Pass defense work in progress.
Let’s cut to the chase: Joe did not like how a rookie quarterback moved the ball today with little effort on the Bucs’ first-team defense.
But two big plays were made during a two-minute drill that bailed the Bucs out against the Titans in their controlled scrimmage at One Buc Palace.
Late in practice the teams decided to go after each other in a two-minute-drill session.
On the very first play of Tennessee’s first drive, Cam Ward went back to pass and was picked by Haason Reddick.
> “It was a good change-of-pace call in two-minute,” Bowles said of Reddick’s play. “He came up with the play.
>
> “We reloaded after that, but he made a big play to get us off the field and possibly some points. So that was huge to see.”
Yup. The Bucs paid a veteran edge rusher some $14 million [to drop back in pass coverage.](https://www.joebucsfan.com/2025/08/haason-reddick-talks-lavonte-david-tampa-happiness/) Gerbil on a wheel, man. But thankfully, this time it paid off. Reddick picked off the No. 1 overall pick in this spring’s draft and in theory, the Bucs were in easy field goal range.
Time for the Bucs to reload on offense. Uh, oh, it was not a game, but a scrimmage. So Ward and Tennessee’s offense stayed on the field.
Ward and the Titans had little problem moving the ball through the air and were on the cusp of field goal range when a blast from the past rose up. A Ward pass to the right sideline was broken up and nearly picked by backup Bucs linebacker Deion Jones. Joe was not at all happy he didn’t come up with the pick.
Either Ward is way better than anyone thought, or the Bucs pass defense needs a lot more work. At least the first team defense does.