running a vanilla defense.”
As far as the pass rush, Bucs fans better get ready, defensive tackle Clinton McDonald told Joe.
“No, I don’t think we topped out,” McDonald said. “It’s only the first preseason game. We are still learning how to work together. We are still learning how to react together. I think this is a preview of the greatness that we can become.”
This gets Joe fired up. Sure, the Eagles may not have the best offensive line. So what were the Bucs to do, lay down for them?
Joe has a hunch this defense may just surprise not just Bucs fans with the variety of schemes it will run, but opposing quarterbacks as well.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:05 am
On the SiriusXM GMC93 was talking about how Coach Smitty has then all so excited this year. He was saying how the whole defense was hanging on his every word!!! Even said he could talk about a receipe for food and they would be excited to cook!!!!! Sounds like the defensive unit is all buying in!!!!!
Very telling!!!!
August 15th, 2016 at 9:08 am
I really hope what we saw on Thursday was the vanilla defense.
By the way, both Jared Goff and Carson Wentz are not very good. The Buccaneers were very fortunate to have a poor season when they did in order to draft Jameis because QBs like that don’t come around very often.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:15 am
@D-rome
Not true!!!!! The 2 team that did the worst, got a boat load and kings ransom for those top 2 draft pick selections!!! Remember that both teams traded down!!!! Had the schedule not been historically soft and been a regular season, you know who would have been running for 1 of those top 2 picks!!!!
August 15th, 2016 at 9:16 am
That defense got pushed around with ease in the sudden change allowing 2 TDs with minimal effort.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:16 am
i knew Goff and Wentz were BUSTS!
They are like blaine gabbert or sam bradford! over-rated white boys! (i’m white btw)
August 15th, 2016 at 9:24 am
ESPN all summer hyping up Wentz and Goff even Elliot we gonna see how the rest of the preseason goes shoot even bosa was hyped up big time. It still is so ridiculous they were trying to say Goff Wentz better than Winston Mariota ha!!! Lmao
August 15th, 2016 at 9:34 am
I really think that LA and Philly are going to regret giving up so much for Wentz/Goff. Those two aint close to Winston/Mariota, who I beleive could really face each other in a SB by the end of the decade.
And hey, your schedules your schedule! If you blow thoae games then suddenly at the end pf the year that schedule looks tougher, although playing Dallas w/o Romo was a very lucky break.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:34 am
@The Buc Realist
I’m not quite sure what you disagree with. Do you disagree that Wentz and Goff are not very good? Do you disagree that the Bucs were fortunate to have a historically bad season when they did? Do you disagree that franchise changing QBs don’t come around very often?
I’m not a believer that Goff or Wentz are going to be good. Dak Prescott looked better than Goff the other night.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:37 am
We are all so used to Lovie’s sham of a defense that we think that rushing 6 is a big deal. Compotent D-coordinators in the NFL realize that pressue on the QB is important to winning. Lovie thought that you could only rush 4 at a time, because that’s the way he learned it from Dungy.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:45 am
Let me see if I’m comprehending correctly. Hundreds…literally hundreds of NFL experts selected Wentz as among the best QB’s available in the draft.
Among these hundreds of “NFL experts” were dozens who earn their living judging NFL talent.
Wentz who admittedly comes from a small school and faced inferior competition relative to the other QB’s…was playing in his very first NFL game. Our D rushed as many as six and we were very effective against Philly’s weak OLine.
And so based on this single performance by a rookie overwhelmed by schemes and effective pass rush are you REALLY ready to pronounce all those NFL experts as incorrect and Wentz as a bust? Do you suppose the smart play might be take a wait and see attitude?
August 15th, 2016 at 9:48 am
“Sure, the Eagle’s offensive line is not very good . . .”
The Bucs have been bitch-slapped by much morse lines than that one.
Remember, for the last few years “mediocre” would have been a sizeable upgrade.
Don’t get goin’ above your raisin’.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:58 am
@Stpetebucsfan
It’s far too early to call Wentz and Goff busts. I simply said they are not very good. That doesn’t mean that can’t change. However, it does mean that for the time being neither of those guys are good enough to start in the NFL right now.
As for the “experts” well many of those same experts also said Johnny Manziel, Jamarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Matt Leinert, and Geno Smith would be solid QBs.
August 15th, 2016 at 10:07 am
StPete, you nailed it. Single performance, preseason game, rookie from a small school in his first NFL game … and he was only 12-24 for 50% behind a mediocre OLine going against a very aggressive Bucs defense. Yup, Wentz sounds like a bust to me. A little premature perhaps to judge?
August 15th, 2016 at 10:21 am
The Buc Realist Says
“On the SiriusXM GMC93 was talking about how Coach Smitty has then all so excited this year. He was saying how the whole defense was hanging on his every word!!! Even said he could talk about a receipe for food and they would be excited to cook!!!!! Sounds like the defensive unit is all buying in!!!!!”
Wow. Thanks for sharing that!
Get’s the blood pumping.
