Head Coach Todd Bowles has done a fantastic job over the several years he has been with the Buccaneers. Defensively, Tampa Bay has had a Top 10 DVOA (Football Outsiders) for the past two years, and the 2022 campaign has them on track to finish in the Top 10 again. Bowles has shown a knack for evolving his defense to fit his personnel and the changing ecosystem within the NFL.
When Bowles got the Defensive Coordinator job in ‘19, the Bucs’ defense was coming off an ‘18 campaign that saw them ranked 32nd in DVOA. In one off-season, Bowles raised the level of play to a Top 10 defense, finishing 9th in DVOA. Primarily a 3-4 Cover 1 defense in his first two years, Bowles has transitioned into more of a Nickel (2-4-5) hybrid zone defense, which matches the trend around the league.
In ‘19 and ‘20, the Bucs’ secondary ran primarily Cover 1, but the past two seasons have seen Tampa Bay shift to a zone scheme that bases in Cover 3 with Cover 2 (and some Quarters) as a change-up. Bowles’ willingness to pressure the QB on passing downs is one constant within the scheme.
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