The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense needs to be "machine-gunning" - 1998 Defensive Principles

by Sander on Jul 24, 2011 4:02 PM EDT

Here's something I just came across, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1998 Defensive Playbook[PDF]. It details the Bucs' defense at the time, and there are plenty of interesting notes in there. Anyone interested in playbooks should look that over, and the main site (fastandfuriousfootball.com) has a lot of different playbooks.

What's interesting is the "defensive team philosophy" set out in this document. A number of these things are obvious: "Mental Preparation", "Be a Physical Defense", "Hustle", "Physical Toughness", "Be Disciplined" - these are all tenets of every defense. Two things stand out, though: Quickness and Gang Tackling.

We all know the Bucs used to be about speed over size. Derrick Brooks was undersized for his position, but fast as anything. Simeon Rice wasn't the biggest, but he was quick. Sapp had size, but he was all speed. Speed was why the Bucs defense, but they seem to be going away from that and back to size these days. Da'Quan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn are both big, quick and use their hands very well, but neither player is a speed demon. Geno Hayes is a very fast linebacker, but Ruud isn't the fastest, and the linebackers this regime has brought in (Tyrone McKenzie and Mason Foster) are more big than fast.

"Gang Tackling" is the other point of interest. Let me quote that piece:

Gang Tackling: Eleven guys getting to the ball. Nothing is more discouraging to an offensive back or receiver knowing he is going to get machine gunned by the Buccaneer defense.

Now that's what I want to see more of: a Buccaneer defense that machine guns the opposition. Here's to hoping they get back to that soon.

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We were a better defense when we all hit

[url="Check out this mean tune":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVaEHtHJqeM]

by Titankillah on Jul 24, 2011 4:25 PM EDT reply actions

four linemen healthy and on the field

it will be Clayborn and Bowers as ends with McCoy and Price as DTs. The DTs are both pass rushing specialists while the ends are balanced with a real strength against the run. That’s an interesting combo.

by Brooklyn Buc on Jul 24, 2011 8:54 PM EDT reply actions

11 hats

Putting eleven hats on the ball carrier is about hustle and good angles, every coach preaches it. Great find with this playbook, I can’t wait to check it out.

by Jeff Auerbach on Jul 24, 2011 9:13 PM EDT reply actions

Those were the good ole days...

Lol…“Machine Gunnin” I like it…That’s a good mind set to have…The defenses we had back in those days made you forget how bad the offense really was…11 hats on the football and no YAC…we gotta get back to that and the sooner the better

by ctd1977 on Jul 24, 2011 11:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

My old high school coach use to say...

“The best offense is a good defense” and the Buccaneer teams of the late 90’s/early 00’s were the very definition of that. As long a I live I’ll never forget the NFC championship against the Rams in 99’. Those guys were running up the score on everybody they played yet we kept ‘em in single digits late into the 4th quarter. It’s sad it only took 11 points for them to win that game. That one still hurts to this day.

by ctd1977 on Jul 24, 2011 11:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

@ Sander- Lockout question- is our spending budget 59.5 mill now?

I focus on money my hands touch
If that right there don’t add up
I gotta let you know your math sucks
You don’t ever talk to a calculator
You don’t get caught with an ounce of paper
Every convo is about a favour

by 4QB on Jul 25, 2011 2:28 AM EDT reply actions

As far as I know, yes

Though I don’t know the official numbers. Mark Dominik keeps saying they have some special bonuses to help with the cash spending coming up, but I’m pretty sure those are included in the calculations I’ve seen.

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by Sander on Jul 25, 2011 7:17 AM EDT up reply actions