The Bucs have a protection drawback that was uncovered in Thursday’s 36-30 extra time loss at Atlanta. The center of the sector was large open all night time for Kirk Cousins, who handed for a Falcons-record 509 yards and 4 touchdowns, with over 300 of these yards coming throughout the center.
And who’s the center linebacker in Tampa Bay? Okay.J. Britt, who has some athletic limitations that hinder him in protection. So the Falcons naturally focused his space of the sector repeatedly within the win.
Not that Britt was solely responsible for the loss, however he was Professional Soccer Focus’ worst-graded Bucs defender in Week 5 with a 38.3 general grade and a 46.5 protection grade. Britt allowed three catches for 28 yards and missed a deal with.
So with SirVocea Dennis, who’s on injured reserve with what may very well be a season-ending shoulder harm, unavailable to assist, what can defensive play-caller and head coach Todd Bowles do to enhance the go protection in the course of the sector earlier than Saints quarterback Derek Carr takes his turns exploiting Britt and others on Sunday in New Orleans?
Will Bowles deploy a dime protection that includes only one linebacker and three safeties together with three cornerbacks?
Is bringing again former inside linebacker Devin White even an choice?
Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo analyzed the Bucs’ disastrous shortcomings in the course of the sector on Friday.
Now let’s additional look at the issue – and focus on the attainable resolution.
The Bucs Miss SirVocea Dennis – Terribly
Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
To say that the Bucs missed SirVocea Dennis on Thursday night time in Atlanta is an understatement. Dennis platooned with Britt and performed in third-and-long conditions and apparent passing downs. The second-year linebacker out of Pitt has a 74.3 protection grade for the season.
Okay.J. Britt is a legal responsibility in go protection. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles gained’t say it out loud, however his actions communicate volumes. When Bowles demoted Devin White final yr, he stored him in on apparent passing downs for his potential to blitz and to make use of his pace in protection. Britt is a downhill thumper, who really had a tough night time within the run recreation versus the Falcons as a result of he’s a stiff athlete who isn’t very agile. That lack of agility actually exhibits up in go protection, too.
“It wasn’t powerful as a result of it was our regular stuff that we usually run however on the identical time, you recognize, we need to have extra pace on the sector at sure occasions,” Bowles stated about how powerful it was not having Dennis accessible in opposition to the Falcons. “Okay.J is an excellent zone participant however at occasions we need to have some pace guys on the sector and the communication needs to be higher, particularly with the safeties. Once we misplaced Jordan [Whitehead], we misplaced a few of the communication facet of it after which we simply missed some drops and missed some tackles.”
In order that’s why Bowles platooned Britt with White on the finish of final yr and has platooned Britt with Dennis in the beginning of this yr. Bowles wants extra pace on the sector as Britt is without doubt one of the slower linebackers on the staff. When Bowles defends him in press conferences, it’s simply lip service.
Bucs ILBs Okay.J. Britt and Lavonte David – Picture by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
“I imply, we’re assured in Okay.J., however on the identical time, we have to make extra tackles,” Bowles stated. “I assumed our zone drops and our tackling weren’t excellent and that’s the place we sort of obtained behind the eight ball.”
The Bucs performed zone protection over 80% of the time in opposition to the Falcons as a result of Bowles feared mismatches in protection with Britt being answerable for protecting operating backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, or getting mismatched in opposition to speedy, athletic tight finish Kyle Pitts.
He can’t enable his protection to be handicapped by Britt’s lack of ability to man cowl, because it creates a protection that’s predictable and simple to assault. Simply ask Kirk Cousins, who threw the ball at and across the Bucs’ spot-dropping inside linebackers all night time.
Lavonte David Is Displaying His Age, However Bringing Again Devin White Gained’t Assist
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and Falcons WR Drake London – Picture by: USA At this time
In the event you have a look at the stat sheet, Lavonte David had a great night time. He had eight tackles – one fewer than fellow linebacker Okay.J. Britt – together with two go breakups and a key fourth-quarter interception on fourth down that seemed prefer it might need sealed the win for Tampa Bay with lower than two minutes left.
However in response to Professional Soccer Focus, David was focused 11 occasions in protection and allowed 9 catches for 107 yards in Atlanta. His PFF protection grade of 48.5 was almost as dangerous as Britt’s 46.5 protection grade.
It’s powerful for any soccer participant to should play on Sunday after which flip round on a brief week and play on Thursday night time. But it surely’s much more tough for 34-year previous linebackers like David, as soccer is a younger man’s recreation. Contemplating the sweltering warmth and humidity in Tampa for the Bucs’ 33-16 win over the Eagles, David might need solely began the Falcons recreation with a half of tank of power.
The rationale I level this out is that if Todd Bowles had been to look at his roster and never have the boldness to platoon Britt with J.J. Russell, who has simply 47 profession go rush snaps, or undrafted free agent Antonio Grier Jr., who was signed from the follow squad to switch SirVocea Dennis on the lively roster, then he could have to show to taking part in a dime protection.
