In a new weekly installment, I will download my notes from re-watching the All-22 tape the day after games. This will present more bullet-style in form and less literary. It will usually come out as two articles. One for the offense and one for the defense.

I posted my notes on the Bucs offense here. Now here are my thoughts on Tampa Bay’s defense.

Bucs Defensive Scheme Notes

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and Broncos HC Sean Payton – Photo by: USA Today

• First two plays of the game were both press-coverage reps. Cornerback Jamel Dean had good coverage on the first play but could not match the physicality of Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton at the top of the route as Sutton launched Dean through the route break and made the catch. The second rep, fellow cornerback Zyon McCollum missed his punch and got stacked by receiver Josh Reynolds. Reynolds then got an inside release on a vertical for a 27-yard gain.
  • Following those two plays Todd Bowles largely abandoned press-man calls.
• Most prevalent coverage throughout the game was Cover 4, representing 35% of the calls on DEN pass plays. Filtering out obvious pass situations (third down, two-minute drills) this number goes up to 40%.
• Bowles has recently transformed himself from a Cover 3 heavy defensive mind to a quarters pressure guy.
  • This gameplan worked against him as he surrendered the short-to-intermediate outside zones
  • Denver QB Bo Nix ate this up, going 12-of-15 for 109 yards.
• Nix had lowest time to throw average of his short career – 2.72 seconds. Much of the Broncos’ gameplan was quick game which helps negate the Bucs’ blitz.
• Bucs failed to rotate their back end, opting to instead make it easy for Nix to identify coverage structures pre-snap. Essentially, they gave him the answers to the test.
• Nix had thrown almost 60% of his passes to the middle of the field entering the game. That is the most dangerous part of the field due to increased traffic. Bucs allowed him to target the outside 62% of the time Week 3.

Bucs Player Notes

• Jamel Dean will take heat for allowing so many catches, but he was set up to fail by coverage scheme. With that said it was still a poor game as he failed to click and close with any sense of urgency.
• Yaya Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka are both given very few opportunities to truly rush as a byproduct of Denver’s offensive scheme in response to the Bucs’ blitz-heavy approach.
  • JTS played on eight third downs. Two were run plays. Two were quick game screens. One was an offsides on him. Of the other three plays he got a pressure. Won a rep late, and lost another rep.
  • Similar for Diaby – 10 third downs. One offsides on JTS. One offsides on himself. Two runs. One coverage rep. Two quick game screens. Of his three true pass rushes he registered a pressure on two of them.
    

    Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: USA Today

• Zyon McCollum continues to play as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. After he got beat on the second play of the game, he shut down his side of the field. The rest of the way he played 36 coverage reps. Targeted five times, allowing one catch for five yards. The one catch was on a man rep. He was completely clean in zone. Strong at catch point, plays through the ball. Reduces space quickly as he drives on the ball in the air and aggressively reacts to route stems.
• Tykee Smith similarly continues to improve week over week.
  • Extremely strong in close space playing the run and screens with physicality.
  • Runs through blockers, stacks and sheds on the perimeter and is a sound tackler.
• Made a fantastic play on the ball in zone working underneath in cover-three against a 3×1 look.
  • Responsible for No. 3 on shallow out.
  • Maintains depth and feels for deep developing sail route.
  • Baits the throw to the sail and breaks up the pass.

Video evidence. #23 at bottom of screen, or alternatively, the guy who makes the awesome play. https://t.co/ZTFpph7kmB pic.twitter.com/QT5du1fk8e

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) September 24, 2024

• Bucs interior defensive line has no pass rush without Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey.
• Bucs missed 16% of their tackles continuing a concerning trend.
  • K.J. Britt led the way, tied for first with two missed tackles.
• The play of Britt and Lavonte David is becoming concerning.
  • David does not have the same pop he once did as a hitter.
    • Got stood up by Javonte Williams on a blitz.
• Britt and Anthony Nelson’s lack of athleticism cost the Bucs seven points on a fourth down run by Jaleeel McLaughlin.
• Logan Hall had poor game. Was unable to create any pressure outside of unblocked rep, and routinely getting displaced by double teams as a run blocker.