Money-Down Winners
September 17th, 2019
Back in 2016, the Buccaneers led the NFL in third-down defense.
Seriously. Nobody did it better. Opponents converted just 34.36 percent of their third-down opportunities.
It’s the reason Team Glazer gave Mike Smith a fat contract to return in 2017 and not seek a head coaching job. Brent Grimes led the NFL in passes defensed and Robert Ayers sparked a revived but nothing special pass rush. Those Bucs were money on the money down!
It’s very early — too early — in the 2019 season for most trends. But hey, why not? Before Monday night’s Jets-Browns game, the Bucs ranked sixth in the NFL on third-down defense under new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, per NFL Films compiling for the ESPN NFL Matchup show.
We’ll see where it goes.
For those wondering, last season the Bucs ranked 22nd in the NFL in third-down defense (40.33 percent), one notch better than the Saints. Minnesota led the league at 30.53 percent.
September 17th, 2019 at 12:02 am
Hope we can keep this going cuz it sure is nice for a change
September 17th, 2019 at 12:20 am
Teams probably had two 3rd downs the whole game last year. #Perspective
September 17th, 2019 at 12:53 am
Potential Trade Candidates
• CB – Jalen Ramsey – Jacksonville
• DT – Davon Godchaux – Miami
• DE – Charles Harris – Miami
Defensive Lineman
• DE – Ndamukong Suh | Davon Godchaux
• NT – Vita Vea | Beau Allen
• DE – William Gholston | Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Linebackers
• RUSH -Carl Nassib | Anthony Nelson
• MIKE – Kevin Minter | Devin White | Jack Cichy
• WILL – Lavonte David| Deone Bucannon
• SAM – Shaquil Barrett | Charles Harris
Defensive Backs
• CB – *Jalen Ramsey | Sean Murphy-Bunting
• CB – Carlton Davis | Jamel Dean
• NB – Vernon Hargreaves III | M.J. Stewart
• S – Mike Edwards | Darian Stewart
• S – Jordan Whitehead | Andrew Adams
September 17th, 2019 at 2:55 am
It’s a pipe dream but I would love to pick up jameis’s FSU homeboy and stick him in there defending against the qb’s in the NFC south and the nfc all together..jaylen would absolutely put fear I to thoes qb’s and would not throw his way much….leaving C.Davis #33 with alot of chances as well as VH3…I think under bowled our corners are playing much better just by the eye test from me but there was still alot of plays the left open if can the other night could have just made the plays he should have made…our collapsing of the pocket I’m sure had a little to do with that and there’s plenty of room to grow for our young db’s but if we were able to trade with Jacksonville for Ramsay , holy smokes that would help us tremendously….very excited about this season and thank you Todd bowled for bringing back a defence I think o Dr time we all could be proud of….I’m telling you , if we right the ship over the next 3 years & B.A leaves , Todd bowled is going to get another head coaching job and it will be right here in Tampa Bay ! GO BUCS
September 17th, 2019 at 3:38 am
Actually, in Jacksonville, many fans are calling for Coach Marrone to be fired.
September 17th, 2019 at 4:14 am
Well his 6th round pick QB was playing extremely well when he decided to roll the dice instead of going to overtime.
Going for the win is exciting, but when you end up losing like that and going 0-2 in the process, yeah- they call for your head.
September 17th, 2019 at 6:16 am
LUVMYBUCS … I really enjoy your analyses, but I can’t see the Bucs doing much of anything in terms of trades UNLESS someone goes onto IR (yup, $$$ once again). And even if we did scrape together the necessary shekels this year, a big-money signing could very seriously limit our options next year (we’ve got LOTS of good players on 1-year contracts who’ll want to be paid if we do well this year).
3rd-down efficiency is obviously a key to having a great defense, and certain teams on your list Joe appear annually in the Top-10. What we’ve seen from the Top-5 though (18.5 – 25%) is unrealistic over a season. Looks like 28-30% wins the Top-Spot about every year historically, and 38-40% hits the Top-16 spot. So right now, teams like the Patriots, Bears and even the Packers are playing lights-out in terms of that stat alone.
September 17th, 2019 at 6:17 am
No to Jalen Ramsey. We don’t need a toxic locker room. When things don’t go his way he’ll do the same thing to BA n Bowles that he did to Marone. AB has put in the minds of some of these young players that it’s ok to disrespect ur coach in public when things don’t go ur way. If the league don’t remove the cancer, it will become a trend for disagreements n grievances. I believe our secondary will be just fine. They r slowly progressing n gelling. By mid season the chemistry will be in full mode.
September 17th, 2019 at 6:24 am
Well, after having a Garfield-like cup of HIGHLY caffeinated coffee, my mind is starting to clear and the prospect of trading for Jalen makes less sense this morning. Sadly, it’s really ONE large mitigating factor……..MONEY!
We can’t afford him, period.
3rd downs are huge. 22nd seems deceiving. We gave up some really long 3rd downs last year, I’m talking 3rd and loooooooong! We have to get off the field and stay fresh.
September 17th, 2019 at 6:51 am
Actually, if you look…..we were 7th…..but still good.
September 17th, 2019 at 7:59 am
Dmatt your what’s wrong with this team don’t want talent. We need to be calling Jacksonville all day for Ramsey
September 17th, 2019 at 8:09 am
So its okay when brady argued with his coordinator, but when ab and ramsey do it its disrespectful smdh
September 17th, 2019 at 8:23 am
LUV
no taco?
GO BUCS!!!!!!
September 17th, 2019 at 9:06 am
webster Says:
September 17th, 2019 at 8:09 am
So its okay when brady argued with his coordinator, but when ab and ramsey do it its disrespectful smdh
Are you talking about the 3-time league MVP, 4-time Super Bowl MVP, and the guy with SIX Super Bowl wins? THAT Brady?! You’re seriously comparing AB and Ramsey incidents to Brady’s?! I’m guessing you’re going to your go-to argument?!
September 17th, 2019 at 10:13 am
I’d love Jalen Ramsey on our team from a talent perspective, I think he’d bring swagger and energy to our defense. But would I want to give up a first round pick for him? Not really…
But honestly Licht will probably draft a bust with the 1st round pick so I don’t know
September 17th, 2019 at 11:45 am
DB55
You beat me too it. Easy to have a great third down%, when the other team never gets to third down.