Dime protection means taking part in six defensive backs and only one linebacker. That one linebacker must be David, who has a 62.7 protection grade this yr by 5 video games, which is understandably the bottom of his illustrious 13-year profession.
Bowles has to hope that David’s poor night time in protection was precipitated partly by fatigue from the quick week, and that he’ll be higher in protection with the remaining that comes from having the weekend off. He actually has no different alternative proper now at inside linebacker.
Bucs ILB Devin White – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Earlier than you begin considering {that a} commerce for former Bucs inside linebacker Devin White could be a good suggestion because of his familiarity with Todd Bowles protection, I’ll remind you that he’s not solely not beginning in Philadelphia, he’s been a wholesome scratch on the inactive record for many of the season.
For a purpose.
Devin White isn’t a great participant proper now. The Bucs knew it, which is why they let him go in free company. And the Eagles realize it now, which is why he’s been inactive.
Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht gained’t take into account it primarily based on a few of White’s antics from a yr in the past and his declining play because the begin of the 2022 season. And Licht definitely gained’t half methods with draft capital as he deems it to beneficial in staff constructing for the longer term. Tampa Bay has actually hit on some key gamers within the final three years, particularly.
Who Would Exchange Okay.J. Britt In Dime Protection?
Bucs S Christian Izien – Picture by: USA At this time
If Todd Bowles had been to deploy a dime protection, it could characteristic three safeties, three cornerbacks and one linebacker. The excellent news for the Bucs is that they’ve a bunch of safeties on the staff who they actually like. Sadly, the one security they love probably the most, All-Professional Antoine Winfield Jr., has been sidelined with a foot harm since Week 1.
“When he comes again, we’ve these varieties of (dime) packages in, however with the accidents, we are able to’t afford to make use of these proper now,” Bowles stated.
The truth is, Winfield’s harm is the explanation why Bowles couldn’t use a dime protection in opposition to the Falcons on Thursday night time, particularly with Tampa Bay solely having two walk-through practices previous to touring to Atlanta. There simply wasn’t sufficient time to correctly implement it into the sport plan on a brief week.
Here’s a have a look at Tampa Bay’s safeties who Bowles has to tinker with, together with their 2024 Professional Soccer Focus protection grades.
Bucs Beginning Safeties
Antoine Winfield Jr. – 5-9, 203 – 57.3 PFF protection gradeJordan Whitehead – 5-10, 198 – 70.2 PFF protection grade
Doable Dime Security Candidates
DB Tykee Smith – 5-10, 202 – 64.2 PFF protection gradeFS Christian Izien – 5-10, 200 – 56.7 PFF protection gradeSS Kaevon Merriweather – 6-0, 212 – 56.6 PFF protection gradeDB Tavierre Thomas – 5-10, 205 – 68 PFF protection grade
Apply Squad Safeties
S Rashad Knowledge – 5-9, 210 – 68.6 PFF preseason protection gradeS Marcus Banks – 6-0, 190 – 55.9 PFF preseason protection grade
Falcons WR Drake London and Bucs NCB Tykee Smith – Picture by: USA At this time
Rookie Tykee Smith took over at nickelback this yr for Christian Izien, who has crammed in at free security for the injured Winfield. Each of these gamers could be in play for the position of dime security, however Izien could be the best candidate. He began all 19 video games at nickelback throughout his rookie season and was Bowles’ option to fill in for Winfield at free security.
Izien appears to have the belief of the teaching workers, who picked him over Tavierre Thomas to fill in at exterior cornerback within the waning moments of the Week 1 win over Washington when Zyon McCollum, Bryce Corridor and Josh Hayes all left the sport because of accidents.
With Smith coming off a tough recreation at Atlanta the place he gave up two touchdowns, placing extra on his plate may not be preferrred, in response to Bowles.
Bucs S Kaevon Merriweather and CB Jamel Dean and Falcons WR Darnell Mooney – Picture by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
“He’s one of many guys we talked about [playing in dime],” Bowles stated. “Once more, [we’re] attempting to not overload his plate, being a rookie and all, so we’ve to maneuver some guys round, however he’s undoubtedly one of many guys that’s a candidate to try this kind of stuff.”
The weak spot in dime protection in taking a linebacker off the sector in favor of a smaller, but sooner participant in a security is run protection. Opponents would possibly determine to run the ball on third-and-medium performs to make the most of a lighter personnel grouping on protection.
The largest security on the sector is Kaevon Merriweather at 6-foot, 212 kilos. He earned some taking part in time final yr in addition to this yr and is best within the field than taking part in deep. So both Izien or Merriweather look like probably the most preferrred candidates to be the third security on the sector if Bowles opts for dime defensive packages.
