TAMPA, Fla. — Now that the Bucs collectively have turned the page to the postseason, fans can only hope the defense doesn’t flip back a chapter, to the story line of the previous two games.
Crisp starts, a prerequisite in the playoffs, haven’t manifested themselves for coordinator Todd Bowles’ unit the previous two weekends. In their 28-24 win against the Jets on Jan. 2, New York scored touchdowns on their first two drives, of 67 and 78 yards.
Then last Sunday at home, the Panthers marched 75 yards in 14 plays to open the game, scoring on a short Sam Darnold touchdown throw. Their next drive stalled inside the Bucs’ 40, but not before they ran 10 plays.
“It’s all execution,” Bowles said Thursday. “We do good on first, second down, and then we jump offside, or we’ll mess something up on third down or one of the other downs. It’s all execution.”
With some lack of discipline interspersed.
On the opening drive against the Jets, Ndamukong Suh and rookie Joe Tryon-Shoyinka both were whistled offside in a five-play span. Vita Vea’s neutral-zone infraction on third and 4 near midfield gave the Panthers a fresh set of downs last Sunday.
Toss in injuries, along with periodic shoddy tackling, and Bowles’ unit finds itself under deep scrutiny as it prepares to face the Eagles, who enter with the NFL’s No. 1 run defense (159.7 yards per game). On the encouraging side, veterans Lavonte David (foot) and Shaquil Barrett (knee) are eligible to come off injured reserve, and edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul (shoulder) is expected to make his first game appearance in nearly a month.
“We’ve just got to constantly work on the fundamentals,” said Bowles, whose defense has allowed 260 total rushing yards in the last two games.
“Obviously hitting the bags and getting in running position and really it just comes to a lot of breaking-down tackling instead of running by guys. Gathering our feet and keeping our feet underneath us and bringing shoulders — it’s just all fundamental work.”
