Its only one game, but one oddity that stands out in the plan for this "make or break" season is obviously the situation at ILB.
The UNDISPUTED weakness in the Bowles defense is ILB and specifically the inability to shut down short passing to TEs and RBs. That deficiency has been on full display ever since LVD stopped being an historically incredible pass defending ILB, so the weakness has to be 1000% known to the Bucs. The problem has existed for multiple seasons. They absolutely know it.
So, with that obvious, documented weakness in mind they thought the solution was Anzalone and Trotter?
That is so odd because if one game is the universe of information, they clearly hit on Trotter (PFF 86.5). He had the most obvious direct impact on the game, as a rookie. BUT, they also clearly and undeniably WHIFFED on Anzalone, arguably the more important role of the two given the deficiency outlined above. Again, if 1 game is the universe of information.
It makes one wonder what they were thinking, especially when there are plenty of examples of them (and Bowles specifically) picking talented defensive players. Trotter, obviously (in a 1 game universe). Morrison is 100% a Bowles pick. He's the son of a former teammate. He has health issues perhaps, but his play Sunday was great (PFF 84.4). Parrish is a classic Bowles player. So is Scott. Kancey (again health issues) was the only D-line guy flashing (PFF 83.9). So, someone on the team can identify talented defensive players and that seems to be Bowles, at least in part given this list of players.
So, the question is what gives? Hypothetical, I know, but if you accept the premise of a team and defensive HC who CAN identify defensive talent, how does that team and HC see Anzalone/Trotter as the "solution" to the problem of Tes and RBs killing them? In other words, put aside the typical "Bowles sucks" cynicism and try to explain why a team that can clearly identify defensive talent and has to know the same weakness everyone else sees (pass defense of TEs and RBs) choose Anzalone and Trotter as the immediately needed fix?
If it was not an immediate need (Bowles job on the line) and we are just going off the one game, you'd almost say that the Bucs thought Trotter was simply TOO GOOD to pass on even though he did NOT fit their need directly. BUT, that doesnt make sense in a prove it or lose it year, unless the issue is that Bowles cant take the idea of a rookie in the Anzalone role so thats why they didnt draft a coverage LBer. If that was the case though then how do we role with Dennis last season, effectively a rookie? And, other than being a veteran, how do they analyze Anzalone as the "solution" when to date that "solution" has required a peak LVD? No way they saw Anzalone as like peak LVD (again if the one game is the universe of play).
My guess would be that because it is a make/break season Bowles must have thought he had to have a veteran in that Anzalone role and that as a unit they would cover for individual weakness from Anzalone. Thats what they have doing for years though. That is partially why the defense is bend, dont break. Again, only one game but that thought process (if true) was a BIG fail and even as the guy they drafted, Trotter, absolutely excelled. It is a weird dichotomy, but that is maybe one explanation: Bowles cna identify players but cannot bring himself to hope for a rookie to fill the Anzalone role . . even as rookie Trotter fills the other role?
