Shaq Barrett’s Quiet All-Pro Start
September 19th, 2022
Dominant.
With Joe Tryon-Shoyinka not yet looking like a healthy Jason Pierre-Paul, it’s been crazy critical for Shaq Barrett to have a good first two games.
And he has.
In the opener against Dallas, Shaq was pressuring Dak Prescott consistently.
Whose pressure led to Prescott breaking his finger? It was Shaq’s.
Who was in Prescott’s face when he threw the key interception to Antoine Winfield, Jr.? That was Shaq. Joe also saw some of the stat-nerd sites were lauding Shaq’s high pressure/hurry totals after that game.
Yesterday in New Orleans, Shaq was beasting again as a complete outside linebacker. This time he had two sacks, a key forced fumble, five solo tackles and a run stuff.
Yes, Joe realizes Shaq has played back-to-back against two left tackles that weren’t supposed to be starting this season. But production is production. As of today, Shaq is on the blistering pace he set in 2019.
Joe’s savoring the fact that the Bucs have had a healthy stud edge rusher for four consecutive seasons. Shaq is irreplaceable and an invaluable cog. The Bucs have a lot of those on their A-list defense.
Since arriving in Tampa Bay in 2019, @ShaquilBarrett ranks 2nd in QB pressures, trailing only 3x DPOY Aaron Donald.
QB Pressure Leaders Since 2019 (via @NextGenStats):
1. Aaron Donald (214)
2. SHAQ BARRETT (188)
3. T.J. Watt (186)
4. Myles Garrett (183)
5. Yannick Ngakoue (167) pic.twitter.com/Dk6lC6nDkx— Andrew Holman (@andrew_holman2) September 19, 2022
September 19th, 2022 at 11:24 am
JTS looks like he is improving, though not yet on the stat sheet. I see him dropping in coverage and looks like he’s in the right place.
I didn’t notice Hicks before he left injured and didn’t notice him gone. Put him on IR.
Suh.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:26 am
Hicks 19 snaps with 2 solo tackles and 1 assist.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:30 am
Licht did it again–Logan Hall filled in seamlessly. UFA left tackle? Kid filled in seamlessly
September 19th, 2022 at 11:39 am
I was so upset he didn’t come up with that fumble after he stripped Winston, because the scoop and score was there for a blink of an eye. Shaq’s been generating pressure consistently since he landed in Tampa and the timing of it paired with 2019 being Bowles’ first season turning this defense around plays a big part in the overall theme of our defense and that’s disruption. Vita Vea is still occupying two blockers, per snap, got a half sack yesterday and should get the credit on Devin Whites’ sack for opening the A-Gap up and basically allowing the speedy ILB to get across the LOS pretty much untouched.
It’s AMAZING how different this defense can look, just with a cleaner bill of health. Green Bay should be scared, their offense isn’t built to withstand what our defense does best, not for 4 quarters.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:43 am
JTS is getting DEEP penetration. Playing much better than last year. Shaq looks good as well. also liked Nassib grabbing that fumble.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Shaq is fantastic……a great motor…..always giving 100%……..he will track down Rodgers
September 19th, 2022 at 11:47 am
Shaq is on pace for 20 sacks. It’s early but a good sign. He’s been destroying teams in the 4th Quarter, too. I appreciate his dedication to the sport.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:47 am
We know anything on Hicks?
Suh.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:48 am
Positive talk about pressures on JBF?!?! WOW!
September 19th, 2022 at 11:52 am
Good to see Shaq having a good start to the seaon.
Suh > Hicks
2nd game and iHicks njured already
Availability is the best abilty, Suh never missed a game.
And the run D dose not resemble anything like when Suh is there.
GO BUCS!!!
