Buccaneers drive analysis: Defensive collaps

The defense allowed 25 points and the secondary was porous once again. A total of 19 points was given up in the second half.  It had a 12 - 6 lead at the half. The final score was Bucs 12, Colts 25.

Tampa Bay's Basic stats before the game

Defensive Passing:  13^th (234 yards/game)

Defensive Rushing:  15^th (104 yards/game)

Points Against:  26^th (25.4 ppg)

Indianapolis' Basic stats before the game

Offensive Passing:  15^th (241 yards/game)

Offensive Rushing:  20^th (98 yards/game)

Points For:  18^th (22.4 ppg)

Here is what transpired in the game for the defense:

Yikes. The defense stops the run, but gives up a lot of passing yards.  In the previous three games, the Bucs' secondary was playing great. Then it reverted to something we saw long ago. It was game 6 against Washington.  Here is what transpired for the Washington game for comparison:

Game 6, Defensive Drive Analysis: Defensive Disgrace

Comparisons between the two games are eerie. In the Washington game, the Redskins scored on four consecutive offensive possessions starting from the second half. Let us inspect if a pattern continues.

Viewing the Drive chart above, we notice the Colts did score on its four consecutive offensive drives in the second half. On drive seven, the 15 yard drive defense, K Conner Barth missed a 54 yard field goal attempt and LG Logan Mankins had a personal unsportsmanlike conduct called against him for an additional 15 yards. The penalty helped start the Colts at the Tampa 41 yard line.

Indianapolis was driving on the defense in the first half. They continued to drive on the defense in the second half. The Bucs' defense only forced one punt when there was less than four minutes left in the game and a 13 point lead.

Drives with completed passes 10 yards or more:

Drive 1:  11 yds  Total: 1.  Result: FG

Drive 2:  22 yds, 29 yds  Total: 2.  Result: FG

Drive 3:  22 yds  Total: 1.  Result: Punt

Drive 4:  17 yds, 10 yds  Total: 2.  Result: End of half

Drive 5:  31 yds, 16 yds  Total: 2.  Result: FG

Drive 6:  31 yds, 19 yds  Total: 2.  Result: TD

Drive 8:  13 yds, 12 yds, 16 yds  Total: 3.  Result: TD

There was a total of 13 completed passes of 10 yards or more by the Colts offense. Out of 26 completed passes, half of them were 10 yards or more.  Ouch.

Out of the first eight Colts' offensive possessions, they scored on 6 opportunities. The last two drives were simply running the clock out. It seems as though the secondary reverted back to being lost in their own defensive schemes once again. Instead of playing a sound game like previous games, it seems as though the defense tried to be fancy and befuddled themselves in executing it.

Reviewing the season:

The Dallas game now looks as though it were an exception of defensive play for the season.

And here we notice the trend of allowing more points in the second half resurfacing. The defense allowed 19 points in the second half alone. In the Philly game, the score was 28 - 14 at the half.  Philly's offense only seen the field in the third quarter once, after the offense put the team up 35 - 14.

I hate to say this, but if the offense cannot score, then team will lose more often because the defense is not responsible enough to prevent the opposing team from scoring.