Bad Line Play (On Both Sides Of The Ball)
October 14th, 2026
If you believe games are won and lost in the trenches, then here is your answer to why the Bucs are 1-4.
The stats outfit Sumer Sports has been pumping out graphics filled with data this week. One caught Joe’s eye.
As Joe mentioned, the football cliché that games are won and lost in the trenches is one of those tried and true axioms. If you block well enough, the offense will hum. If you dominate the line on defense, an opposing offense will struggle.
And sadly for the Bucs, per the data from Sumer Sports, the Bucs do neither.
The Bucs are 1-4.
Oh, Joe believes the offensive line is getting better as a whole. They showed some good things last week in Dallas and several advanced stat heads claim it wasn’t so much the offensive line that was struggling; it was the signal-caller.
(Of course, this is sort of a chicken-and-the-egg argument.)
The graphic below suggests the Bucs’ offensive line is getting there is progressing
What has Joe frosted is the lack of defensive pressure (sacks) from the Bucs’ defensive line. SOS man. SOS. Year after year.
Looking back at drafts since the Bucs won the Super Bowl, the capital spent on defensive linemen/edge rushers is extraordinary. And what have the Bucs to show for it?
Did Joe Tryon-Shoyinka ever get better? Did Chris Braswell? YaYa Diaby has been on a steady decline since he put up 7.5 sacks as a rookie. Is Calijah Kancey any better? Joe won’t even bring up Rueben Bain — too soon.
Yes, the Bucs defense as a whole is playing well. And that is borderline shocking, given how the Bucs aren’t getting any edge rush whatsoever.
SOS.
The Falcons and Vikings are the only teams who rank top 5 in pressure rate generated and allowed after Week 5 pic.twitter.com/RykVUBUEI7
— SūmerSports (@SumerSports) October 13, 2026
October 14th, 2026 at 4:45 am
The Steelers are average on both the offensive and defensive lines. Don’t see a high scoring game because both sides will sell out to stop the run. Not a Rogers fan, but he’s at least efficient unless he’s pressured. The Bucs will need Daniels to have scripted runs not just improvising. This is a game that we will really need Godwin as a third down machine to have a chance. The Steelers won’t give Bucky much room to work. At least not like Dallas did. It will be interesting to see what the Bucs are planning.
October 14th, 2026 at 4:49 am
Hey, remember when we went for it Thursday at the 1-yard line when a field goal would have made it a 3-score game?
Did we or did we not hire some smart person to help make Todd Bowles way smarter in those situations?
How about an article on that?
Cuz they failed.
October 14th, 2026 at 5:26 am
@Todd = Debbie Downer today? We won!
October 14th, 2026 at 6:03 am
@Fishhawkbuc = Pollyanna? A dropped pick 6 away from a loss!
Bad clock management in the first half cost a field goal.
Failed to take the points to put the game away. If Dallas gets two touchdowns
You need a last second field goal to win. And you had a chance for the
winning field goal with 8 minutes left.
October 14th, 2026 at 6:26 am
If, if, if….
If Hurst hangs onto the ball we beat Cleveland
If Baker holds onto the ball we beat Cincinnati
If Baker doesn’t get hurt we beat the Packers
The whole if thing works both ways, but for some reason only sounds like pathetic excuse making if you lose. If you win it’s supposedly “rational analysis”
October 14th, 2026 at 6:27 am
Not too worried about the O line but the D line is pathetic. No matter what the Bucs do it never changes.
Bain was another huge mistake. I understand the guy is a rookie, but so far he has made zero impact. Bucs just don’t have anyone that can rush the passer. Immobile QBs like Cousins and Rodger’s just tear the Bucs up. They don’t even have to move out of the pocket.
October 14th, 2026 at 6:36 am
Perfect timing for this article. The winner in the trenches this week is the winner of the game.
We need to get pressure on Rodgers, but we haven’t had one sack in the last three games. So that’s not likely.
Keep the ball away from Rodgers? That’s our best chance. The Steelers D-line is average. But it does not take a rocket scientist to see that stopping Bucky and making the UDFA QB beat you is the best strategy (unless you are the Cowboys).
The Steelers will load the box. How will Zac counter? Will our WR group shine this week or will Cade get the opportunity to drop a lot of passes?
Where are all the knowitalls that said we dont need Mike Evans? ME is sure looking Purdy in San Fran. Good for him
October 14th, 2026 at 6:37 am
Now, if they could only factor penalties into that graphic somehow, we’d see where the offensive line truly stands.
October 14th, 2026 at 6:44 am
“Bain was another huge mistake. I understand the guy is a rookie, but so far he has made zero impact. Bucs just don’t have anyone that can rush the passer.”
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buc4evr, dont hate on the player. After investing HEAVILY in OLBs over the years, the Bucs continue to come up empty. JTS, Braswell, Walker, Bain…. Maybe its the genius’ defensive scheme?
Walker was showing promise (2 sacks) with little playing time. Then I think he realized to get PT, he needed to do “other things”. Diaby’s best sack year was his first year. How does that happen?
October 14th, 2026 at 6:56 am
Coaching!! 3rd and 28!!!
