The Bucs’ protection is an absolute mess proper now and it’s powerful to belief that head coach Todd Bowles has the solutions. Tampa Bay went from permitting over 500 yards to the Falcons on Thursday Night time Soccer to giving up 27 factors in a single quarter in opposition to the Saints. They then allowed one other 500 yards to the Ravens earlier within the week on Monday adopted by giving up 394 yards and 4 passing touchdowns to Kirk Cousins in a 31-26 loss on Sunday.
With all the troubles about how Tampa Bay’s offense could look with out Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the offense wasn’t the issue for the Bucs. The protection is by far the larger subject, and whereas they regarded higher within the second half, they finally couldn’t get the stops that had been needed on the finish till it was too late. They held the Falcons to a area aim try on the ultimate drive, however Atlanta bought the ball with 6:52 to go and it wasn’t given again to Tampa Bay till one minute and one second with no timeouts.
What’s Going Incorrect For Todd Bowles And The Protection?
Everyone needs to know what the issue is with this protection. Additionally, is Todd Bowles going to proceed calling performs? It’s by no means been as dangerous as it’s defensively with Bowles since he got here to Tampa in 2019. He’s had some good moments for positive, we will level to the 2020 Tremendous Bowl, however as for the 2024 season, it’s been few and much between.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
“What’s not occurring is we’ve got about 4 or 5 performs a sport the place we both miss a sort out or we’re not dropping the place we’re alleged to and we quit a giant play,” Todd Bowles mentioned. “I’ll proceed to name performs.”
Producing strain wasn’t a problem beforehand till Sunday. Tampa Bay had recorded 17 sacks of their final 4 video games going into this rematch with Atlanta. Exterior of defensive sort out C.J. Brewer, who surprisingly had two sacks within the sport, the strain was nowhere to be discovered. Bowles mentioned what a number of the points had been.
“I feel our edge guys must be higher at getting chipped,” Bowles started. “And nonetheless understanding the best way to strain the quarterback aside from letting the chips knock them off their sport a bit of bit and getting a bit of annoyed attempting to pressure issues. We’ve to do a greater job of gaining it, we’ve got to do a greater job of studying when to get off the chip blocks.”
Personnel Modifications Coming For The Bucs?
With as poorly because the Bucs protection has been, one thing needs to be modified, proper? If the scheme doesn’t differ, perhaps entering into with different gamers will remedy some issues. Todd Bowles did make one adjustment in subbing in cornerback Josh Hayes for Tyrek Funderburk, however that wasn’t sufficient. Bowles has usually been too sluggish on the subject of making personnel modifications in his profession and as soon as once more it’s rearing its ugly head.
Falcons WR Darnell Mooney and Bucs CB Tyrek Funderburk and ILB Okay.J. Britt – Photograph by: USA At present
“We take a look at personnel modifications each week and see what’s finest for us,” Bowles mentioned. “Typically we will’t do something however we’re doing all the pieces this week to attempt to put the blokes out on the sphere that can hopefully assist us get higher and type of go from there. If we don’t have them, we don’t have them, but when we’ve got them on the staff, we’ll positively attempt to put them in there.”
The very first thing Bucs followers want to see is getting inside linebacker Okay.J. Britt off the sphere on third downs. Britt has been a legal responsibility in move protection and has been uncovered ever since SirVocea Dennis had his season-ending damage. When Britt and Dennis had been platooning all the pieces labored effectively, however the Bucs don’t have that luxurious anymore. A easy answer could be going to J.J. Russell or Vi Jones, however Bowles doesn’t really feel that Jones particularly is in control simply but.
“There’s most likely just one [player] that may do it and he has to get caught in control,” Bowles acknowledged and later clarified that he was talking about Jones. “On the time, he wasn’t caught in control. Everyone else was extra of a MIKE linebacker or just about the identical from an athletic standpoint and Okay.J. [Britt] was the neatest of the bunch.”
