Expect More Of The Same
September 6th, 2026
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
To blitz or not to blitz, that is the question.
For Todd Bowles, the answer typically is a resounding “heck yes.” That’s why he is known in NFL circles as “Dr. Blitz,” although some disgruntled Buc fans surely have other nicknames in mind.
Tykee Smith
Bowles loves to keep offenses off balance by sending in extra rushers, often keying on the “A” gap in an effort to disrupt timing and the comfort level of opposing quarterbacks.
Last October, the 5-1 Bucs traveled to Detroit to take on the Lions. Then-offensive coordinator John Morton addressed the media this way a few days before the matchup.
“Glad you guys are feeling good,” Morton said. “I’m going against Todd Bowles … kept me up late last night. It’s a blitz fest.”
Morton’s guys did enough to secure a 24-9 victory, although Jared Goff was dropped four times, It’s worth noting half of those sacks came from safety Tykee Smith and inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis.
As you can see in the chart below, the Bucs have been one of the most prodigious blitzing teams since Bowles assumed control of their defense in 2019:
Year Blitzes Rank Sacks
2019 318 No. 2 47
2020 268 No. 2 48
2021 313 No. 1 47
2022 182 No. 8 45
2023 273 No. 3 48
2024 244 No. 2 46
2025 191 No. 5 37
Yes, even during the 2020 championship season, with Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul coming hard off the edges, Bowles blitzed on 39 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps. That was the year inside linebacker Devin White posted nine sacks, looking like a precursor to Micah Parsons. But in the biggest game Bowles has served as a coach, he went against his instincts, abandoned the blitz, and unleashed a dynamic 4-man rush against Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City’s offense never had a chance as Mahomes was chased all over Raymond James Stadium in a 31-9 setback.
What can we expect from Bowles in 2026?
That depends in large part on Rueben Bain Jr. If the 15th pick in the draft lives up to the hype, Bowles may be inclined to drop seven players into coverage. Add in training camp phenom David Walker, returning YaYa Diaby and veteran addition Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Bowles has potential edge rushers to unleash — beginning at Cincinnati against Joe Burrow.
Tampa Bay’s sack total cratered last year, even while Bowles blitzed at a high rate. His extra rushers failed to get quarterbacks on the ground and that placed an added burden on a struggling secondary.
This defense has been overhauled and new linebackers Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter don’t appear to be natural blitzers. Anzalone has never registered more than three sacks in a season while Trotter posted 2 1/2 sacks in 24 college games.
Bowles has hinted some schematic changes are being implemented for a defense that ranked 20th in points allowed and 19th in yards given up. The season opener should provide Bowles with some answers because Burrow is an elite quarterback when healthy, averaging more than two TD passes per game during his six NFL seasons.
Will Dr. Blitz change his sideline manner and order up fewer blitzes this fall? If he’s not thinking about it, he should be.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:15 am
A week from today we find out. Can’t wait.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:22 am
Time will tell but if you want to blitz like Bowles does you have to have tight coverage. Otherwise the QBs/OCs will expect it, call plays that get the ball out quickly and the blitzes will be ineffective. That seems to have been a problem over the last few years.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:39 am
If you can get to the QB with four, the rest of the D suddenly plays better. Good corners become great ones and great LBs become HOFers. Build a deep & talented line, rotate them often to keep their legs fresh, and you’ll always have a chance to reach the SB. Add in a dynamic offense to the equation and you have a great chance to win a SB. IF they stay healthy, this line gives Bowles the option to blitz less and be more effective.
September 6th, 2026 at 10:41 am
The Bucs’ pass defense under Bowles has been marked by timid and bored CBs who gave 10 yard cushions, out of position S, inside LBs who can’t cover and DEs dropping into coverage and looking outmatched.
Stop pointing to one game, the SB against an injured Mahomes, as Exhibit 1 of his prowess as Defensive Guru.
Will it change this year? We shall see.
September 6th, 2026 at 10:50 am
The blitz rate isn’t going to lower, we’ve been top 10 in blitz volume since Bowles got to town with BA back in 2019. 3 of 7 years we finished top 10 in pressure rate(‘20, ‘21, ‘24) What we’re looking for is a bump up in efficiency and some of that will be affected by the influx of new talent and how they merry with our returning talent. Nobody’s complain about blitz frequency if it’s generating pressure or resulting in sacks/TFLs(run blitzes exist)/off time throws/throws into disrupted lanes/PBUs/Ints etc, etc.
