Stingy defense.
The past two weeks, the Bucs defense has been impressive.
In a road game in Detroit, the Bucs defense held the mighty Lions to 24 points. In the previous six Lions home games, including a playoff loss last winter, the Lions had been averaging 37 points a game.
Last week in Lincoln’s Tomb, the Bucs defense jostled, mocked and robbed the slimy Saints. Outside linebacker Anthony Nelson damn near won the game by himself with two sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass defensed and pick-six all in the same play.
And a made-up fantasy football stat sort of reinforces how the Bucs are playing really stingy defense.
Ian Hartitz of @MBFantasyLife has a made-up stat that has the Bucs leading the NFL in “havoc.” Hence, he calls this stat “havoc” stats.
In Hartitz’s mind, a “havoc” is the percentage of plays on defense that it records either a pressure, tackle for loss, forced fumble, pick or a pass breakup.
Joe has no earthly idea why Hartitz would include pressures and not sacks. Forever and always, sacks > pressures.
Anyway, based on this havoc stat, the Bucs’ defense leads the NFL in this stat. That tells Joe the defense is both active and efficient.
There’s no doubt that with the Bucs in a bad funk offensively in New Orleans (probably due to all the injuries) the defense both carried the Bucs on Sunday, and won the game for them.
Think about it: Nelson outscored the slimy Saints all by himself.
Top NFL defenses in "Havoc" which is the % of plays a defense gets a pressure, TFL, forced fumble, INT, or pass breakup:
1. Buccaneers (42.8%)
T2. Broncos (41.7%)
T2. Seahawks (41.7%)
4. Lions (41.6%)
5. Rams (41.5%)
6. Chargers (41%)
7. Texans (40.8%)
8. Packers (40.6%)
9.…
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 28, 2025