Beastly Run Defense Even Without Devin White
November 28th, 2021
Our beloved Bucs just about neutered the best running back in the league today until late in the fourth quarter.
Heck, Jonathan Taylor was the second best running back on the field.
Of course, four-touchdown Leonard Fournette was the top dog.
It was a stunning display by a run defense that’s among the best in history. Seriously. Joe won’t lay out the numbers here, but that’s what they show since the start of the 2019 season.
Taylor was so stymied through much of the game that the Colts abandoned the run early and threw 44 times despite leading much of the game.
Taylor was on pace to set an NFL record, nine consecutive games of 100 yards or more from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown. He finished with 83 yards rushing and 14 yards receiving — three yards short.
The Bucs’ effort against the run without Devin White, who reaggravated his quad injury in the first quarter, made it all the more sweet.
The pass defense is poor, but the run defense still is enough to be a game-changer. As Sage JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman said last week, “If Carson Wentz throws 40 passes, the Bucs will win.”
November 28th, 2021 at 4:51 pm
We were dead ducks until Shaq got the strip-sack-recovery
November 28th, 2021 at 4:51 pm
Nobody runs on the Bucs
Period
November 28th, 2021 at 4:51 pm
Can’t give up 31 points to Indy. That’s awful.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
The Bucs got so so many breaks in this game……………
November 28th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
Exactly! Indy wasn’t exactly a great team……….
November 28th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
Joe- really??? He averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Frank Riech and the Bucs porous pass defense stopped Taylor, not the Bucs.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
I haven’t seen any improvements from the defense. Gonna be tough if we go on the road against Green Bay or whoever.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
I dont know. We have to get better than this. Seems like we hang on to win these games.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:54 pm
What pissed me off was early in the game Shaq gets tackled and then Wentz takes off for the first down on his side.
Good thing our defense force guy hard because our offense stalled a fee times, including once on a very short field
November 28th, 2021 at 4:54 pm
Neutered?
When they finally started using him against us he was doing pretty damn well.
We’re all happy we won but try being realistic Joe.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:54 pm
Gornk and lenny had a heck of a game, but we didn’t seem to involve Evans or Godwin much
November 28th, 2021 at 4:56 pm
The Play Calling is so suspect…………..Byron Leftwich needs to do something about this play calling
I’m sorry, but when you have Chris Godwin and Mike Evans on the same offense and they barely get any touches the whole game????
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THAT’S A HUGE PROBLEM from a play calling standpoint
November 28th, 2021 at 4:57 pm
No quit in this team. Defense again without its two first string cornerbacks. Indy is a well coached very tough team. They will be in the playoffs. Lenny and gronk were the difference in big plays by 54 and 31. Got to love the heart of this team.
November 28th, 2021 at 4:57 pm
What are the rams doing?
November 28th, 2021 at 4:58 pm
Front 7 worked very hard today……collectively did well….
November 28th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
Why bother to try to run when there was no DB within ten feet of any receiver for most of the game.
We did dodge a bullet there, mostly because our offensive plays looked like sandlot football, especially compared to the Colts plan.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Hope the Rams lose again
I cannot stand Sean Mcvey…….cocky little “F”
November 28th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
@joes
Over reacting much. Jonathan Taylor ran the ball down our throats on that late drive, which hurt at the time. THIS IS NOT A CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENSE. Depending on turnovers is NOT how its done, see Lovie Smith. So please with the over reaction. Great win but far from perfect. Also I am concerned with Bradys recklessness with the football. He has thrown a lot of picks in the last 4 games. UNACCEPTABLE from a HOF QB. But Playoff Lenny and our OLINE won this game today. And btw Nick Leverette was awful, I am almost sure the TEs were helping him with blocks the whole game.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:02 pm
@lamarcus
Right on!
November 28th, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Craig just stop. This offense will get better. My concern is this defense. They can’t stop nobody.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Btw even before that amazing interception I was alter appreciating how sound of a tackler Winfield is. He made a couple of just real solid tackles on Taylor with at least one being in the open field with nobody else to beat. That interception was a thing of beauty
November 28th, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Check the stats. Taylor did absolutely nothing running the ball through 3 quarters. And I mean nothing! Yes, when the Bucs D Line was a bit worn down, Taylor flashed a bit.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:04 pm
Honestly Guzman I was more concert with the offense this game. Too many 3 and outs and a lot of our points off of turnovers. Defense held them several drives,. It can’t expect them to hold up forever (especially with said 3 and outs)
November 28th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Coburn 31 points is a joke to the colts now. It seemed like the colts never punted. Defense has to get better.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Stop it Joe. The reason Taylor didn’t go off is because his play caller didn’t get him involved enough. You see what happened when they decided to feature him. Ran it down our throat.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:18 pm
Alvin,
They didn’t use him much for the first 3 quarters!
