Film Room: The Versatility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Pass Rush

A deep dive on the versatility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pass rush and how it found success in the 2020-21 playoff run.

Calling Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme intimidating would be a gross understatement.

As someone bringing a fresh set of eyes to this championship team, seeing all the different looks and pressures Tampa Bay threw at some of the league’s brightest passers was understandably overwhelming at first.

The Buccaneers defense assaulted offenses with waves of strong, mean, versatile rushers and minute but mind-boggling weekly wrinkles.

But the deeper I dove into the belly of the beast, the clearer everything became. One of the best ways to understand a defense is watching how they use their playmakers, and the Buccaneers are loaded with them.

Among the star-studded cast were veteran pass rushers Shaquil Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Ndamukong Suh, who Bowles moved around the formation and worked to accentuate.

Bringing another level of versatility to the front was the dynamic duo of Lavonte David and Devin White, who took on difficult coverage assignments to disguise the defense’s intentions presnap.

Before breaking down Tampa Bay’s myriad defensive formations and blitzes, here are some important terms to know:

4-4/ 3-3/ 3-2/ 3-1: Number of defensive linemen and # of linebackers (safeties in linebacker positions also considered).

ODD: Both offensive guards uncovered with a nose tackle over the center.

BEAR: All three interior offensive linemen covered.

RUSH: Unconventional spacing used exclusively in passing situations.

MUG: 1+ linebacker positions walked up to the line of scrimmage.

NICKEL PERSONNEL (5 Defensive Backs)

4-2 Rush

Situations: With a Lead, 3rd Down, Two Minute, Red Area

Coverages: Cover 4, Cover 3 Slot/LB Blitz, Cover 2, Cover 2 Man

The 4-2 is a four defensive linemen, two linebacker formation Tampa runs more than anything else. “Rush” may not be Bowles’ official specification for this package, but he isn’t returning my emails so that’s what I’m going with. This unique front puts three of the four linemen on the same side of the center, sliding both defensive tackles toward the “boundary.”

The look can only be used in pass-rush situations due to the gaping holes in the A- and B-gaps towards the “field,” where a back would have acres of grass to run through.

But on passing downs, Tampa used this uncommon spacing to influence pass protection, create 1-on-1’s for their star edge rushers, and set up line games.

When sending a blitz from the slot, one linebacker would walk over or “mug” the open gap to match the offensive lines’ numbers. The goal here is to eliminate double teams and get the line into a man blocking scheme or “5-0” call.

The defensive tackles also slide toward the field where the corner is blitzing to get him on a running back, who is “scanning” for extra rushers and the weakest blocker.

Tampa would completely overload offenses’ protections by sending David if he was stacked over the mugged linebacker, creating a 5-on-4 in favor of the defense.

3-3 Bear/Odd

Situations: With a Lead, 2nd Down & Long/Extra Long, Red Area, Backed Up, 1st Down (Empty)

Coverages: Cover 3, Cover 3 LB/Slot/SS Blitz, Cover 3 LB Creeper

Tampa’s 3-3 put the heat on offensive lines by not only bringing extra rushers consistently, but placing studs Pierre-Paul and Barrett side-by-side. It also tweaked most players’ assignments from the team’s base 4-down structure to match this scheme’s 3-4 oriented rules.

Suh maintained his primary alignment as a 3-technique in “Bear” fronts with David bumping down to join him on the line, but really played the role of big defensive end rushing tackles and kicked outside in “Odd” fronts, where David would assume his usual spot off the line.

Pierre-Paul became more of a 3-4 end closer to or inside of the offensive tackle with Barrett flanking him as a true outside linebacker with responsibilities as a rusher and in coverage.

Beyond these pre-snap headaches, Washington’s protection schemes also had to deal with late shifts by Kevin Minter, two fire blitzes, and a creeper pressure that helped lead to an interception.

The Green Bay Packers wisely got the ball out of Aaron Rodgers’ hand much quicker the next week when facing this intimidating look.

3-3 Bear/Odd Suh

Situations: 3rd Down

Coverages: Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 LB Blitz

Green Bay may have been well-prepared for the Buccaneers’ more traditional 3-3, but Bowles did have an extra trick up his sleeve. Against the Packers, and for the first time and only in the postseason, Suh played off-ball linebacker on 3rd downs behind a three-man odd front of the team’s premier edge duo and Vita Vea at nose.

The versatile behemoth would roam in amoebic fashion to create a unique problem for the offensive line, with two-deep man coverage behind him. At the snap, Suh would either attack the gap in front of him or loop to another.

Bowles also mixed in a fire blitz with David and White mugging each guard and Suh as a pseudo middle linebacker.

Suh helped Barrett avoid a double and produce a sack early in the game, but the Packers handled the package well otherwise.

DIME PERSONNEL (6 Defensive Backs)

3-2 Odd Mug

3-2 Odd Mug

Situations: 3rd Down, With a Lead

Coverages: Cover 3 LB/Slot Blitz, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Slot Creeper, Cover 3

The Buccaneers rarely field more than five defensive backs, but they mixed in dime against Kansas City when passing was the Chiefs’ only option.

Barrett and Pierre-Paul manned each edge with Suh over the center, creating an Odd front. The dynamic duo of David and White plugged the open gaps for the 5-0 call we discussed earlier and dialed up a couple of three-deep fire blitzes to create confusion upfront.

Tampa Bay used a similar look used against Washington from seven-defensive back or “quarter” personnel with safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in the box for replacement linebacker Kevin Minter, but this was more of a passive package aimed at spying the quarterback and forcing the ball underneath.

Although there was one defensive back-loaded package from the Buccaneers so brilliantly twisted, you might wanna take a seat before scrolling further...

QUARTER PERSONNEL (7 Defensive Backs)

3-3 Rush Mug

Situations: 3rd Down, With a Lead

Coverages: Cover 3 LB/Slot Blitz, Cover 3 LB Creeper

This is more of an honorable mention because it was only used twice, but looking at this still gives me a headache and I want you to bask in the chaos with me.

On two third and longs in the first half against Washington, Tampa Bay used a front that combined shades of all its funky rush looks.

It replicated the three-strong defensive lineman structure from the 4-2 Rush, while also putting the team’s best rushers together like in 3-3 Odd, but with Suh in the mix like 3-2 Odd.

Adding to the madness, three traditional coverage players occupied the other side of the line to create a six-man surface on the line. This included Winfield over the center, David over the field-side guard, and safety Jordan Whitehead over the field-side tackle.

This presented the issues of a look you’ll rarely see from any team, including the Buccaneers, and the complete mystery of where the rush was coming pre-snap.

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