Antoine Winfield Talks About A Defensive Play And Team Defense
October 12th, 2025
Happy for defense.
Joe always brings this up because it was so funny.
In Training Camp 2024, Jamel Dean had a pick in practice. In his daily post-practice press conference, Bucs coach Todd Bowles joked that he would order a drug test on Dean.
Well, Joe guesses that means Dean had to take a whiz quiz for the NFL after tonight;s 30-19 win over the pesky 49ers.
The maligned Bowles’ defense, which allowed San Francisco’s beat up backup quarterback Mac Jones to throw for 200 yards in the first half, manned up in the second half.
The Bucs defense held the 49ers, with a healthy Christian McCaffrey, to one lone field goal in the final 30 minutes of football. That’s huge!
The highlight of that second-half defense came when Dean skied high to pick off Jones at the Bucs-14.
“Huge, huge!” Winfield said of Dean’s pick. “It was a great play the way he went up for it and caught that ball.”
That pick came with just over five minutes left in regulation and the Bucs clinging to a 27-19 lead. San Francisco never seriously threatened again.
“We just have to continue that play moving forward,” Winfield said of the second half defense. “We need to continue to build off of that.”
The Bucs can ride a defense like that all the way to the playoffs, and perhaps beyond if that continues.
October 12th, 2025 at 8:35 pm
Defense definitely needs to tighten up. Bake and crew can’t continue to carry the Defense.
October 12th, 2025 at 8:37 pm
Gotta stop having guys wide open. Winning helps hides a lot of things and that’s a big one. Can’t stand seeing guys wide open. Great win no matter how a win is a win
October 12th, 2025 at 8:42 pm
I was so pleasantly shocked. Dial up the heat . Tighten up the coverages. Great win.
October 12th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
I thought the D played solid but those throws over our LBs heads are brutal. As they say, the other teams gets payed too. Wining is tough and we are sitting pretty at 5-1!
Baker’s 14 yard scramble then darts the long ball to Tez – come on. MVP bro!
October 12th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
Bowles needs to stop running that stupid soft zone. Had me yelling at the TV. Why would you not man the 49ers with all their stud receivers out? That allowed Jones to pick us apart down the middle and seams. On the plays they played tighter man or a tight zone, the 49ers struggled. At least our offense was able to keep chuggin’ along and get the points we needed. First place in the NFC. Need to find a way to get healthy. Maybe fire the s&c guy so we can stop having hamstring injuries.
October 12th, 2025 at 8:48 pm
Gotta stop given up the score before the half, it makes it so we have to defer in the beginning of the game just so no one goes 2 for 1 on us.
October 12th, 2025 at 8:48 pm
We are lucky the Vita Vea roughing the kicker, which extended the 49ers drive, didn’t cost us the defense got the stop.
Numerous defensive players made plays in the second half. But we aren’t getting pressure without blitzing. And even when we only rushed 3, they still made plays so lots to work on.
October 12th, 2025 at 8:49 pm
The D did its part today, they gave up 19 points. Was it perfect no, but again they gave up only 19 points. If your D holds the other team to less points than you score, you win. We scored 30 and gave up 19, the D did its job. And yea I know the 9ers are as beat up as the Bucs, but just to reiterate the D gave up only 19 points…. Bucs Win 5-1 Leta F’n Bake!
October 12th, 2025 at 8:51 pm
Joe, seems like to these old eyes that Reddick and Diaby weren’t dropping back in coverage in the eagles game 2nd half and today in the 2nd half and they got pressure and sacks.
Not a big Bowles fan but he has them 5-1. Any one of those stat guys you always reference or maybe DR have a stat for when they rush instead of dropping in coverage?
October 12th, 2025 at 8:51 pm
That one play where both Yaya and Red were allowed to rush was great.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Here’s a couple of questions. Why do the Bucs make almost every QB they play look like the second coming of Joe Montana? Why can’t the Bucs defense make in game adjustments rather than waiting for halftime to make those adjustments. I know they are down some defensive backs and a defensive tackle but this has gone on for years. Any answers? Next Mondays game may look like a track meet if our defense plays the way they normally do in the first half.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Defense played great
Lights out!!!!
