Overlooked aspect on the defensive side

[yuccaneers]

An overlooked aspect of the teams ability on defense this coming season too generator pressure is there vast knowledge of the Tampa 2, usually when teams disguise there pre-blitz looks they use the basic cover two alignment in the secondary. Then at the snap will go to a three deep coverage with the corners bailing on receivers to play 1/3 of the secondary along with a safety and the other safety coming down to play the flat while usually a defensive lineman dropping into coverage with two linebackers playing three underneath zones. Allowing for the team too send a linebacker add the tackle end stunt game to the front and it should confuse pass protectors.

Or Blitzing and playing cover one in the secondary with a safety playing center field, the corners playing man to man with an inside outside technique on receivers. dropping a defensive tackle the other safety and a linebacker into underneath coverage and sending the MIKE / WILL  / WEAKSIDE DE / STRONG SIDE TACKLE / STRONGSIDE DE & using a twist on the strong side.

The basic principle is to mask the pre-snap read from the quarterback, the Bucs ability and understanding of the Tampa 2 should greatly aid in the masking of there blitz packages this coming season.

While most are predicting doom & gloom it might be time to look at the positives of this coming season along with what the Bucs have done good in the past on defense which might actually help them out even more then some think in 2009, some bash the powers that be rather then credit them for assemblying a staff that might be able to inject life into something that was becoming stale an over used in the NFL.

[john.matincheck]

To be in a position to blitz you must first stop the run. Tampa did well last year in the first half when they were able to get into their nickel package but once DB started to breakdown, and Flip was hurt the run D crumbled and didn't allow Monte to get into his pressure packages. I don't see a big upgrade in the front seven that will allow them to be dominate against the run, so I don't know if Bates system will be given the chance to inject life into the "stale and overused" defense from last year.

[CurtR1995]

People are also forgetting that the Bucs essentially have two defensive coordinators.

[OKC PAC]

People are also forgetting that the Bucs essentially have two defensive coordinators.

You can have 10 defensive coordinators, but if you don't have the right guys for the scheme its not going to matter.

[watson]

To be in a position to blitz you must first stop the run. Tampa did well last year in the first half when they were able to get into their nickel package but once DB started to breakdown, and Flip was hurt the run D crumbled and didn't allow Monte to get into his pressure packages. I don't see a big upgrade in the front seven that will allow them to be dominate against the run, so I don't know if Bates system will be given the chance to inject life into the "stale and overused" defense from last year.

Or when they face a team like the Pats that will go 3 wide early and often.  Choose your poison - Moss, Welker or Galloway.  I think Talib will do OK....can't completely shutdown Moss, but who will stop the other two?  Not sure they we ever get into the blitz package since the Pats will run it like a standard offense.

[The White Tiger]

It is simply more evidence that infers the Bucs will accomplish between 4 and 7 wins this season.

...and if they show progress doing it - I'll be happy.

I do wish we'd spent more of that huge cap room to sign a man-cover corner to allow Ronde to become the nickle corner. This defense is NOW a cover-corner backfield - and we only have one guy that has proven he can play that way.

The line won't be contributing a whole lot either - lending credence to the theory that we will score points but won't be able to stop anyone (on this schedule).

[cheveliar]

Nice post Yuc, have been looking for a reason to be happy about this defense.  However, I think I'm with PAC on this one.  The Jim's and Joe's is the problem.  Not the scheme.  Love Hovan but he's not a penatrator anymore. We know Gaines has speed, but needs to eat some hamhocks, black-eyed peas, and cornbread to throw some more weight around in addition to the speed. Wilks looked good last year and whoever lands he job next to hovan needs to bring it....

[tatmanfish]

To be in a position to blitz you must first stop the run. Tampa did well last year in the first half when they were able to get into their nickel package but once DB started to breakdown, and Flip was hurt the run D crumbled and didn't allow Monte to get into his pressure packages. I don't see a big upgrade in the front seven that will allow them to be dominate against the run, so I don't know if Bates system will be given the chance to inject life into the "stale and overused" defense from last year.

kiffin had a pressure package? i think we saw a blitz or two per game last year. there are things called run blitzes as well.

[NotDeadYet]

   As long as we bring an attack mentality on both D and on O, we'll get opponents on their heels. With totally new schemes on both O and on D, opponents won't be that well prepared as they won't know what's coming. Kinda like Atlanta last year...

[swashbuccaler]

Nice post Yuc, have been looking for a reason to be happy about this defense.  However, I think I'm with PAC on this one.  The Jim's and Joe's is the problem.  Not the scheme.  Love Hovan but he's not a penatrator anymore. We know Gaines has speed, but needs to eat some hamhocks, black-eyed peas, and cornbread to throw some more weight around in addition to the speed. Wilks looked good last year and whoever lands he job next to hovan needs to bring it....

I'm glad your posting more often Chev.

[SHIVVER]

Yucc,

Where did you get this quote?  "In Football, RESPECT is never given freely by your opponent. It must be TAKEN from them...VIOLENTLY!"  ??

[JollyRodger]

Its great to optimistic and look for reasons to believe.  However, there are more questions than answers surrounding this defensive unit.  I don't care what kind of scheme you bring if you don't have the horses to pull the wagon.

[alldaway]

Its great to optimistic and look for reasons to believe.  However, there are more questions than answers surrounding this defensive unit.  I don't care what kind of scheme you bring if you don't have the horses to pull the wagon.

Other than DE the Bucs have all the horses necessary for a Bates D. In my opinion pass defense is the biggest concern with the defense although I can understand why there is concern with the run D.

[The White Tiger]

Even when the defense is running optimally it will (sometimes) surrender big plays...the "high-heat" has to come from the edge and the middle of the line has to push the pocket (if not collapse it) - the man-cover scenario means your corners may gamble - either on the INT or sitting on the underneath stuff too long - so if you play a loaded team (think Patriots), capable of spreading the field with multiple receiving threats AND running threats - then that's when the problem with the horses becomes more pronounced...

but to be honest with you - I've not watched ANY games against the Pats in recent years where Belichick didn't have our number - regardless of running a strict cover/Tampa-2 or showing 2 and running cover 3 (i.e. Belichick/Brady know how to beat a zone system)...

While it's true we don't have the horses (we didn't have them last season either)...at least in Bates system we will play to the strengths we do have (in terms of manpower). We have big ol' fat guys in the middle to push the pocket and stuff the run - the "high-heat" guy required in Bates system is spread out to take advantage of a straight line of attack...that just so happens to be what gaines Adams ran in college. We probably needed another rush end - but that's pretty well handled by Wilkerson.

We don't have the horses in an area once considered a strength - the corner position. We have one cover corner and one zone corner who's going to attempt to become a cover-corner at year 13. To be sure, Ronde has proven to be able to run a cover corner position in the past - but that was when everyone thought he was thinking covering 1/2 to 1/3 of the field - now they're going to be thinking he's a cover corner FIRST and I think he's going to be challenged more this year than probably any season since he was a rookie, just to see if he can do it - I hope he can...but he's got 13 years of wear & tear on that body...

So, make no mistake - if the system gives up big plays when it is properly staffed and runs optimally - we're gonna see a LOT of big plays being given up by this team...that's why I think we are going to lose more than we win - this year.

And I am ok with that - hopefully folks are prepared for that eventuality.

[alldaway]

Defense will carry this team.