September 19th, 2022 at 11:53 am
Shaq’s sack numbers have been good. But his pressure rate has been elite. And as we saw last week adds to the stat line in other ways such as interceptions. He’s also been steady as they come. Just a bit of improvement from some of the other cogs up front and we’ll be among the best lines in the NFL if we’re not already there.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:02 pm
@Robert
100% agreed on JTS. Bro needs to find an inside counter move that he’s comfy with and temper his speed just a bit, but he’s flashing on a series to series basis. Just a matter of time before he starts kickin doors in
September 19th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
He caused some procedure penalties on their tackles also.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:09 pm
Bowles going with the small lineup like the NBA switched to.
It appears that in about 70% of the plays JTS at 259lbs is our 3rd heaviest player on the field. That was not the case these last few years. We won’t stop the run as well with the “small” lineup. But heck yea, the rest of the way this defense looks is outstanding.
I approve the small lineup. Let’s see if it can stay healthy through the season.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:16 pm
IMO the defense’s dominance has been due to the new 3 safety look, as many have already pointed out. We have slightly suffered in the run game, but that’s natural since Jordan Whitehead, who mainly played in the box, is gone. Maybe SMB’s lack of playing time has also impacted our run D: he’s bad at coverage, but he’s a pretty good run stopper with good tackling and instincts (maybe best bet would be moving him to safety as well?).
All in all, I’d rather the Bucs allow some more rushing yards but clamp up the pass. Looks like those 1st Run Defense, 32nd Pass Defense days are gone…
September 19th, 2022 at 12:22 pm
@CHo
it’s not “new” its the same personnel package we used against KC in SBLV, the only new thing about it is that instead of having Whitehead play at the top of the box, we crossed trained Ryan & Winfield at nickel instead of SMB being the NB. Edwards plays where Whitehead was, same top of the box presence, but much better playing the back end in coverage evidenced by the INT he read and reacted on yesterday.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
Cho:
Good point.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:27 pm
@Dooley
We have a much higher percentage of 5 defensive backs (corners and safeties) in our lineup this year than in our Super Bowl victory. The official snap counts prove that out.
Not saying that we did not use 5 guys during the Superbowl. Just not at the same frequency that we are using this year.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:33 pm
@Geno
It’s two games compared to 1, we also used a Dime package yesterday with 4 safeties on the grass. IIRC we dropped JTS & blitzed Keanu Neal on that play in particular. IJS, it’s not the first time we’ve seen alignments with that variation of the personnel. Even back to 2019, we signed Deon Buchannon to be that extra safety like Neal is apparently being used.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Plan 9 is just Plan 9 seems no better/
September 19th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
Are people still asking for Suh? I, at 180lbs, could play better defensive line play than Suh. Let it go.
Barrett has been crazy consistent. People don’t see the 19 sacks and think he’s fallen off. One you arrive, your sack typically drop, because they know where are and get rid of it before you can get there. The pressures say more about a DL than the actual sacks honestly.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:02 pm
#93 is available
September 19th, 2022 at 2:36 pm
I give JTS some credit as well. He played fantastic against Dallas. He was all over the field and pretty disruptive. Against New Orleans he wasn’t quite as good but he definitely has improved over the last year and I expect it to continue.
It’s great to see Shaq playing the way he is.
My biggest concern right now is the DTs have not been dominant stuffing the run like we saw in the past or even against Tennessee in the preseason
September 19th, 2022 at 2:45 pm
If Suh would relent to $3-$4 million and part time, I’m sure they’d sign him. If Bowled wanted him here, he’d be here
September 19th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
First things first..sign back suh…2nd let’s start moving Shaq to the edge of their weakest player.
Have him flipping sides to make him harder to game plan.
I’m pretty sure he amassed all the sack on the left side the year he owned it.
I wonder the health of jpp or gmc now?
I think we should really be looking for some one to trade for to get a oline atheist for depth.
September 19th, 2022 at 3:46 pm
And we could have drafted TJ Watt. Instead we drafted OJ Howard.
And @joe used to call for for Yannick Ngakoue all the time.
September 19th, 2022 at 4:41 pm
We have had a sad history when it comes to truly elite (Selmon, Sapp, Rice, & now Shaq) pass rushers, but when we get it right, we knock it out of the park.
