Since the arrival of Todd Bowles, the Buccaneers defense has been a consistently strong group powered by a stout run defense and aggressive blitz packages. This year, the consistency of the unit has not been as evident, as the Bucs have allowed the fifth-most pass yards (2235) in the league at the halfway point, despite already having their bye in Week 5.
Tampa Bay’s defense has largely survived off high leverage plays, forcing 15 turnovers, and being one of the best red zone defenses in the league. Much of their struggles have stemmed from soft zone coverage, leading to more big plays than are typical with a Bowles defense.
The talent from the Bucs’ Super Bowl run is still mostly on the roster, but the consistency is not. With an offense diminished by roster attrition and a rookie playcaller, the defense has so far been unsuccessful in keeping the team afloat in a winnable NFC South.
Here are the midseason grades for the Bucs’ 2023 defense: