In the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 28-11 win in Jacksonville on Sunday, the team's defense got 377 of its 803 individual snaps on defense from players who are 24 years old or younger. Of the 426 snaps played by defensive backs and inside linebackers – everybody who's not a down lineman or an edge-rushing linebacker – 336 were supplied by players 24 or younger, including 286 from players 22 or younger.
A youth movement has been the theme of Tampa Bay's defense in 2019, and some of the resulting chapters haven't been particularly entertaining. The ups and downs one might expect from a very young player, especially a rookie, were at times multiplied by having so many of them on the field. But the rough times seem to be paying off in the season's second half, and that's particularly true of late. All of a sudden, the future looks bright for that young group, who have been entertaining in recent weeks, not to mention effective.
"That first and second-year bunch on defense – that's going to be fun for a long time," said Head Coach Bruce Arians. "It's just going to get better and better. Just add a piece or two or just keep them together. I think the veterans that are over there are not old. Lavonte [David] looks like he's a four-year guy [with] the way he flies around, and [Ndamukong] Suh's playing at a high level. So, yeah, just keeping them all together and just continue to grow."
That young group is primarily comprised of players selected in the last two drafts, including inside linebacker Devin White, cornerbacks Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting and safeties Jordan Whitehead and Mike Edwards. The Bucs also drafted cornerback M.J. Stewart in 2018 but he has been sidelined for the past three weeks with a knee injury. White, Davis, Murphy-Bunting and Whitehead are all now full-time starters and Dean is close to that though he missed all but seven snaps on Sunday with a shoulder injury.
In the last two weeks, that group has helped the Buccaneers record two interceptions, 24 passes defensed, 11 sacks, 23 quarterback hits, 5 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns. Tampa Bay held Jacksonville to a season-low 3.8 yards per offensive play and the week before limited Atlanta to 4.2 yards per play, also the Falcons' season-worst at the time.
The Buccaneers' defense appears to be coming together as a cohesive unit, which is leading to fewer busted assignments and communication mistakes. Atlanta and Jacksonville each got one big offensive play on its very first drive against the Bucs – a 53-yard catch by Falcons TE Jaeden Graham and a 39-yard grab by Jaguars wideout Dede Westbrook – but very little in the way of big plays after that. If one defines "big plays" as passes that pick up 20-plus yards and runs that go for 10-plus yards, the Buccaneers were giving up an average of almost seven per game through the first nine games. They have allowed only four in each of the last three outings, only one for a touchdown across those three contests.
Obviously, a serious uptick in the pass rush has made a difference and the stars of that group – Shaq Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul, Carl Nassib – are all a bit older. But, as coaches always say, pass rush and pass coverage go hand-in-hand, and most of that coverage has been provided by very young players. In addition, White, the rangy linebacker who went fifth-overall in this year's draft, has contributed quite a bit to the pass rush.
View photos of Tampa Bay's Week 13 matchup against Jacksonville.
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
WR Mike Evans, No. 13
WR Mike Evans, No. 13
RB Ronald Jones II, No. 27
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
WR Mike Evans, No. 13
WR Breshad Perriman, No. 19
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
S Andrew Adams, No. 39 & ILB Devin White, No. 45
S Andrew Adams, No. 39 & ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
ILB Devin White, No. 45, DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, No, 56 & DL Beau Allen, No. 91
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3 & RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
S Andrew Adams, No. 39 & OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90
ILB Devin White, No. 45 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25 & TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
Bucs vs. Jaguars
Bucs vs. Jaguars
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3 & RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
DL Ndamukong Suh, No. 93
OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58
S Andrew Adams, No. 39 & ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45, ILB Lavonte David, No. 54, OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58 & OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31, ILB Devin White, No. 45, ILB & Lavonte David, No. 54
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31, ILB Devin White, No. 45, ILB & Lavonte David, No. 54
Bucs vs. Jaguars
T Demar Dotson, No. 69 & TE Cameron Brate, No. 84
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3, C Ryan Jensen, No. 66 & TE Cameron Brate, No. 84
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
ILB Devin White, No. 45
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
WR Mike Evans, No. 13 & TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
P Bradley Pinion, No. 8 & RB Dare Ogunbowale, No. 44
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31, ILB Devin White, No. 45 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25 & C Ryan Jensen, No. 66
OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58
OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58
ILB Devin White, No. 45
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31 & ILB Devin White, No. 45
WR Breshad Perriman, No. 19
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB T.J. Logan, No. 22 & RB Peyton Barber, No. 25
RB Peyton Barber, No. 25 & TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
OLB Patrick O'Connor, No. 79
Bucs vs. Jaguars
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90 & DL Ndamukong Suh, No. 93
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
WR Breshad Perriman, No. 19
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45
S Andrew Adams, No. 39 & ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45 & OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58
S Andrew Adams, No. 39
S Andrew Adams, No. 39 & DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, No, 56
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
CB Ryan Smith, No. 29
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31
ILB Devin White, No. 45
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31 & CB Carlton Davis, No. 33
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, No, 56
WR Mike Evans, No. 13
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3, TE O.J. Howard, No. 80 & DL Will Gholston, No. 92
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3, G Alex Cappa, No. 65 & T Josh Wells, No. 72
ILB Lavonte David, No. 54 & OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, No. 90
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26, S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31 & CB Carlton Davis, No. 33
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
RB Dare Ogunbowale, No. 44 & G Alex Cappa, No. 65
P Bradley Pinion, No. 8 & K Matt Gay, No. 9
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
TE O.J. Howard, No. 80
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
CB Carlton Davis, No. 33
ILB Devin White, No. 45
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
WR Mike Evans, No. 13
WR Mike Evans, No. 13
Bucs vs. Jaguars
S Jordan Whitehead, No. 31 & OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58
ILB Devin White, No. 45 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
OLB Shaquil Barrett, No. 58
ILB Devin White, No. 45
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26 & DL Ndamukong Suh, No. 93
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26 & DL Ndamukong Suh, No. 93
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26
OLB Carl Nassib, No. 94
ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
CB Carlton Davis, No. 33
DE Sam Acho, No. 96
RB Dare Ogunbowale, No. 44
RB Dare Ogunbowale, No. 44
C Ryan Jensen, No. 66
WR Breshad Perriman, No. 19
S Andrew Adams, No. 39
Head Coach Bruce Arians & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
DL Will Gholston, No. 92
Head Coach Bruce Arians
DL Beau Allen, No. 91 & DE Sam Acho, No. 96
QB Jameis Winston, No. 3
DL Vita Vea, No. 50 & OLB Patrick O'Connor, No. 79
DL Vita Vea, No. 50, T Donovan Smith, No. 76 & OLB Patrick O'Connor, No. 79
DL Vita Vea, No. 50
DL Vita Vea, No. 50
CB Mazzi Wilkins, No. 37
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26, RB Ronald Jones II, No. 27, CB Carlton Davis, No. 33 & CB Mazzi Wilkins, No. 37
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, No. 26
CB Carlton Davis, No. 33
WR Chris Godwin, No. 12
OLB Patrick O'Connor, No. 79
DL Vita Vea, No. 50
ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45
ILB Devin White, No. 45 & ILB Lavonte David, No. 54
"I think defensively, we're finally understanding situational football a lot better," said Arians. "Guys' communication, short-yardage, red zone, third down is becoming really fun to watch and watching the growth. Obviously, [we've been] rushing the passer extremely well for the last few weeks, but again on the back end, we're holding our guys [and] we're covering our guys."
Murphy-Bunting capped an incredible goal-line stand on Sunday with his second interception of the season, one play after White saved a touchdown with a diving pass break-up. The 2019 second-round pick now leads the team with two interceptions while White got his first pick in the same game and also scored on a fumble return. Those big moments add confidence to the young players that they can be playmakers in the NFL.
"It's huge," said Arians. "Once you do it, you know you can. Devin's sacks last week, the interception this week [and] the touchdown will be huge for him and his growth. Sean – a second time for him now. All those kids are getting more and more. I see Mike Edwards playing faster and faster. I hope to get Anthony Nelson healthy soon [and] let him get back out there. Somebody just asked me what rookie probably has had the most impact. Of course, I started naming all of them and I forgot about [kicker] Matt Gay. He's probably had the most impact of all of them. So, yeah, it's been a great group."
Arians said the knee injury that cost White roughly a month early in the season delayed his development into a team leader, but that part of his game is starting to emerge now, too, particularly in terms of rallying his fellow young players. White is expected to be a leader for the Buccaneers' defense for a long time, and it's starting to look like that will be a very entertaining defense to lead.
