“If You Don’t Have That Big-Timer”
July 3rd, 2025
Todd Bowles
The Bucs ranked sixth in the NFL in total sacks last season but were the rare team in that class to have its fans begging, pleading and screaming for pass rush help.
Well, maybe it’s not rare considering the same freakout happened in 2023 when the Bucs ranked seventh in the league in total sacks.
Those realities actually impress former Chiefs head coach and longtime offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who coached with an against Bucs defensive coordinator/head coach Todd Bowles.
Haley talked on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week about Bowles’ prowess when it comes to scheming. So it didn’t surprise him that the Bucs found sacks — lots of them. For Haley, that reality says Bowles is doing things the right way. He’s just lacking pass rush talent.
“You gotta do what you gotta do if you don’t have that big-timer that you can just say, ‘Hey, we’re moving you around and you’re going to make a play for us,’ Haley said. “And that also forces the offense to allot players to him to make sure he doesn’t wreck the game for them.
“That’s always a big thing when you have that one guy that an offense knows can disrupt everything you’re trying to do. [The Bucs] don’t have that, but they [got big sacks numbers] in other ways. That’s a good thing, not a bad thing. It means you’re doing things the right way.”
Hopefully, new edge rusher Haason Reddick recovers from his dreadful season last year with the Jets, despite playing with a Pro Bowl nose tackle and a 10 1/2-sack guy on the opposite edge. If the so, the Bucs will have, as Haley calls it, “that big-timer.”
Joe also hopes the 2025 switch to Larry Foote coaching the edge rushers/outside linebackers has an impact. Bowles and his crew certainly must be better at developing edge rushers.
July 3rd, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Joe … ‘For Haley, that reality says Bowles is doing things the right way. He’s just lacking pass rush talent.’
Bucs’ opponents ran 1065 plays last year according to Pro-Football-Reference. Bucs’ defense sacked opposing QBs 46 times last season … 4.3% of opponents’ plays. Whooppee! Maybe we should be paying attention to what’s happening on the OTHER 95%-plus of opponents’ plays.
Bucs didn’t appear to get CONSISTENT PRESSURE on opposing QBs last season. Far too many times their QBs had forever to find a receiver, and that’s probably a key reason that opposing QBs completed 2-of-every-3 passes that they threw (66.3%).
We blitzed more last year though (461 times) than we did in 2023 (341 times) or in 2022 (250 times). And maybe that’s the key reason why we ended up recording more PRESSURES in 2024 (175) than we did in 2023 (136 pressures) or 2022 (144 pressures). But even 175 pressures (which obviously includes sacks) barely represents 15% of opponents’ plays. That leaves far too many plays when opposing QBs can just stand back there, count to 10, and then make a play.
Looking at our potential defensive starters this year, we SHOULD be able to put a quality defense on the field. We’ve even got some decent backups this season, just in case of injuries. But what I’d really like to see is an improved pass rush from our 3-man Dline AND 2 OLBs without having to resort to so much blitzing. Turn those 5 loose, and let the other 6 play actual pass defense.
If our Front-5 are doing a good job, opponents will have to commit 1 or 2 extra blockers (RB + TE or whatever) to protect their QB. That only leaves 3-4 receivers going out, defended by 6 guys. Those odds work for me.
July 3rd, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Not sure why Haason Reddick did so poorly in the few games he played last year, but so far, he has gotten a lot of love and praise by both players and coaches. If Reddick gets anything close to 10 sacks, it will be a huge improvement from our front DL.
July 3rd, 2025 at 12:47 pm
What really frustrated me last year was that the front 4 or 5 couldn’t create hits or sacks when we really needed it most – during end of game situations.
July 3rd, 2025 at 1:31 pm
The blockbuster trade that Bucs need to pull off is Egbuka for TJ Watt. This trade wouldn’t be much different had the Bucs given up their #1 draft slot (19) to Pittsburgh for Watt. Watt is a difference maker and would apply consistent pressure from the EDGE on opposing QB’s. Watt is under contract for 2025 and he wants out of Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers needs reliable targets. This is a trade that would help both teams immediately. The Reddick signing was the wrong move as we will all learn in the 1st half of 2025 season.
July 3rd, 2025 at 2:24 pm
Man. Never eat too many magic mushrooms after drinking a case of beer.
July 3rd, 2025 at 3:43 pm
Gipper Says:
July 3rd, 2025 at 1:31 pm
🤣🤣🤣
Yeah, the psychedelics have a long half-life, apparently.
July 3rd, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Oh no…. Not another football guy with a more favorable view of Mr Bowles coaching skills.
@aquaboy has already given his excellent, intelligent response 👍🏼
Should hear from the tantrum king anytime now with his rebuttal 🤣
Are we having fun yet?
July 3rd, 2025 at 7:25 pm
There’s nothing wrong with this Bucs team, or the coaches.
We are a perennial playoff team
Division winner annually
We compete in every game
After a decade of ” Bottom Feeding”, we would think the fan base would appreciate the competitive of this test, and players….
July 3rd, 2025 at 8:04 pm
Kancey and Diaby should improve this year. They also have the two draftees, Braswell and Nelson. I think their pass rush could be ferocious, especially if they can cover the middle better, too.
July 3rd, 2025 at 8:12 pm
They’re expecting big things from the rookie, David Walker, as well. They have plenty of pass rush weapons now.
July 3rd, 2025 at 9:10 pm
But hey, let’s trade away our first round pick who they closely scouted and are absolutely in love with, expecting him to be a cornerstone for the next decade, for an aging TJ Watt, who is making noise about wanting 40+ million per year… This is not sound thinking. Any GM who made such a move would be deemed a buff00n! And he’d probably be out of a job a year later.
July 3rd, 2025 at 9:50 pm
Really and truly, they drool amongst us. Like a departed reptile who can’t sit up but takes nourishment from a straw.
July 3rd, 2025 at 11:51 pm
FilthyAnimal Says:
July 3rd, 2025 at 9:10 pm
But hey, let’s trade away our first round pick who they closely scouted and are absolutely in love with, expecting him to be a cornerstone for the next decade, for an aging TJ Watt, who is making noise about wanting 40+ million per year… This is not sound thinking. Any GM who made such a move would be deemed a buff00n! And he’d probably be out of a job a year later
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Will be around to tell you I told you so. Watt is a perennial All Pro EDGE who is a difference maker. If you can’t bear to part with the second best receiver at Ohio State, well that’s typical of the nonsense spread on this site.