That’s why.
When he ran…..he freaking ran.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:28 pm
Taylor had 6 rushes thru 3 quarters.
Yeah, we really neutered him. Actually, it was eight rushes. Why? Because it wasn’t working. –Joe
November 28th, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Joes, you have a number of maroons that don’t football much. These nimrods wouldn’t be able to tell a football from a cantaloupe.
Play calling was excellent.
The Colts were the hottest team in the NFL and every experts’ favorite upset pick.
The defense lost Dean right away, were without Davis already, SMB missed time, JPP is playing with one arm and no hands, DW was out for much of the game, Suh injured himself chasing Wentz and Vita isn’t 100%.
On offense, they’re down to their 4th guard and playing against a scheme that said “beat us running the ball.” So the Bucs did. And brutally.
They Bucs started sloppy but cleaned it up and it was the Colts that out-slopped the Bucs. That’s the pressure the Bucs defense put on them.
I’m critical when it is due but this one, while plenty of warts, had a thing of beauty about it, coming back fro down 24-7 in their crib. And running it down their throats when it was absolutely necessary.
Well done BA and company.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:46 pm
SwampBuc,
I know you’re a self-proclaimed football genius…… but we were never down 24-7.
Pay attention to details will ya?
November 28th, 2021 at 5:55 pm
Guzman defense got off the field a lot early in the game. After dean went out they got some momentum on offense, but even some of that was our two turnovers plus that 15 yard punt and penalty. Thats easy points and I’m pretty sure at least half of those 31 were the result
November 28th, 2021 at 5:55 pm
Joe says:
As Sage JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman said last week, “If Carson Wentz throws 40 passes, the Bucs will win.”
Wentz was starting to crumble with his lost strip sack fumble and then the interception. It was only going downhill for him.
Ira Kaufman is a man of wisdom!
November 28th, 2021 at 5:57 pm
I mean we forced 4 turnovers so we did something right on defense. I’m not disappointed we didn’t do more with 4 turnovers.. like that very very short field on that special teams whiff that was a gift
November 28th, 2021 at 6:03 pm
Oh and when you get 4 turnovers (5th at end there) plus a muffed special teams catch thats why they didn’t punt. I’ll take a turnover instead of a punt all day
November 28th, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Frustrating game to watch. Lots of highlights for both teams with plenty of big plays. But Bucs were out played for the first 3 quarters. They got some big breaks in the 4th quarter on turn overs that made the difference. Bucs sack totals are way off from last year. Evans was mostly shut down. Gronky kept us in it. 4net played his best game yet. He really blasted his way into the endzone. Weak pass rush and defensive back pass coverage are hurting the bucs big time. Brady continues be off on too many passes. Gronk and 4net deserve game balls. Especially 4net. Probably his best game yet.
November 28th, 2021 at 6:27 pm
Taylor is a beast. The Colts coaching staff reminded me of some of the past Bucs staffs. If Indy would have stuck with the run, they probably would have won. Being pass-happy led to 2 INTs. On the other hand, people like BucAnthem that constantly criticize the Bucs current coaching staff sound ridiculous. We won the SB last year ,have the #1 offense, multiple injuries and are in the fight for another SB. Yeah, our coaches suck! Not.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:03 pm
Not sure how we won this one to be honest. Thought we were dead and buried, then the strip sack by Shaq kept them from going up big on us, and we always have a puncher’s chance with this offense…
November 28th, 2021 at 8:23 pm
Wait, what? The Colts didn’t even try to run until the end of the game, then they ran over the Bucs. What are people watching? When the Colts needed to, they ran it right down the Bucs throat, then at the goalline, guess who is too fat and out of shape to be on the field when they give up a huge TD?
Colts had 107 yards at 5.4 yards per carry. That is not dominating run defense.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:37 pm
Bucs defense had 5 turnovers. That was a big reason why they won.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:59 pm
The game plan was simple, shut down Taylor, And they did. He got a bunch of yards on that last drive because they were playing for the pass.
As far as everyone wanting to complain about yards or points the Colts put up… Let’s see how the DBs are As the year goes on and they get healthy… Hopefully
November 28th, 2021 at 9:01 pm
Rod
Bucs played very well against run because colts Taylor got like over 50% of his yards at the end of game where we were playing only 5 in box and protecting our lead almost encouraging colts to run
Situational football
Smart
November 28th, 2021 at 11:22 pm
Colts OL was good they created clean passages enough for Taylor’s ridiculous burst. but we also ran over them. a doze of their own medicine.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:11 am
Well Devin White cam back during the 2nd half…
And once the Colts actually committed to the run, they ran it straight down our throats. 5-10 yards a pop with ease.
This entire defense is a concern. And yes I know injuries are part of it. So what. Figure something out besides soft Swiss cheese zone, Mr. Bowles.