Our front 4 is the key, if it plays out to where they can pressure up front consistently enough to where OCs are forced to keep that TEs in the box or an RB in for pass pro it serves several different purposes. Bowles made mention of that being 1-less route to cover, but it could also mean 1 less man on D with coverage responsibilities. Which would make for either the free man to blitz or the man to flow into a zone and cover for the actual blitzer. The rest is up to the offenses personnel package and what we use to counter it, but it all plays into the pre & post snap games.
Gotta imagine, the frequency alone overloads how much an OC & QB have to tailor their gameplan w/having to account for all the different types of blitzes. Probably the football equivalent of detangling weed wacker cords in terms of figuring where it begins and if it even ends.
September 6th, 2026 at 10:52 am
Also, Bowles needs launch that wretched 0-blitz into the sun. I hate it, it only worked when we had Devin White and even he couldn’t make it home all the time because OGs would bully him of his pivot or just straight up wash him out.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:05 am
Get to the QB with all 5…. DT’s, Yaya on one side, Bain the other….rotate Walker and Nelson….. rotate Nacho, Elijah and Robertson with Vea and Kancey. As long as they stay healthy, that would be ideal.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:13 am
It will be mire if the same indeed
September 6th, 2026 at 11:18 am
More of the Same is the theme song of Todd Bowles.
He thinks he fools people but yet his defense gets lit up by even mediocre offenses and long in the tooth qbs.
He and ol Lichtenstein cannot draft top tier defensive players nor coach them up, then before they know how to play at the NFL level he trains them out of their position to do what they’re not quite used to doing.
Do people even wonder why he’s never drafted good players who’ve gone on to become better while still on this team?
He constantly has players who are bored or have to be hidden
1st and 2nd down sacks mean nothing when his defense gives up chunk yardage on 3rd&28 and 4th&14 because he doesn’t believe in qb pressure nor having good enough CBs to cover long enough to give the line a chance to to get there
He doesn’t adjust during any given quarter usually until the 4th when it’s almost already too late
He and his defense are the reason we didn’t make it to the NFC Championship game and maybe even the Super Bowl in ’24 even though Liam Neeson had our offense and Mayfield rolling like thunder and lightning.
Taking copious amounts of hopium will not help.
Wishing on him to make us Bowles “haters” eat crow is like wishing on a shooting star
Only people who have their heads under rocks think that he’s going to show us anything different
September 6th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Sure would be nice to get consistent pressure by rushing 4.
Will never understand hyping Bowles for that SB game. Everyone talks about winning the game in the trenches. The week leading up to that game so many people were on the Chiefs, Bucs were getting points and it was the easiest money I ever made.
Chiefs started 3 backup OL! Mahomes didn’t have a chance. A fierce Bucs DL playing at home for the SB! Given a couple weeks of prep, Joe or Ira could have called the D and kept them under 17 pts.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:39 am
A Word On Bowles Defense
To quote Bucs great Mike Evans
“3-28”
September 6th, 2026 at 11:42 am
Saskbucs … ‘Given a couple weeks of prep, Joe or Ira could have called the D and kept them under 17 pts.’
You don’t really believe that any more than anyone else does Saskbucs, so why write it? Your attempt to belittle Todd Bowles’ leadership in that Super Bowl win rings incredibly hollow. If you insist on bad-mouthing Bowles for the 3-28 or 1-14 plays last season, then fine, go for it. But to demean his accomplishment in that SB win is to demean the entire Bucs’ defense. And without that defense, there wouldn’t have been any SB victory.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:46 am
If Bowles can get to the QB with 4 that would be good. Of course he needs to get coverage on the quick short passes and needs quick response tackling. Bring on the season. All will be revealed soon.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Modhairken
You must be out of hairspray again, you seem upset
September 6th, 2026 at 11:52 am
Sas – agreed 110%.
Also made a ton on that bowl. The way we were rushing in the playoffs and against two tackles that should be working at radio shack.
He didn’t have to do a thing but sit back and watch like the rest of us.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Ira … ‘What can we expect from Bowles in 2026? That depends in large part on Rueben Bain Jr. If the 15th pick in the draft lives up to the hype, Bowles may be inclined to drop seven players into coverage.’
I’m not at all sure where you or others are going with this Ira. Are you expecting Bowles to only keep TWO on the front line, plus TWO OLBs? I can’t see that. Our strength this season is in our BEEF … Vea & Robinson in particular. Our OLBs are in the 260-270 range. Kancey is 280. We need the beef on the interior to eat up the blockers AND defend the run.