September 19th, 2022 at 6:51 pm
Maniac… After watching the run defense the first 2 games, it has not at all been like it has been from 2019 to 21. In the Saint game they were getting gashed too many times.
I a not saying to sign anyone. the post was a statement made about SUH and Hicks because I what I posted before about Hicks and his injury history and how many games he has missed as opposed to how so many were saying how Hicks was going to be a great addition. Availability is the best ability.
I asked the question before about what is the over under on how many games Hicks misses this season due to his injury history.
Did not think Hicks would get knocked out of a game this quick though. I hope he can come back quickly. I hope he can be counted on, but that is a big hope, at his age and injury history.
Now that the secondary is playing much better, the run D is not at all what it was.
I do not know what Suh was asking for in contract negotiations, how much money, but what we do know right now, it is glaring not having him in there for the run deffense.
Many things were said about how Suh lost a step, and some other things too, but again it is GLARING the difference in the run defense now so far and what they have been since Todd began to run the Bucs defense.
Hopefully Todd and the Bucs brass can figure this out somehow.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
September 19th, 2022 at 6:52 pm
Maniac… After watching the run defense the first 2 games, it has not at all been like it has been from 2019 to 21. In the Saint game they were getting gashed too many times.
I a not saying to sign anyone. the post was a statement made about SUH and Hicks because I what I posted before about Hicks and his injury history and how many games he has missed as opposed to how so many were saying how Hicks was going to be a great addition. Availability is the best ability.
I asked the question before about what is the over under on how many games Hicks misses this season due to his injury history.
Did not think Hicks would get knocked out of a game this quick though. I hope he can come back quickly. I hope he can be counted on, but that is a big hope, at his age and injury history.
Now that the secondary is playing much better, the run D is not at all what it was.
I do not know what Suh was asking for in contract negotiations, how much money, but what we do know right now, it is glaring not having him in there for the run deffense.
Many things were said about how Suh lost a step, and some other things too, but again it is GLARING the difference in the run defense now so far and what they have been since Todd began to run the Bucs defense.
Hopefully Todd and the Bucs brass can figure this out somehow.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
September 19th, 2022 at 7:33 pm
@Cho. Good call on Jordan Whitehead, who mainly played in the box. As someone else pointed out, Edward’s is better on the back end compared to JW, however I don’t see our secondary being able to replace JW’s box presence and tackling. So that leaves us with having scheme up better placement or getting more stout on the pint of attack. This, the only really viable option is better prepared scheme with emphasis on stopping the run. Yet, honestly in this new season I don’t see is getting back to our dominant run stopping ways. With our current roster that isn’t how we are built (with the lone exception in Vea). The NFL is riddled with copy-catism which results in constant change. This appears to be our changing of the guard year from a run stop to a pass stop centric D.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:04 pm
KK….. This appears to be our changing of the guard year from a run stop to a pass stop centric D.
I do not know if that was the plan or not, but the Bucs are getting gashed by running backs too many times,
The defense as a whole is doing well, but getting gashed has to change, that is simply getting beat at the line of scrimmage, not because they changed from run centric to Pass centric.
This Defense has definitely taken a step up, but we will get a better view of things in the next 2 weeks against Rodgers and Mahome boy.
Hopefully they continue to excel.
GO BUCS!!!!
September 19th, 2022 at 9:13 pm
Pressures are fine, but pressures are now sacks. They must generate sacks and splash plays, but really they must take out QBs. The effect is vastly different. Sacks break QBs mentally, pressures just bother. Not good enough.
JTS still doesn’t fully deliver, despite great first step and penetration, but he is consistently stopped short. Shaq has been quiet so far. Carl is Carl. If they had a legit edge out there instead of Carl, the sacks would pile up.
September 19th, 2022 at 10:06 pm
Who is coaching JTS he never plays over 50% on right side of R Tackles chest , he doesn’t even work deep enough to the right balance to counter left ……… way to much Eric Curry run around the outside .