Defense Better Be Better

August 27th, 2019

Challenge.

Yeah, the Bucs defense looked sharp Friday night against the Browns. This has been lost in the (deserved) freakout over the offensive line.

And the Bucs best be better on defense, because man, they will get tested this year.

Sure, the Bucs face NFC South foes with lethal offenses six times, Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans. But the Bucs’ schedule is loaded with teams with high-powered offenses. NFL Films dug out the numbers for the good folks at BSPN’s NFL Matchup, .

Of the top-10 teams with the most explosive plays in 2018, the Bucs play five of them this season. (New Orleans, surprisingly, is not among them.) Those five include Atlanta, Carolina, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco and Seattle.

So is the Bucs’ defense better this year? It better be.

19 Responses to “Defense Better Be Better”

  1. Pittsshore Says:

    The D will Rock this year. We just need to keep them off the field by reducing turnovers

  2. View from 132 Says:

    For a pro D to look as bad as last year, there was obviously a lot of assignment confusion. If guys know what they need to do and tackle well, that’s a 90% improvement. How many of these “explosive” plays are really just either blown coverages or bad tackling? A lot. Cut those out and make the offense make a play and you immediately go into the middle of the pack as a D.

  3. Sport Says:

    Strength of schedule of schedule is only relative after the season. There are always surprises from year to year. Some teams outperforming, while others underperform.

    We get to make our own destiny and we finally have a true coaching staff, not seen around these parts since Monte was here.

    Joe speaking of Monte, I thought your question to Ira in the podcast was a good one. He should be in the ring of honor!

    Go Bucs!

    In BA I Trust!

  4. No Risk It No Biscuit Says:

    No worries with the defense this year.

    Spotlight is on Winston. With our o-line being at times weak he better pay attention to who is open and deliver quickly to get more 1st downs. Quick delivery will help Cappas development. Otherwise, we are doomed.

    Coaching will only work with team players.

    Go Bucs!!!

  5. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Our speed has improved greatly…..so has our scheme…..our aggressive approach will pay dividends…….sure, we will get burnt at times but we got burnt without the aggressiveness anyway.

  6. Jim Says:

    Defense going from very bad to very good in a matter of months? If it’s true, I’m all for it…

  7. Sport Says:

    No risk it – Agree about the spotlight being on Jamies, especially if the defense performs. From what I am hearing the coaches are working on the right things with Jamies.

    I wonder what Brad what Brad Johnson would do with this team? An ultimate game manager. We don’t need JW heroics, we need smart methodical football, our weapons will do the work. Get the ball out quick! Especially in the redone.

    If JW can do that, we have our QBack for the future. If not, we don’t need to waste all that offensive talent on inconsistency.

    In BA I Trust!

  8. Buccernutter Says:

    I’ll bet you anything panthers offense will finish bottom 10. Cam is already banged up from ONE GAME. Their OL is trash too. Plus they have one legit weapon in McCaffrey and Olsen is about retired. Samuel and Moore are unproven and virtually every WR has played bad with cam.

    Their defense could be solid but did anyone see mccoy get stonewalled all day vs the panthers?

    I just don’t think they will be good.

  9. Buccernutter Says:

    ***patriots

  10. El Buco Realisto Says:

    The toilet bowles defense will be exposed in just short weeks, once they finally see a NFL starter for the first time in 2019!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will be very exciting to see, ( if you are an opposing fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) The truth will be exposed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!

  11. TexBuc Says:

    If we judge Baker Mayfield the same way we judge Winston then there was no excuse for going 10-26 for 72 yards with 0 TD and 1 INT. The Browns did not start the starting WR’s , TE, and RB, but had the starting OL. Who does not consider Hunt not be a starting caliber RB?

    So our Defense just played a preseason hyped machine that is the Browns and Mayfield and won.

  12. rrsrq Says:

    I also see it as those teams play the Bucs offense too

  13. 813bucboi Says:

    defense got better the second smitty was shown the door!!!!!!!!

    GO BUCS!!!!!!!

  14. Mike Johnson Says:

    Lookayear guys, I worked in a restaurant kitchen during my college days. And I learned you cannot..turn chicken sh** into chicken salad. I mean please tell me..where is our pass rush coming from? Please tell me. The secondary? yes, we do have a much-improved D back end. But with JPP gone, where is the pass rush? Suh? ..who plays when he..feels like it? Coaches don’t line up guys. Sure we will get by the 9ers. But I got lots of question marks after that.

  15. BigMacAttack Says:

    They can say the Saints aren’t explosive but Brees is the best QB in the game. Every time their offense takes the field there is a very high likelihood that they will score on you. They’re the most explosive offense in football year in and year out. It’s because of Mr. Brees arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game. I have nothing but love for him because of the man he is. A finer human you will not meet. I wish he played for us. I’ll miss him when he retires and I think Todd Bowles’ defense is going to be a handful for him. But he’s still going to score, a lot, but hopefully not as much. I think we can hold him to 21-24 points per game. Every other team will score less than 20. Hide and watch, gents.

  16. Slugglife Says:

    Mike- your answers will come once the season starts. Nobody can predict how things will go once the clock starts running.

    Just have a beer bud. Let the season play out.

  17. Slugglife Says:

    You ain’t lying about the Saints. Hopefully our D doesn’t bend or break. Would be nice to see a 4-2 or 5-1 record in the south this year.

  18. TexBuc Says:

    Mike – I think Baker Mayfield is still asking the same question.

  19. RODNEY ALLEN Says:

    We were also above 4 of those teams so if our defense is only half as bad as last years 🤷‍♂️😁