I’m betting that Todd will predominantly stick with the 3-man front, plus 2 OLBs. Yes, sometimes he’ll rush 4 (and drop 1 of the OLBs into coverage short); other times he’ll rush all 5. IF our pass rush AND run defense is as good as I believe it’ll be, then rushing 4 is the more likely. IF 4 can’t get git ‘er done, then I don’t think he’ll hesitate to use a 5-man rush.
But neither Anzalone nor Trotter are the instinctive blitzers that LVD & White were (speed being 1 consideration?). I think that the 2 of them will have a lot fewer blitzes than previous ILBs had. Wouldn’t be at all surprised though to see Scott & our Safeties blitzing quite a bit.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
Now Defense Rules as usual with the well thought out and logical way of thinking for that game without calling Bowles what he is not a defensive guru. That was the post season when most teams try or play different from the regular season. After that fateful interception against the Stanks the defense simply balled out, then in the Super Bowl Bowles called a masterful game and only due to Mohomies’ stupendous play the Chiefs were able to score 9 points.
However we can’t discount the fact that they had 3 backup olinemen.
It’s kind of like what Warren Sapp said about Michael Strahan sacking Brett Farver for the sack record, there should be an asterisk next to that because everybody with half a brain could see Farver gave it to him
September 6th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Mad Max
You are sitting Muhammad?
September 6th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
I was just looking at Super Bowl stats since the chiefs game was brought up. Do you know the Bucs have the most ppg on offense and least ppg against defense in history of teams with more than 1 appearance.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
More like “Lovie” Bowles, we’ve seen this sh!t show before, where a coach gets figured out, and either can’t or won’t change. What are the chances Bowles puts these guys in a position to succeed? Not very high, if it’s more of the same of the last couple years.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
Just gotta scheme it better!!!!! Bowles is a genius. An absolute guru.
2-15
September 6th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
@TBBF, no, just going off the top of my head, he’s def there, Nelson just rang through more.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:40 pm
Get the pass rushers to perform like the 2021 Bucs and they will flying home with a 1 and 0 record. GO BUCS
September 6th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
“Expect More Of The Same“
Why not? It’s worked so well before. 🤷♂️
September 6th, 2026 at 1:23 pm
DavidBigBucsFan99 … ‘However we can’t discount the fact that they had 3 backup olinemen.’
Missing starters happens in just about every game. Heck that year Vea missed most regular season games, and the first 2 playoff games. Those who are healthy still have to perform on the field, or you lose.
Instead of caveating a resounding Super Bowl victory with ‘Yes, but …’ commentary, why didn’t you choose instead to discuss the defense’s performance in the New Orleans or Green Bay playoff games?
Against the Saints, Bucs defense forced FOUR turnovers, on which our offense scored THREE TDs (and our only TDs) plus got the ball back at the end of the game to run out the clock. Bucs won by 10 pts. Yes, our defense was critcal to our moving on in the playoffs.
Against the Packers, our offense committed THREE turnovers (back-to-back-to-back INTs in the 2nd half), but our defense only allowed the Packers to score on 1 of those. Our defense also forced TWO turnovers themselves, allowing our offense to score TWO TDs off those (we only won by 5 pts).
Todd Bowles has his flaws, like we all do, but danged, give him credit when we do well. And yes, chastise him when we don’t. Winning playoff games is tough to do, and winning a Super Bowl is even tougher.
September 6th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
If Burrow has all day to throw, it’s already on to Cleveland. Bucs are going to have to get to Burrow early, and often in order to have a chance in this game.
September 6th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Get em DR. It wasn’t just mahomes who even injured was destroying other defenses. Also let’s not forget the gauntlet of QBs the Bucs went thru. 3 HOF QBs rogers will have his jacket , Bree’s and mahomes. Bowles defense created havoc for that post season. Listen I’m not saying he’s the best or even close but he get his credit. He’s got a SB ring. His defense has bin trash since 21 but we all seen with the right players his defense works. Time will tell if he got those players this year.
September 6th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
Defense Rules… I 100% believe that.
The D could have given up 30 and we win that SB still cause Brady and the absurd collection of talent on offense put up 31 and they could have went higher if needed.
I also am not bashing Todd for leading the D in a SB win. It was a glorious day. I am certainly not putting a feather in his cap and giving him a bunch of credit for it though and many people seem to do that which is crazy to me.
Sometimes the talent gap and trench mismatches are so overwhelming that scheme or who is putting the scheme in place is irrelevant and this is one of those cases.
