Bucs Defense Shines As Kiffin Was Inducted Into The Ring of Honor
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With a solid 48-25 victory over the NFC South rival, Atlanta Falcons, so much can be said for that game as both sides of the ball looked great on Sunday. One thing that does stand out besides the fact that TB12 manhandled the Falcons defense is that the defense for the Bucs seemed to improve from Week 1. It seems only fitting as legendary defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin was inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor.
Bucs Defense Shows Improvement
Even with starter Sean Murphy-Bunting, out of action with an elbow injury, the Bucs defense looked a lot better during Week 2. Although they were held without a sack on the day, the defense showed up big time in the turnover column, amassing for 3 interceptions; on the day (Barrett-1, Edwards-2). Granted, the team did allow Matt Ryan to throw for 300 yards, but they found a way to keep the veteran from truly taking advantage on the field.
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Third-year defensive back, Jamel Dean, seemed to have found his comfort zone on Sunday as he managed 4 tackles while only allowing one reception for seven yards in the game. Fellow cornerback Carlton Davis III led the team in tackles with nine, followed by Lavonte David with eight.
Things seem to be on the right track for the defense as they found a way to step up when it was needed most, as they accounted for points of turnovers once the Falcons trimmed the deficit to 3-points, thanks in part to Defensive Player of the Week, Mike Edwards’ two pick-sixes.
Are they just getting warmed up?
It’s actually weird to think that the Bucs defense hasn’t even reached their peak yet. Thinking back to the Super Bowl in February when they held the Patrick Mahomes led Chiefs to only nine points, we still may not have seen the very best this defense has to offer–at least not yet. Don’t be surprised if this “Monte Kiffin: Ring of Honor” game is used as a springboard to the defense becoming one of the best in the league. The days of the “Tampa 2” may be etched in history and long gone, but the fact that this defense could supersede the level and expectations of what Kiffin was able to provide for over a decade is indeed a scary thought. Todd Bowles could easily be recognized as Kiffin 2.0 if the trend continues, and for Bucs fans, this should excite you.
