53
It’s safe to say that Tampa Bay’s defense has disappointed for far too many years. In 2018, only the Oakland Raiders (467) allowed more points than the Buccaneers (464). The club finished 27th in the league in total yards allowed per game and struggled both against the run (24th) and pass (26th).
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The Bucs surrendered a whopping 53 offensive touchdowns, including 34 through the air. And in terms of big plays from the team, there were only 38 sacks (up from 22 in 2017) and just 17 takeaways.
Enter new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who has made the rounds in the league and comes off a four-year stint as the head coach of the New York Jets. In 2014, he earned NFL Assistant Coach of the Year honors thanks to his work with the Arizona Cardinals and under head coach Bruce Arians.
Via free agency, there are three new starters on this side of the ball in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (Rams), inside linebacker Deone Bucannon (Cardinals) and outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett (Broncos). With the fifth pick in April’s draft, the club grabbed LSU standout Devin White. The Buccaneers also signed veteran safety Darian Stewart for depth. And with Bowles at the controls, the team will employ the 3-4 defense.
Dating back to 2009, the Buccaneers have allowed at least 400 points in 5-of-10 seasons and allowed at least 40 offensive touchdowns seven times. Can Bowles get things turned around?