I never said the defense was good…
…but they did improve as the offense began to sustain & score
The offense struggled early - didn’t sustain drives, defense wasn’t aggressive until the 2nd half after our offense got things figured out after Mayfield nearly insighted a riot and then scored. Two different games in each half.
It’s a team sport. Offensive success energizes the defense etc
one of the announcer suggested that the Saints went deep into their playbook early - direct snap in first series - but ran out and the Bucs defense came around
Brate's take
"“The past few games, first half, we seemed a little bit conservative with our defensive playcalling,” Brate said, adding that offenses are often heavily scripted earlier in games, which can play a role. “Gotta find a way to [play more effective defense] in the first half.”
this would make sense, especially with the belief that the offense will put up a couple scores early
Bucs play a lot of cover 3 zone coverage in all their games. In the second half of games it looks like they mix it up with m2m, cover 2, m2m underneath with a 2 shell over the top.
Basically Bowles plays prevent defense in the first half of games and then tightens up and creates a variety or it seems that way!
The Bucs are the only playoff team that play so much cover 3 zone which is crazy but also goes to show that the Bucs do not need to invest a lot of money into the secondary if this continues. Dean is out of here next year because why do you need to pay him so much money to play zone when he is a m2m corner?
https://x.com/fball_insights/status/1876374567272468580
Hard to have coverage sacks when your defense plays so little m2m. No point paying Dean that much money if the Bucs are going to be a zone defense from now on.
Basically Bowles plays prevent defense in the first half of games and then tightens up and creates a variety or it seems that way!
yes it does seem that way
Dean is out of here next year because why do you need to pay him so much money to play zone when he is a m2m corner?
This is one of the reasons they traded Carlton Davis. Bowles simply doesn't play as much m2m as he used to.
Which is why I don't like seeing CB's being mocked to TB in R1. If Bowles is going to continue to play this much zone, there is no reason to use a first rounder on a CB.
https://x.com/fball_insights/status/1876374567272468580
Hard to have coverage sacks when your defense plays so little m2m. No point paying Dean that much money if the Bucs are going to be a zone defense from now on.
So among playoff teams, Bowles plays the least about of Cover 0 and the most amount of Cover 3? Hard to believe, especially since I believed this football savant:
Love it or hate it, Bowles plays the bend-but-don’t-break defense
^^^^. Lmao. Now Bowles is Dungy/Kiffin????
Too funny to pass up when it comes from Mr. Football Acumen.
Bowles is known (to a fault) for his PRESS MAN BLITZING SCHEME. Lmao.
Bowles does NOT play the bend dont break defense, he is the Cover ZERO guy.
"LMAO"
https://x.com/fball_insights/status/1876374567272468580
Hard to have coverage sacks when your defense plays so little m2m. No point paying Dean that much money if the Bucs are going to be a zone defense from now on.
So among playoff teams, Bowles plays the least about of Cover 0 and the most amount of Cover 3? Hard to believe, especially since I believed this football savant:
Love it or hate it, Bowles plays the bend-but-don’t-break defense
^^^^. Lmao. Now Bowles is Dungy/Kiffin????
Too funny to pass up when it comes from Mr. Football Acumen.
Bowles is known (to a fault) for his PRESS MAN BLITZING SCHEME. Lmao.
Bowles does NOT play the bend dont break defense, he is the Cover ZERO guy.
"LMAO"
dont let the anger get the best of you, Biggs
happy to stand on that thread
@alldaway -100%. I’ve been saying this about Bowles’s defense for 3 years. It’s not prevent, it’s a combination of Cover 3, 4, and quarters.
And the fact that Bowles would rather spend money on safeties and DTs, tells what he likes to do. Stop the run and play soft coverage/don’t get beat deep.
You are correct, there is no reason to spend money on coverage corners when he wants to play defense this way. But that’s why our pass defense is always in the back third of the league.
@alldaway -100%. I’ve been saying this about Bowles’s defense for 3 years. It’s not prevent, it’s a combination of Cover 3, 4, and quarters.
And the fact that Bowles would rather spend money on safeties and DTs, tells what he likes to do. Stop the run and play soft coverage/don’t get beat deep.
You are correct, there is no reason to spend money on coverage corners when he wants to play defense this way. But that’s why our pass defense is always in the back third of the league.
Just another way to look at it, but have you considered that you might being flipping cause and effect? In other words, that what you see from Bowles defense now is a reaction to the players available on the field now?
Here's why I say that:
If use the Saints game because it is a very recent example, we are in Cov 1 M2M on some of their bigger plays.
For example, their touchdown drive begins with us in Cover 1 M2m and results in a huge gain because our #1 cover corner (on the field) cant keep up with their TE.
https://www.nfl.com/games/saints-at-buccaneers-2024-reg-18?active-tab=watch
26 Yard Pass
@alldaway -100%. I’ve been saying this about Bowles’s defense for 3 years. It’s not prevent, it’s a combination of Cover 3, 4, and quarters.
And the fact that Bowles would rather spend money on safeties and DTs, tells what he likes to do. Stop the run and play soft coverage/don’t get beat deep.
You are correct, there is no reason to spend money on coverage corners when he wants to play defense this way. But that’s why our pass defense is always in the back third of the league.
Agreed, this has been Bowles' MO since taking over as HC.
And while this may work on the Spencer Rattler's of the world without his #1 WR and #1 RB, it's going to be more difficult for it to work on playoff-calber QB's with their starting WR's and RB's.
@alldaway -100%. I’ve been saying this about Bowles’s defense for 3 years. It’s not prevent, it’s a combination of Cover 3, 4, and quarters.
And the fact that Bowles would rather spend money on safeties and DTs, tells what he likes to do. Stop the run and play soft coverage/don’t get beat deep.
You are correct, there is no reason to spend money on coverage corners when he wants to play defense this way. But that’s why our pass defense is always in the back third of the league.
Agreed, this has been Bowles' MO since taking over as HC.
And while this may work on the Spencer Rattler's of the world with his #1 WR and #1 RB, it's going to be more difficult for it to work on playoff-calber QB's with their starting WR's and RB's.
THIS. RIGHT. HERE.
If Coen returns the Bucs need to spend another first rounder on offense. I would not pour that many resources into the defense if Bowles continues to play call defense this way.
