“It Makes Them Almost Impossible To Prepare For”

September 18th, 2021

Todd Bowles

Dallas had no problem with the Bucs defense last week, but that was an anomaly according to one Buccaneers legend.

Are you listening to Bucs Kickoff with Rock Riley, the new podcast on these pages? Well, lots of Bucs fans are, and today’s episode has Rondé Barber checking for a visit with Rock.

Barber shared some love for Todd Bowles and it got Joe thinking about how what Barber said will apply tomorrow against Atlanta at The Licht House.

In detailing why he thinks the Bucs defense is primed to improve and be a top-5 unit this season, Barber explained the difficulty it presents to offensive coordinators.

“You know, I’ve kind of given up trying to figure out what he’s doing on defense,” Barber said of Bowles. “I mean, the base structure of it, I know it’s a 3-4 and I know exactly what that’s supposed to look like. But then when you incorporate all the little things and the nuances that he puts into the blitz packages and the personnel.

“The one thing that’s very difference from the way I know defense and the way that these Bucs do defense is how they utilize the personnel. Every single player that’s available and dressed on Sunday and game day is going to factor in into their defense; Todd will have a package for them and it’s a specific thing. It almost makes them impossible to prepare for. So I think that’s a benefit and a strength of theirs. And I think that’ll just evolve.”

If Barber is correct, then certainly the Falcons have no idea what’s coming on Sunday, and Joe suspects Atlanta doesn’t have the horses to pull off what Dallas did.

Week 1 performance doesn’t often reflect what a team’s specific unit is all about. The Bucs defense was awful; and the Falcons offense made too many mistakes. Somebody is sure to right his ship in Week 2.

Enjoy today’s episode of Bucs Kickoff with Rock Riley below or here. (Pick up Rondé Barber after the 16-minute mark.)

18 Responses to ““It Makes Them Almost Impossible To Prepare For””

  1. Medicated Pete Says:

    This is our 5th preseason game. Just win somehow & be sharp for weeks #3 & 4 (must wins for Pete).

  2. Mike Says:

    All the Bucs D needs to do is keep them under 30 points every week, because this offense is going to get theirs.

  3. August 1976 Buc Says:

    Yes but Atl knows the Bucs are in a world of hurt with the CB situation, and they have a Vet QB that can get the ball out quick.

    Hope they somehow get PRESSURE on an aging Mat Ryan and limit the possible repeat of the carnage we all saw last week with “Rod- burnt toast – Jones” excuse me I mean J dean.

    The Bucs 30+ point average a game by the offense is the best defense they have right now.

    GO BUCS!!!!

  4. gp Says:

    How about we get on the other side of the turnover ratio and eliminate the stupid penalties!

  5. Defense Rules Says:

    I think some folks are selling our defense short. It all begins with our pass rush & last week it just wasn’t that effective. It was our first game, Dallas OLine did their job, etc, etc. Without the pass rush, we’ve all seen far too many times what happens to this defense.

    But I still think our DLine is extremely talented & most OLines will have their hands full trying to protect their QB. With the DLine doing its’ job, our OLBs & ILBs have also proven that they’re very effective at creating pressure. Patience; steady improvement game-to-game is what’ll git ‘er done.

  6. Bojim Says:

    Gotta chase Ryan around or he’ll hurt the secondary.

  7. gp Says:

    @Defense
    I’ve alluded to this in previous posts.
    I think the game-plan was allowing the short pass to Dak in the hopes that he was either rusty or out of game shape.
    That didn’t give our pass rush enough time to get home.
    Jamming the receivers and causing the play to extend another second or two will make all the difference in the world IMO

  8. David Says:

    I agree. When you add in Mike Edwards and Dean, they have 6 DB last they can put out there.
    They have two linebackers that can cover receivers or blitz with the best of them.
    There are 34 but on some running downs they have Sue Vae Gholstin Shaq and JPP on the line making it a 5-2 suddenly. Completely freeing up David and White.
    Now you can add in Tryon.

    Just like last year, they are going to get better and better and I have no doubt that Dean is going to get better

  9. BigPoppaBuc Says:

    Corner blitzes! They won’t be able to cover anyway.

  10. TampabayDJ82 Says:

    First of all , the BUCS didn’t have any tape to go on for a game plan last week as the Cowgirls didn’t show ANYTHING in the preseason. Second , the REFS last week were calling 🐂💩 penalties on the Bucs , but the Cowgirls O-LINE held the Bucs MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE GAME and weren’t called for it ! Jerry Jones said he was willing to do whatever it takes to get the Cowgirls into the Super Bowl , and I don’t put paying off those OLD GEEZER ref’s out of the question.. Anyway , the Bucs got the win !! And as I remember in last year’s opening game , the entire team didn’t play very well. I think they come out STRONG, put the slap down to the Dirty birds , and re-establish themselves as a powerhouse Defense

  11. Joe Says:

    First of all , the BUCS didn’t have any tape to go on for a game plan last week as the Cowgirls didn’t show ANYTHING in the preseason.

    That is just grossly inaccurate.

    Bucs had a whole season’s worth of tape to go on. Cowboys had the same offensive-minded head coach, same offensive coordinator, same skill position players and same offensive line.

  12. DavidBigBucFan99 Says:

    Their offense played harder than our offense but our offense was still more impressive. They better be prepared for the Falcons they know and not the ones they saw lose last week. They put up an average of 27 points a game against us when Ryan is on his game like he usually is for us.

  13. DavidBigBucFan99 Says:

    That was supposed to be their offense played harder than our defense. Joe you need an editor??? 😅🤣😂

  14. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Says:

    The Cowboys pretty much handled our pass rush last week, and did a lot of it by Holding.

  15. Anonymous Says:

    Everyone is complaining about how close the Dallas game was…..take back the 2 turnovers deep in Dallas country and add two scores instead and we have a 16 point victory!

  16. Brandon Says:

    It’s a 3-4….. kinda. They lined up with a four man line and played a ton over cover 2 in the Super Bowl… they weren’t a 3-4 much if at all in that game.

  17. orlbucfan Says:

    Cowjerks held like crazy in that game. Jones is the epitome of an ahole owner, and the fans on here know it. I knew that Vegas spread was BS cos of Jones. Now, my young and fellow Buc fan neighbor told me earlier today that Julio Jones is gone, and the Falcons have less than zero now on offense. But you never know about Tampa Bay. Plus, the weather.

  18. John F Ensch Says:

    this Bucs defense is bad, very, very, very BAD!!!!!!!!