Opponents Were Explosive Against Bucs Defense
February 18th, 2026
This really shouldn’t surprise anyone who follows the Bucs.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles loves to blitz. That did not abate last season. The Bucs blitzed on 30.7 percent of the defensive plays. That was sixth-most in the NFL, per Sharp Football Analysis.
So what did that get the Bucs? Burned, that’s what. The Bucs’ defense had the sixth-highest explosive play rate in the league.
An explosive play is generally regarded as a run of 12 or more yards and a pass play of 16 or more yards.
Part of the reason for this was the blitzes didn’t always get home. Another reason is the inside linebackers couldn’t cover themselves with a blanket at night.