Bucs ILBs Okay.J. Britt and Lavonte David – Picture by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
The Bucs allowed over 500 yards by way of the air in opposition to the Falcons.
Take that in – 500 yards.
That’s over 1 / 4 of a mile.
A mile.
That’s unacceptable by any definition of the phrase. By my depend over 40% of these yards got here from the tooth of the Bucs protection in the midst of the sector. On the primary drive of the sport Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was capable of finding tight finish Kyle Pitts on a seam-route for a 32-yard acquire to arrange Atlanta’s first rating of the sport.
Within the second quarter Cousins was capable of finding receiver Khadarel Hodge deep down the center for 22 yards to place the Falcons simply exterior of the pink zone. Darnell Mooney’s landing a number of performs later was in the midst of the sector. Hodge’s game-winner was additionally in the midst of the sector. The listing goes on and on. Previous to this matchup Cousins was simply 11 of 20 for 198 yards with a landing and an interception when focusing on the center of the sector at 10 yards depth or extra. He definitely improved these numbers this week.
Bucs Have A Linebacker Drawback
Bucs ILB Okay.J. Britt – Picture by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
There’s a large gap of their protection, and it lies in between the defensive position and the secondary. The Bucs linebackers can’t transfer in house properly.
Okay.J. Britt has all the time had restricted athleticism. Final yr Bucs head coach Todd Bowles tried to restrict that deficiency through the use of Britt on early run downs and subbing him out for Devin White on lengthy and late downs when the Bucs had been prone to face a move. The method largely labored as Britt was left in protection on lower than half of his 252 snaps and usually performed properly.
Bowles tried to proceed that method this season with Britt working early downs because the starter earlier than coming off the sector for SirVocea Dennis. By the primary three weeks of this season, he dropped into protection simply 47% of the time.
However with Dennis getting injured in Week 4 and out for the yr, Britt has now been pressured to play all three downs.
And it isn’t working.
He struggles to show in house. His restricted velocity makes him a legal responsibility in protection, and he has a scarcity of really feel for getting sufficient depth in his drops to stop performs from taking place behind him. Like this one.
Oh hey, @kylepitts__ #TNFonPrime | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/AeKSqe4PES
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 4, 2024
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and Falcons WR Drake London – Picture by: USA Right this moment
However Britt shouldn’t be solely complicit on this subject. For all of his greatness, and there definitely is lots, Lavonte David’s once-special potential to play in house and canopy giant swaths of discipline has come to an finish.
He nonetheless has a excessive aptitude with a nostril for the ball. However he can now not be counted on to erase complete areas of the sector as a dropping backer. He too was exploited with performs over his head and confirmed his declining athleticism with gradual turns and adjustments of course.
These issues are additionally displaying up within the type of missed tackles. Neither participant is getting in the most effective place to make a sort out and are sometimes left behind by ball carriers and receivers as they transfer by way of or across the two tight-hipped linebackers. Coming in to this recreation each gamers had missed sort out charges over 20%.
The Falcons watched the primary 4 weeks of the Bucs protection and focused Britt and David as their ticket to an offensive explosion.
The First Poor Recreation Of Tykee Smith’s Profession
The linebackers had been dangerous, however not alone. Tykee Smith, who has been an early candidate for greatest rookie on the group, had his first let down efficiency of his profession. He was focused on two of the Falcons’ touchdowns, permitting an early rating to Drake London and a late rating to Darnell Mooney after lacking a sort out.
Smith was focused fairly a bit himself and allowed an uncharacteristically excessive variety of uncompetitive catches.
Fast work for the Falcons! @KirkCousins8 finds @DrakeLondon_ for six️⃣#TBvsATL on Prime VideoAlso streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/6pK8eByEjK
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024
Mooney with the strikes and we’re all tied up in ATL! #TBvsATL on Prime VideoAlso streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0IBE6TUfRb
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024
Safeties Offered No Security
Bucs S Kaevon Merriweather and CB Jamel Dean and Falcons WR Darnell Mooney – Picture by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
Behind the Bucs second line of protection was little assist from safeties Jordan Whitehead and Christian Izien. Whitehead was in protection on the Kirk Cousins-to-Kyle Pitts seam to begin the evening and later missed a number of tackles. Christian Izien additionally didn’t carry down a number of receivers and backs in house.
The sheer quantity of yards after catch allowed as soon as every part is tallied up shall be astounding. Cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum completed the sport with 9 and 10 tackles respectively, typically cleansing up misses from Whitehead, Izien, Smith and the linebackers.
Each Izien and Whitehead had missed sort out charges north of 16% headed into this recreation per Professional Soccer Focus. These numbers have seemingly elevated after this recreation.
The totality of the failures over the center of the sector belies a bigger downside that won’t be fastened simply.
There Are Extra Questions Than Solutions
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
A few of that is cured when Antoine Winfield Jr. returns from his foot damage. He’s a sound tackler and will assist enhance that space of the sport by changing one of many gamers on the sector. Winfield may even assist man that space in protection, decreasing the present exploitation the Bucs defensive backfield is going through. However who Winfield replaces turns into a extra attention-grabbing story.
The direct alternative is clearly Christian Izien. He has been taking part in Winfield’s free security place. However whenever you have a look at the protection’s greatest 11 gamers it definitely consists of Izien.
Nevertheless it doesn’t embody Okay.J. Britt.
The Bucs can’t take their second linebacker off the sector solely and turn into a base dime protection. Opponents will run the ball straight down their throats regardless of how a lot Vita Vea and the defensive position attempt to forestall it. However Todd Bowles must discover a answer for pass-obvious downs with SirVocea Dennis out. David is now not a plus participant in that space however isn’t essentially a constant legal responsibility. But pairing him with Britt creates too large of a problem.
Might that be late down dime seems?
Probably.
Put Izien in for Britt with Whitehead dropping to the field could also be the most suitable choice within the quick time period. Whitehead’s points are troublesome however the least prone to proceed given the historical past of every participant concerned on this mess. And Izien offers some play-making and elevated athleticism in the midst of the sector. He can at the least chase and sort out higher.
There isn’t a silver bullet right here. The issue may be mitigated to a sure extent however is prone to proceed all through the remainder of the season. And it’ll proceed to be a thorn on this group’s aspect.
