It’s “Attitude”
May 20th, 2020
Talks growth of run defense.
Joe has joked about this before, but when it calls for a fastball down the middle, Joe will deliver.
Former disgraced Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith didn’t know it, but he was years ahead of the game.
In 2020, the buzz term of the year is “social distancing.” This is normally what women — both drunk and sober — do with Joe in local watering holes.
Nevermind that, as Uncle Ira would say. Smith, who damn near set NFL standards for the worst defense in the century-long annals of the league, was ordering people to practice social distancing. On purpose even!
Poor Vernon Hargreaves became so adept at social distancing from receivers at the line of scrimmage, it likely ruined his career.
Enter Todd Bowles the season after Smith was(way too late) canned. Bowles took over the defense and it became the best run defense in the NFL.
Sure, it helped to have Ndamukong Suh clogging up the middle, Vita Vea healthy and a talented young linebacker in Devin White also added to the tough sledding foes had on the ground.
So earlier this week when he did a hit on “Good Morning Football,” seen weekday mornings on NFL Network, sassy Kay Adams asked Bucs linebacker Lavonte David why such a turnaround happened for the Bucs defense.
David seemed to think it was a mindset.
“I think it was attitude, attitude,” David said. “Bowles challenged us. We looked at the schedule. We played a lot of great running backs and we knew teams were going to try to run the ball on us.”
That’s true. The Bucs once faced a murders row of some of the best running backs in the NFL and the Bucs got the job done. The Bucs were No. 1 in rush defense for yards per game allowing an average of 73.8. The Bucs also allowed opponents 3.7 yards a carry, second-best in the league.
Of course, one could argue what good is it to be such a good run defense in a passing league? That’s also true. Of the top-12 defenses in yards-per-carry, only one (Belicheats) made the playoffs.
But hey, it’s a start. Better to be damn good at one thing and force your opponent to throw the ball. The more a team throws the ball, the more chances there are for picks.
And the way some people go mental in the comments on this here site, picks might be more important than points scored.
Can you imagine?
“Our attitude was just real different.” 😤
📽️: @gmfb pic.twitter.com/2JEXNUCFRc
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 19, 2020
May 20th, 2020 at 4:27 pm
the stench of smitty finally left the building in DEC…..
with JPP starting the season hopefully 100%, this defense will be strong from start to finish….
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 20th, 2020 at 4:52 pm
Stop picking on Realist’s uncle Mike!!!!!
May 20th, 2020 at 5:40 pm
That is one fine woman.
May 20th, 2020 at 6:30 pm
Yep. Load up on whatever you’re good at defending and make them one dimensional. That’s assuming they can contain the pass.
May 20th, 2020 at 7:00 pm
Part of the problem goes to Licht. He drafted bump and run defenders when Smitty was a zone coach.
Maybe it does say how bad Smitty was, he refused to adjust his play to his players.
Bowles will need to get those same players to play zone, on occasion. Showing zone at the start of a play and switching to man, or vice versa, can really screw up a QB.
May 20th, 2020 at 7:07 pm
Agreed, but Brady has seen everything.Hopefully.
May 20th, 2020 at 7:14 pm
Craig, I don’t think I ever saw either Mike Smiths or Lovie Smiths defense EVER disguise the coverage. PATHETIC!!!!!!
May 20th, 2020 at 7:18 pm
Craig, maybe the was a hint from Licht to stop running that god awful, pussified soft zone quarters scheme on 70+ percent of plays…
May 20th, 2020 at 7:26 pm
So Brady is teaching already Jensen how not to have a sweaty as** , football gets wet .. lol.
Where’s was the coaching staff or two face Arians to teach this little thing to help out jameis ??
May 20th, 2020 at 7:29 pm
Joe
“This is normally what women — both drunk and sober — do with Joe in local watering holes.”
I love self deprecating humor. Well done sir. I use it in my posts as well and as far as ammo for my self deprecation I have a lot to work with.
I think Koetter made a major mistake in turning the D totally to Smitty. Not just because of Smitty’s lack of ability or failure to adjust…I’m just not a fan of a coordinator getting a head gig and then ignoring the side of the ball he didn’t coordinate.
I understand that Koetter wanted to respect his former head coach but he should have stepped in. It was Koetter’s butt on the line!
May 20th, 2020 at 7:30 pm
Dang Ardnagy did you expect the coaching staff to help “Blameless” learn how to put on his jock?
The left leg goes here…the right leg here…you pull er up and there’s the place for the boys and your package.
May 20th, 2020 at 7:40 pm
Although run defense is important,Pass rush and pressuring QB is more important and Bucs proved they were good at both last year.
Now for some ball hawking…
May 20th, 2020 at 8:12 pm
There may be a reason why we drafted a ball hawking safety who has been schooled in football all of his young life because of his lineage. Do ya think?
Year two of Todd Bowles’ defense could be a thing of beauty.
May 20th, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Smitty’s defenses were so bad, they looked the way a defense would look if the defensive coordinator were throwing the game(s).
May 20th, 2020 at 8:17 pm
Alan
That is what excites me about our young DB’s this year. I agree with you that ball hawking should improve this year. All three of our young guys came with a rep of getting to the ball…I think D White will add some picks as well this year.
May 20th, 2020 at 8:46 pm
Say what you will about this defense but they were good at a couple of thing aside from the obvisous run stop.
My favorite moment of last year was when we made that goalline stop to end the Carolina game. I woke up my kids but it didn’t matter. To have a team you can count on and actually have real faith they can get a goalline stop is very exciting to me………It won is games last year and it get overlooked by many.
We also seen this D create a lot of turnovers and game changing plays. These often came in late games and in clutch moments. There is a lot to build on with this defense and it don’t stop at run defense.
May 20th, 2020 at 8:58 pm
St Pete-
… and looking forward to big plays from the rookie safety
May 21st, 2020 at 12:46 pm
Man, I love me some sassy Kay Adams, she is so hot!
May 22nd, 2020 at 11:58 am
(In 2020, the buzz term of the year is “social distancing.” This is normally what women — both drunk and sober — do with Joe in local watering holes)
Don’t feel bad Joe, these days the only women that don’t practice the “social distancing” with me at the local watering hole are the ones that ask if I want to party. One thing I will not do is pay for it. Go Bucs….