Haters eating crow tonight
5-1
GO BUCS
October 12th, 2025 at 9:04 pm
Defense has to step up more this season to us to be a legitimate contender.
However, guys acting like it was a bad game for our defense — I do not see it.
It’s the NFL — there is a lot of passing —
Overall, I will take what happened today against the Bucs passing defense.
Jones went back to pass I believe 48 times.
Out of those 48 times —
He scrambled 2 times for 8 yards.
He threw 1 intentional grounding for minus 10 yards.
He was sacked 6 times for minus 51 yards.
He threw 2 interceptions.
So, the other 39 times he completed 27 of 39 for 357 yards and no TDs.
So — I show net 357 passing, plus 8 yards scrambling, minus 51 yards sacks, minus 10 yards intentional grounding. That’s 301 net yards on 48 dropbacks — or an average gain of 6 yards per dropback. But no TDs – and 2 turnovers.
That’s a solid defensive game IMO.
Compare to Bucs.
Total dropbacks were 25 compared to 48.
The 25 dropbacks were 23 passes, 1 scramble, 1 sack.
256 pass yards, plus 15 for 1 scramble, minus 8 for 1 sack.
263 net yards on 25 dropbacks or 10 yards per play.
2 TD’s — no Ints.
Pretty easy for me to see statistically which defense did well against the pass and which defense struggled against the pass.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:04 pm
You clowns crying about players dropping in coverage when the defense produced sacks and turnovers….
Defense held a 4-1 team under 20points and folks are still complaining
Go eat crow
5-1
GO BUCS
October 12th, 2025 at 9:19 pm
Who gives an f how many yards they gave up. One touchdown and 19 points. You win in the NFL that way. Six sacks, two interceptions, fumbles that are overturned. The defense did its darn job today. If you can’t understand that, just hush and watch the tv.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:19 pm
813bucboi, just a question, Reddick and Diaby got pressure when not dropping in coverage..
Is that luck or just showing they should be rushing rather than dropping back. Did same thing in eagles game.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
In my three years with the Bucs I think that I’ve finally gotten comfortable with Todd Bowles. When he doesn’t think that an aggressive approach is needed, he’s most concerned with keeping the opposing offense in front of his defense until the red zone. If the current situation (critical possession stop, late 4th Qtr play) dictates, then go man and rush and maul.
The difference in critique of coach Bowels is manifested in the capability of our offense, meaning, when we are capable of scoring points, coach Bowles looks good because his defense comes in like the cavalry!
However, when the offense is unable to put points on the board (previously likely because of O-line deficiencies), coach Bowles defense looks overly conservative.
My biggest issue with the conservative zone play is that the defenders end up spending more time on the field — potentially resulting in more injuries.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:47 pm
76
Just a question….did we win?
5-1
GO BUCS
October 12th, 2025 at 9:48 pm
GET A DAMN BIKE ON THE FIELD ALREADY AND USE IT TO STAY LOOSE . ENOUGH HAMSTRING INJURIES .
October 12th, 2025 at 10:11 pm
813BUCBOI Says
October 10th, 2025 at 9:37 am
DEFENSE WILL HAVE 2 INTS AND 4 SACKS!!!!!!
BUCS WIN 31-10
5-1!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 12th, 2025 at 10:16 pm
Aqualung Says
October 10th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
The faith is in His Geniusness to give up at least 35 points to Mac Montana Jones.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:17 pm
Aqualung Says
October 10th, 2025 at 4:55 pm
It’s amazing that the brain dead are still able to type these days.
October 13th, 2025 at 2:43 am
Y’all know this was a 4-1 team, one of the best in the NFC right? I’m liking how Todd holds his best blitzes for the most crucial times. Todd schemed up that first pick. Defense played great when we needed them the most. A few big gains we could clean up but overall they played well.
October 13th, 2025 at 7:49 am
geno711
YES SIR!!!!!!
5-1!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!