FAB 2. JPP To The Rescue For Tampa Bay

The biggest surprise in the NFL during the first month of the 2019 season was the emergence of Bucs outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who had a league-high nine sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception in the first four games of the year. Those achievements earned Barrett the NFC Defensive Player of the Month award in September.

It also earned Barrett a target on his back from opposing offensive coordinators who have successfully neutralized his pass rush with double teams and chips from tight ends and backs to help the offensive tackles charged with the responsibility of keeping Barrett away from their quarterbacks. After recording at least one sack in each of his first four games, Barrett has been held without a sack ever since.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

In fact, after recording 20 total tackles in the first four contests of the year, Barrett has been held to just three tackles in the last two games – both of which were losses to NFC South foes New Orleans and Carolina.

“Yeah, he’s in the big leagues now,” Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said of Barrett. “Everybody knows who he is and where he’s at.”

When Barrett isn’t getting to the quarterback, no one really is in Tampa Bay. Outside linebacker Carl Nassib has two sacks on the year, followed by defensive end Will Gholston, who has one. Defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea have split a sack. After recording 11 sacks in the first four games – an average of nearly three per contest – Tampa Bay has recorded just two sacks in the last two games.

Breakdown Of Tampa Bay’s 13 Sacks
Week 1 vs. 49ers – 1 sack – Barrett 1
Week 2 at Panthers – 3 sacks – Barrett 3
Week 3 vs. Giants – 5 sacks – Barrett 4, Nassib 1
Week 4 at Rams – 2 sacks – Gholston 1, Barrett 1
Week 5 at Saints – 0 sacks
Week 6 vs. Panthers – 2 sacks – Nassib 1, Vea 0.5, Suh 0.5

Enter Jason Pierre-Paul, who returned to practice last week during the bye, and banged heads with offensive linemen during this past week when the players returned to test how his fractured neck has healed. If he feels fine and is ready to go this weekend, the Bucs will activate him and he’ll see his first action of the year in Tennessee.

It could be JPP to the rescue for the 2-4 Buccaneers. At least that’s what the team is hoping for as opponents have gone to several max protect schemes and slid protection towards Barrett to neutralize his sack opportunities.

Now with the return of Pierre-Paul, who has 71 career sacks, including 12.5 last season in his first year in Tampa Bay, the Bucs’ opponents can’t isolate their protections around Barrett.

“I think it’s going to help us out big time because of the force that JPP brings and what Shaq is doing,” Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David said. “It’s going to be hard to account for both guys. It’s going to be hard for teams to do that – they’ll have to pick their poison. I know for a fact that JPP is ready to get out there and work on Sunday and contribute to this football team.”

Bucs DE Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Getty Images

Barrett can rush from either side of the line, as can Pierre-Paul, but at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, he and Nassib have the ability to also rush the passer by lining up inside during nickel pass rush situations.

“That’s the beauty of Carl – he’s very position-flexible,” Arians said. “He can play inside [or] outside, as JPP can, and we’ve played Shaq off the ball some, so it’s fun toys to play with when you start rushing the passer and you have that many guys.”

Nassib had 6.5 sacks last year while playing opposite Pierre-Paul, and the addition of Barrett this year gives the Bucs three proven pass rushers that have the quickness and power to bust through max protection schemes.

“I feel like we’ve seen a bunch of max protection, but we’ve got some elite pass rushers with JPP, Shaq and Carl,” Gholston said. “It’s going to be unique and fun to watch with him out there. We just have to get him in a situation where we can rush the passer. He opens up our defense to be able to do so much more.

“You saw JPP last year – he’s a dynamic player in every respect from the run game to the pass game. He has a lot of knowledge as far as rushing the passer. He brings explosiveness. He makes slide protections go his way. All in all, he’s a great player. Can’t wait to see him out there.”

In addition to his pass-rushing and play-making potential, Pierre-Paul also brings a great deal of vocal leadership. In fact, had he not suffered a broken neck in his May car accident, Pierre-Paul would have likely been voted as a defensive team captain either in place of – or in addition to – Nassib.

“That’s a huge thing because he has been one of the vocal leaders for a long time, and not having his presence – I can already feel the difference. Obviously, he’s feeling his way football-wise, but the rest of it – last week, going out to practice, coaching, doing all those things, giving young guys advice – it’s fantastic.”

Bucs DE Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It will be interesting to see the type of impact that Pierre-Paul can have when he returns to action. He’s been doubted before – about his return from a fireworks accident that blew off part of his right hand in 2015. He posted seven sacks the next season, followed by 8.5 in 2017 and 12.5 last year in his first year with the Bucs.

Giants general manager David Gettleman doubted whether or not Pierre-Paul would be able to play outside linebacker in New York’s new 3-4 scheme in 2018, so he traded JPP to Tampa Bay for a third-round pick. Now, Pierre-Paul will be playing in Todd Bowles’ 3-4 scheme as an outside linebacker, looking to prove his doubters wrong once again.

And of course, Pierre-Paul is making a somewhat improbable comeback from fractured vertebrae in his neck from just six months ago without surgery.

“He stuck to his plan,” David said. “He got the word from his doctor and he’s been working his butt off to get back out there with us. Every time he’s been back in the facility he’s been working to get back. It’s so far, so good.”

David expects Pierre-Paul to once again prove the doubters wrong once he suits up in a Bucs uniform for the first time in the 2019 campaign.

“He’s going to light it up,” David said. “It’s all about how we use him. He can play in a 3-4. He can dominate playing anywhere in any scheme. He’s taken on the challenge and he’s going to hold it down. That’s the type of person he is, and the type of player he is. It’s going to be fun having him back out there with us.”