Bucs’ swarming defense presents tough challenge
Sure, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense is loaded with talent. From veterans like Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul and last year’s NFL sack leader, Shaquil Barrett, to young elite linebackers Davante David and Devin White, to upandcoming corners Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis, the unit oozes star power.
But skill isn’t the biggest reason the Bucs’ own the NFL’s top-rated defense. There’s a lot of attitude that goes into the weekly emasculation
of their opponents’ offense.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers could probably vouch for that after getting blasted 38-10 by the Bucs on Sunday afternoon. Derek Carr and the Raiders have seen that tape and are on alert.
Still, it took a reminder from defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to set the Bucs’ destruction into motion Sunday after the Packers jumped out to a 10- 0 lead.
“Todd Bowles just told us, ‘We’re respecting those guys too much,’ ” White told reporters Sunday. “‘ They’ve got to earn our respect, and play them honest. Just be ball hawks and get after them.’ And I think once he said that, he kind of gave everyone the green light to go make plays.”
Boy, did they ever. Tampa Bay swarmed all over Rodgers, forcing him into a litany of mistakes, including two interceptions and a pick-six by Dean. Rodgers finished 16 of 35 for 160 yards and no touchdowns for a 35.4 passer rating, the second-lowest of his career in a game he didn’t leave because of injury.
The Bucs mixed up their fronts and coverages while also blitzing Rodgers 17 times, the most he’s faced in two season, according to ESPN. And he was flustered during most of those plays Sunday.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Aaron confused,” Bucs coach Bruce Arians said.
Rodgers isn’t the only quarterback the Bucs have confounded while recording the NFL’s second-most sacks (22) this season. So, when facing a torrent of pressure, it’s natural to think running the ball will be a solution. But that doesn’t work against the Bucs, either. They’ve allowed a league-low 64.3 yards rushing per game, even better than their NFL-leading 73.8 rushing yards permitted last year.
You then get a better understanding of how they’ve also allowed a league-low 4.6 yards per play this season.
Numbers like that make it easier for the Bucs to be dismissive of their opponents, like White was following Sunday’s big victory.
“We knew those guys didn’t deserve to be on the field with us, because we’ve got too much talent and fly around to the ball,” White said. “And the thing is, we always have fun.”
Three reasons for Raiders’ optimism
MISTAKE- FREE GAME AN ANOMALY? >> Things aren’t always perfect for the Bucs, it only seemed that way to the Packers. Tampa Bay had no penalties, no turnovers and didn’t allow a sack. How rare was that? Only one other NFL team in the last 47 years has put up that triple-zero — the Colts in a 1999 win over the Browns. Let’s not forget that before Sunday’s clean showing, the Bucs had led the NFL in penalties with an average of nearly 8 1/2 infractions per game. Tampa’s sloppiness cost it dearly in a 20-19
loss to the Bears a week ago. The Bucs had 11 penalties for a whopping 109 yards, including a 15-yarder on Jensen that helped derail a second-half drive. In addition, Brady’s first game with Tampa this year included a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six that led to a loss to the Saints in Week 1. The Bucs had also turned over the ball seven times in their first five games. A BIG LOSS IN THE MIDDLE >> The Buccaneers are still reeling from the loss of nose tackle Vita Vea, who suffered a season-ending broken ankle a week ago against Chicago. Vea, a former Milpitas High star who went on to the University of Washington, was a rare combination of run-stuffing ability and pass-rushing threat from nose tackle. Last year, the 350-pounder had a whopping 56 total pressures as he became a force in the pass rush. Pro Football Focus earlier this season said Vea was on his way to possibly becoming the league’s top nose guard this season. The Bucs believe they found Vea’s replacement when they traded for the Jets’ 34-year-old nose tackle Steve McLendon on Sunday. But he’s no Vea. POTENTIALFORMISTAKESUP FRONT >> Bucs center Ryan Jensen is generally as solid as they come, but he also needs to clean some things up. He’s had so much trouble snapping the ball to Tom Brady that the quarterback has had to alter his stance while in shotgun formation to prepare for wayward snaps from Jensen, who delivered another one Sunday. Brady, though, deftly scooped up the short-hopper and then threw a touchdown pass. Jensen has also shown a penchant for penalties — two years ago, he led all NFL centers with 11 penalties. This year, his three penalties are second among centers. Jensen, though, is quite an iron man. Until being pulled late Sunday with the Bucs way ahead, Jensen had played in 3,726 offensive snaps, according to the NFL’s research team. He had played in all 3,671 snaps since he became a starter three years ago, second only to Tom Brady for most consecutive snaps.
Three reasons for Raiders’ pessimism
WHITE-HOT REVENGE FACTOR? >> Devin White spells trouble for opponents in the best of circumstances. Toss in some animosity and you’ll understand why the Raiders may be in some trouble against the second-year linebacker. White, the former LSU star who teams with Davante David to form arguably the league’s top inside linebacker duo, still holds a grudge for the Raiders passing him up in the 2019 draft to instead pick Clelin Ferrell No. 4 overall. White felt slighted when Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock didn’t select him. He’s since vastly outplayed Ferrell and he hasn’t let the Raiders forget it. In April, White responded to a Raiders tweet touting their uniforms as the best in sports with his own message: “That’s cute! We have a date coming up with ya’ll soon! #ShouldveTakenMeAt4.” GRONK’S BACK >> R ob Gronkowski, bum shoulder and all, is proving he’s still got something left on the field after a year in retirement. The 31-year-old former AllPro caught five passes for 78 yards against Green Bay and, more importantly, scored his first touchdown in 679 days when Brady found him in the corner of the end zone. It was the 79th time he and Brady hooked up on a scoring pass, and the first time as Buccaneers. It was also perhaps the first time Gronk, still nursing a sore right shoulder, had to spike the ball with his left hand. Pain notwithstanding, Gronkowski is enjoying a nice rebound the past couple of weeks — he leads the team with 14 targets and has eight catches for 130 yards. TOM BRADY STILL ROLLING ALONG AT 43 >> Brady had his fewest passing attempts (27) and yards (166) this past week but he was solid while hitting Gronkowski and rookie Tyler Johnson with TD passes and playing mistake-free football. While Brady’s mobility and arm strength aren’t what they once were, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still a threat to opposing defenses. Aside from his shaky effort in Week 1, Brady has pretty much delivered when needed. Take two weeks ago, for instance. With Tampa down 24-7 to the Chargers and hot-shot rookie QB Justin Herbert, Brady stepped up by throwing for 369 yards and five TDs to lead the Bucs to a come-from-behind 38-31 victory.
Mariota activated
The Raiders will soon get a boost to their pass rush after signing free-agent defensive end David Irving on Tuesday and placing the former Dallas Cowboy on their practice squad.
Meanwhile, the Raiders also activated quarterback Marcus Mariota from the injured reserve list, although it appears as though Nathan Peterman could remain Derek Carr’s backup while Mariota rounds his way back into shape.
The 27-year- old Irving, who had 12.5 sacks in 37 games over four seasons with the Cowboys, is coming out of retirement after the NFL reinstated him last week.