August 15th, 2016 at 10:22 am
DallasBuc Says
“That defense got pushed around with ease in the sudden change allowing 2 TDs with minimal effort.”
That was after the 3s went in.
August 15th, 2016 at 10:24 am
@Stpetebucsfan
Believe it or not, before we were in a position to draft Winston, there were people here saying we needed to draft Wentz when the chance came. They wanted to trade the farm to move up in his projected draft.
Those people are pretty quiet now.
August 15th, 2016 at 10:39 am
Buccaneer Banzai says
“That was after the 3s went in.” Am I wrong? I thought both TDs were after the Bell fumble on the opening kick-off, and after the Winston Sack-fumble. Those hardly qualify as ‘after the 3s came in’, although the late field goal certainly does. If you want me to understand this comment, you gots some ‘splainin to do…LOL. Not pulling my hair out , yet, cause the defense did great, overall, but they’re going to have to deal with the sudden change better than that.
August 15th, 2016 at 10:46 am
The eagles have one of the best Olines in the NFC aside from the cowboys and Packers
August 15th, 2016 at 11:00 am
Fritz59,
You’re not wrong. I don’t know why Buccaneers Bonzai keeps saying those initial scores were against the backups when you can clearly see Noah Spence, McDougald, Darryl Smith, McCoy, David, McDonald, Alexander, Verner, Ayers, ect…
This is the first touchdown:
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2016081151/2016/PRE1/buccaneers@eagles#menu=gameinfo%7CcontentId%3A0ap3000000683734&tab=recap
Here’s the second:
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2016081151/2016/PRE1/buccaneers@eagles#menu=gameinfo%7CcontentId%3A0ap3000000683737&tab=recap
No 3’s in there.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:01 am
Fritz59,
You’re not wrong. I don’t know why Buccaneers Bonzai keeps saying those initial scores were against the backups when you can clearly see Noah Spence, McDougald, Darryl Smith, McCoy, David, McDonald, Alexander, Verner, Ayers, ect…
Just look at the highlights on NFL.com. Those were all starters at that point, not the 3’s.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:07 am
I think Wentz will be a good QB also.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:15 am
941 I’m puzzeled by all the eagles poor line talk as well bro. We gone get all over Bortles next game and like clock work they’ll proclaim the Jags have a poor line. And to be honest I don’t need my guys going all out in an attempt to keep anyone out the in zone in that situation during a first pre season game.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:19 am
St pete, I wasn’t too fond of Goff/Wentz prior to last weekend. But that’s just me.
And yea, many experts labeled Goff/Wentz the best qb in this draft, some have Goff 1 Wentz 2 and vice versa. But how meaningful is that when the class is pretty weak. There us no Jameis Winston, Blake Bortles, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Matthew Stafford etc so being the best qb in a crappy qb class is very hollow.
Much respect tho St.pete, rep that 727 lol
August 15th, 2016 at 11:20 am
That Jvile d line is nasty af.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:22 am
Nosbos
Looks to me like they went all out and still didn’t stop Ryan Matthews who is garbage imo. If you watch the play again you’ll see a certain Dline man jump offsides (not called) then he got pancaked 1on1.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:27 am
Great Largo I want you to stand by that statement. And what I find funny is how we lump marita in with Famous. If we are going to be critical of Goff/Wentz but not marita(a.k.a the check down king)then we’re showing bias because i’m yet to see anything in his game that would remotely indicate he and Famous possibly meeting in a superbowl in ten years.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:30 am
I see it a little diffrent DB. I’ve noticed in the pre season the home team usually plays wit a little more juice. In that situation I’m not displeased. Don’t need an unnecessary injury trying to prove what you’re capable of on the road in week one of the pre season. When they saw 80 yards in front of them we all saw results.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:32 am
I don’t know how anyone can pass judgement on rookie QBs playing in their 1st preseason game with 2nd and 3rd team back-ups.
Not for nothing, the broadcast crew on Thursday night neglected to point out that TB had its 1st team defense in for almost an entire quarter when Philly had already substituted their 2nd string offense. It was clear in the re-airing Friday afternoon.
I still like how we looked throughout, I just thought that it should be noted.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:43 am
Yea I just dont understand the lack of football knowledge by some people by calling the eagles offensive line weak. I would kill for our team to have the O-line
August 15th, 2016 at 11:54 am
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
“That was after the 3s went in.”
Wrong as usual. Our first teamers were in on both soft scores but their second string QB was able waltz right into the end zone on the 2nd TD.
You are the king of making stuff up!
August 15th, 2016 at 12:20 pm
I live about 60 miles from Philadelphia. Two things. Lane Johnson is the only OL I would want for the Bucs, and Carson Wentz was the most effective QB the fleagles put on the field Thursday night. Supposedly he’s going to ride the bench behind Bradford this year. I’ll believe it when I see it. Not that I would rather have him than Jameis, but he has the same leadership skills and confidence. Bradford comes across as insecure. The fleagles have more issues than the Bucs right now. The Bucs will be a playoff team before they will.