October 14th, 2026 at 8:33 am
FACT! (Dwight Schrute) Aaron Rodgers wilts when pressured. So all the Bucs DLine needs to do is put pres…Oh hell – never mind.
October 14th, 2026 at 8:38 am
Got here to sunny Freeport Florida on Sunday morning. Power was out til Monday morning. Saw a gator on the golf course yesterday. Bears and wild hogs everywhere, and there’s been an Eastern Diamondback and a Cottonmouth sighting on this property we’re staying at in the last month.
I knew the Buccaneers were a cool football team. Who knew Florida was such a cool state?
If we possess the football for about 40 minutes Sunday? We should win the game. That won’t happen twice in the same year. So, let’s let this rookie air it out- just a bit. The team won last Sunday. I don’t know much, but I know this team is going to be a handful come playoff time.
Despite the headline to Joe’s story here- our offensive line has been rapidly improving since game one. Despite our pitiful sack numbers, our defensive line has more talent and depth than I’ve ever seen them have.
When your team is good enough to go into Dallas and take down Prescott and those receivers? With the backup quarterback?
Yes, this is turning into a very good football team. This upcoming dozen games oughta be a doozy. And I ain’t whistling Dixie.
October 14th, 2026 at 8:55 am
and the sidelines too… the ground beneath Fraud Bowels and his band of yes men big check cashers
October 14th, 2026 at 9:03 am
Had to throw in that, as it regards the poor offensive line play, some advanced stat heads place the blame on the signal caller rather than the offensive line. Why not name the advanced stat heads, it would seem to be germane to this piece, per the title. Maybe the advanced stat heads are PFF (Pro Football Fallacies), or perhaps the great Ben Solak and/ or Theo Ash, both of whom are known Baker Mayfield haters. They seem to be two wet behind the ear guys that are trying to make a name for themselves. Solak is 29 and Ash is 26, hardly the age at which sage status can be achieved.
I’m not saying that Baker should be absolved of all blame. Even at his best, there have always been times when his play has been worthy of criticism. He’s never been a top level player but let’s keep it fair and balanced. Baker, especially early in his career alienated some of the media covering the Browns and so they became less than fair and honest in their coverage of him. Some of that eventually found its way to national media and that’s how unfair narratives are born. Unfortunately, even to people in media and fans who may or may not have integrity, those narratives find their way into their minds database. Once embedded there, it’s very difficult to extricate. When there is a preconceived bias, whether you love or hate him, there is a tendency to find what one wants to find when looking at the evidence, in this case, the film.
October 14th, 2026 at 9:29 am
Anyone claiming Bain “was a huge mistake” 5 weeks into his rookie year is just a complete clown and should never comment on football ever again because you’re CLUELESS.
You can start judging rookies midway through their 2nd year.
Just stop.
October 14th, 2026 at 9:33 am
If these players want to be successful they need to take the Mike Evans escape route and go to a team that actually values winning.
Here in Tampa it’s all about feelings and emotions over the scoreboard.
And using obscure stats to mask the scent of a manure pile is what losers do.
The Glazers love that culture!!!
October 14th, 2026 at 9:37 am
Braswell got released by Houston…..yeah we bombed on that one. One of my few recommends to draft that have failed miserably….him and that TE that looked like tarzan, played like jane (cant think of his name) was my other.
October 14th, 2026 at 9:53 am
Rewatched the game last night. What stood out was the ridiculous amount of penalties this O line committed. It’s absolutely the main reason we’re 1-4.
October 14th, 2026 at 10:10 am
It’s the other things they excel at. Focus on the positive.
October 14th, 2026 at 10:18 am
Hey, Joe, please put an asterisk in the title whenever you rail about a lack of sacks. It’s getting old.
October 14th, 2026 at 10:35 am
Wow, the Falcons look really good on this plot. If they ever figure out their QB situation, look out.
October 14th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Needed a stats outlet in week 6 to tell us this?
This was obvious from the eye test weeks 1-4.
All the hollering about Baker was a lil much. Sure he wasn’t playing well, but he was also getting no help!
OL was a sieve and the new OC is terrible. Most QBs aren’t performing well under those circumstances.
On the D side, gotta tip your cap to the secondary.
October 14th, 2026 at 12:38 pm
Bucs are lucky they will get the Falcons once before Pearce is back in the lineup.
Can’t believe people downplayed 2xCOTY Stefanski in ATL. Our optimism was so misplaced this year when we knew going in that we had the worst coaching in the division.
Franchise malpractice.
October 14th, 2026 at 1:09 pm
At least there trying to fill the position. They’ve traded signed FA and drafted. They could do a lot less for m grateful for the effort. You swing and miss sometimes. We know this is only a few of lichts weakness. Not totally all lichts fault. Bowles and co have never developed a pass rusher. DB and ILB have bin developed by Bowles but pass rushers has bin a huge issue. They need to bring in help coaching up pass rushers and licht should bring in a consultant on drafting one.
October 14th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
2nd worst in the league, yeah baby!
October 14th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Unless the NFL goes to flag football the play in the trenches will dictate more times than not who wins and loses. The only wild card in that is turnovers.
October 14th, 2026 at 6:17 pm
@HaHa..With all that being said …They Won! Hahaha!