Matt Stafford To Todd Bowles: Blitz Me
November 23rd, 2025
Blitzing could backfire tonight.
You live by the sword, you shall die by the sword.
Joe isn’t trying to be biblical about football but if the following plays out the way Joe fears it could, the Rams could hang a biblical loss on a Todd Bowles’ defense tonight.
It seems, by way of Sarah Barshop (apologies to Ms. Barshop but you don’t know how hard it was for Joe not to type out “bar hop.”), Rams quarterback Matt Stafford leads the NFL in touchdown passes, in part, because he feasts on blitzes.
QB Matthew Stafford has 20 passing touchdowns against the blitz this season, which leads the NFL. According to ESPN Research, he is tied with Tom Brady (2012) for the third most by any QB in a season since ESPN began tracking blitzes. On Sunday, he will be facing a Bucs team that has blitzed at the highest rate of any team (37%) since coach Todd Bowles joined the team in 2019. Tampa Bay is blitzing 33% of the time this season.
So, it’s mano y mano. Strength vs. strength.
Given how Stafford is so good this season, and Bowles’ defense is so bad (specifically since the bye), Joe isn’t sure how any Bucs fan has any confidence in tonight’s game, especially with the Bucs’ best cornerback out in Jamel Dean.
It would be really nice if the Bucs could get Stafford on the ground a few times. But if they couldn’t do that against Drake Maye (second-most sacked quarterback) and Josh Allen, why in the world would we expect the perpetually flaccid Bucs edge rush to suddenly stiff up and get the job done?
Even Mike Smith is biting his fingernails over this.
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:11 am
Thats not a problem. No pass rushers in the league have as much practice as dropping back into coverage.
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:18 am
Unfortunately the “pass rushers” are about as good in coverage as they are at getting to a QB. Without blitzing and tickery they have no chance of putting a finger on a QB.
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:42 am
Maybe that’s what we need. Bowles to get in there & try to blitz Stafford this way maybe a Rams OL could knock some sense into him & then maybe he’d realize he needs to change that scheme/system around. I don’t think it would matter who we put on that D as long as the D is being run like this with this type of scheme/system.
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:48 am
Let Captain Fear take over as the defensive coordinator.
November 23rd, 2025 at 1:23 am
This could be a bloodbath, like Mike Smith type of boat-racing if Bowles calls as bad as a game as he did in Buffalo.
November 23rd, 2025 at 1:29 am
FortMyersDave…I concur.
November 23rd, 2025 at 1:39 am
It will probably be ugly for us….but you know, any given sunday.
November 23rd, 2025 at 1:58 am
Waterboy hit it right on the head… todd bowles runs the same defense he did in the superbowl year… the difference is we have no prime shaq barrett, jpp or ndamokong suh for that matter. I gotta a question ok the bucs gave up a touch down with anthony nelson in coverage… what about the other 20 touchdowns?
November 23rd, 2025 at 2:54 am
Bucs gonna get used and abused on national television they will be embarrassed in dodger town f yeah back to back go dodgers
November 23rd, 2025 at 3:06 am
Bowles is stepping into a trap of his own making. The guy never learns. Not sure I will be able to watch the entire game when it gets out of hand.
November 23rd, 2025 at 3:07 am
Go Dodgers, I said this before the bye. We are right were I thought we would be.
U see, now u see. Make a run after this lost🤙🏾