You are telling me that 2 weeks in a film room with Suh, Vea, David, JPP, Shaq and the rest of the D… you couldn’t take their input and collectively come up with a plan A and plan B for beating a backup OL and getting to Mahomes? Limiting their offense? I don’t think it would be as hard as you are making it out to be.
September 6th, 2026 at 2:03 pm
Defense Rules… I also look at those other playoff games through a slightly different lens.
I think the play callers for the Bucs on both sides of the ball were losing their matchup.
If they weren’t, that was an awful lot of talent failing to execute. The offense almost absolutely blew it in GB with their turnovers.
I don’t think the Bucs D were getting stops to save either game if they didn’t get the turnovers they did. SMB (?) INT and the punch out on Johnson vs NO.
Was it luck? Was it preparation meets opportunity? Was it players failing to execute or did they overcome when they had to? Much tougher to say, but a reoccurring theme under Bowles is getting a stop when it matters and he/they nearly failed in those playoffs.
September 6th, 2026 at 2:31 pm
And here to help my point… Coach Bowles himself with this recent quote as he talks up this years D.
“If you got talent, you can just line up and say, ‘Go get ’em.’ You don’t have to worry about it.“
Safe to say vs 3 backup OL, Bowles put his feet up and ate a lot of Kit Kats that SB week.
September 6th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
Bowles under Arians and Bowles as HC/DC is apples and oranges. To compare Bowles in those instances is neglecting Arians command of his team which always forced Leftwitch and Bowles to attack. Arians knew how to run the team.
September 6th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
If the Bucs hold Bengals to 20 points, they should win the game.
If the Bucs minimize penalties and turnovers, they should win the game.
The 1st statement is doable.
The 2nd statement remains to be seen.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:07 pm
I’m sure that Burrow has been watching the film of Kirk Cousins, Quinn Ewers, all second stringers and most third stringers that have lit up Bowles defense. You know, the defense that’s somehow hard for his own players to figure out, but very easy for most QB’s to shred.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:10 pm
Alanbucsfan: Have you been locked in a closet somewhere and not been able to watch the Bucs games the last 2 years? The Bucs defense will be LUCKY to hold Cincy to under 40.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:14 pm
Saskbucs (11:21 AM) … ‘Given a couple weeks of prep, Joe or Ira could have called the D and kept them under 17 pts.’
Saskbucs (1:48 PM) … ‘I also am not bashing Todd for leading the D in a SB win.’
My bad I guess. Must’ve failed Reading 101.
September 7th, 2026 at 2:49 am
“Fred McNeil Says:
September 6th, 2026 at 9:15 am
A week from today we find out. Can’t wait.” I remember the real Fred McNeil. He was an outstanding linebacker for the Vikings and a real pain to the early Bucs. RIP. Gone too soon with CTE the culprit. But to your point, I think you’ll be disappointed. There are still no natural pass rushers on this team and that includes Bain.
September 7th, 2026 at 6:50 am
Defense Rules you must have missed the part where I said “After that fateful interception against the Stanks the defense simply balled out, then in the Super Bowl Bowles called a masterful game and only due to Mohomies’ stupendous play the Chiefs were able to score 9 points.” Playoff offenses played fairly well against us and it was mostly turnovers that stopped their progress. SaskBucs reminded me it was a punch out and in that game that took the momentum back and the rest was history. Everybody felt until that happened the Saints were going to win. I will never give Bowles more credit than he deserves because if I’m correct two of those linemen were Pro Bowlers for more reasons than a popularity contest. I’m not sorry to say that missing those two plus the fact is that great Chiefs’ OL just wasn’t the same against us as it was earlier in the year when they whooped our butts. I am a complete and utter non supporter of Bowles because I’ve seen too much of how his defense is never properly coached and because players he draft don’t seem to get better. Outside of Antoine Winfield no one comes to mind and even he may be suspect at this time. Does it get stops at times? Sure BUT it is painful to watch more often than not because the other offense not executing properly and not because of his defense. The Bucs should have jetted son right on out the door in 2024 and kept Coen. Hind sight is always 20/20
September 7th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
Bowles should start aggressive against the bengals the moment of Burrow’s first snap in passing, jam Chase and Higgins in Man Press Coverage. There’s no need to allow Burrow anytime with cushion coverage to give the Bengals offense any kind of rhythm. Bowles should make Burrow feel out of sync and most importantly TIME to throw the ball. Bowles needs to not always start with the bend but don’t break mentality and go for 3 & outs so baker and the offense control the tempo of the game. The time is now Bowles! You have all the pieces and depth you need to make this a top 10 defense