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TAMPA – What if Tom Brady is an afterthought?
What if, having earned an Eternal Wonder with more records, Super Bowls, and followers than any quarterback in mankind has ever known, Tampa Bay’s season history was a defense. fierce?
It’s silly, isn’t it? Brady’s aura is too big and the defense is too uncertain. Brady is Godzilla and everyone is just hoping for some screen time before the credits roll.
But if?
In the second half of last season, the Bucs defense gave up an average of 316 yards with 1.9 turnovers per game. These are the numbers of a defense in the top five. These are the kinds of numbers we’re used to seeing from Patriots, Ravens, or Steelers defenses.
Maybe it was just a fluke against the softer side of the calendar, but it’s also possible that it was a sign of things to come. A glimpse into the future of a rebuilt defense with a proven coordinator, Todd Bowles, at the helm.
This defense doesn’t just have two months of stats on its side, it also has stories to go with it. The story of how a group of defensive backs survived doubts and jibes and came away stronger than expected. The story of Lavonte David is finally getting its due. The story of first-round pick Devin White speaking and playing at 100 mph.
“There’s a lot of trash going on in training,” coach Bruce Arians said of the young defenders. “They are very brave. Devin is a guy who brings a ton of energy. DBs get a lot of bragging rights. I love it, that’s the competition. Nobody talks shit more than I do.
It’s been a long time since nobody wanted to claim a defense in Tampa Bay, which is a shame as every glorious moment in this franchise’s history has revolved around defense. When the Bucs first went to the playoffs in 1979, it was with the NFL’s No.1 defense. When they won the Super Bowl in 2002, it was with the NFL’s No.1 defense.
They aren’t ready to cross that bridge in 2020, but they’re much closer to the other side than they’ve been in a decade or more.
“What you put in is what you get out of it,” said linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul. “Hot days in Florida… sweat and blood, getting torn and scratched, that’s what will count.
“We can be one of the best defenses in the NFL, but we have to get to work.”
You might have noticed that the offense got all the glamorous hits during the offseason. First of all, Brady was brought in. Then rookie tackle Tristan Wirfs. Then tight winger Rob Gronkowski and running back LeSean McCoy.
Yet in the end, the Bucs invested almost as much money in defense. By signing again Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh and Shaquil Barrett, the Bucs have ensured stability on a still young list. And taking Antoine Winfield Jr. in the second round in April, Tampa Bay now has four second-round picks and two high-school third-round picks from the last three draft.
They lost some passing depth when Carl Nassib left via free agency, but White is expected to play a bigger role in chasing the quarterback.
“Bowles is going to work his magic and put everyone in a position to make plays,” said linebacker coach Larry Foote, when asked how Barrett could get away with more attention focused on him. this season.
So how good can this defense be?
Will they have the # 1 stroke stop unit again? Considering they have Suh and Vita Vea in the middle and Bowles emphasizes running defense, that’s not an extravagant proposition.
Can Barrett repeat his 19.5 league header sacks? It will be more difficult, but another double-digit season looks likely.
Will the secondary continue to develop? It could end up being the key to the whole season. If what we saw in November and December wasn’t a mirage, the Bucs have a playoff-grade defense.
The Arians have said he would like to see less explosive play from opposing offenses and believe the secondary can produce more interceptions, but he hasn’t backed down on the idea the defense is ready to come in. in the limelight.
“I wouldn’t expect any drop,” he says.
No, that defense isn’t good enough to eclipse Brady’s stardom, but it might not look out of place on the red carpet.
John Romano can be reached at [email protected]. Follow @romano_tbtimes.
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