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BY IRA KAUFMAN
To blitz or not to blitz, that is the question.
For Todd Bowles, the answer typically is a resounding “heck yes.” That’s why he is known in NFL circles as “Dr. Blitz,” although some disgruntled Buc fans surely have other nicknames in mind.
Tykee Smith
Bowles loves to keep offenses off balance by sending in extra rushers, often keying on the “A” gap in an effort to disrupt timing and the comfort level of opposing quarterbacks.
Last October, the 5-1 Bucs traveled to Detroit to take on the Lions. Then-offensive coordinator John Morton addressed the media this way a few days before the matchup.
“Glad you guys are feeling good,” Morton said. “I’m going against Todd Bowles … kept me up late last night. It’s a blitz fest.”
Morton’s guys did enough to secure a 24-9 victory, although Jared Goff was dropped four times, It’s worth noting half of those sacks came from safety Tykee Smith and inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis.
As you can see in the chart below, the Bucs have been one of the most prodigious blitzing teams since Bowles assumed control of their defense in 2019:
Year Blitzes Rank Sacks
2019 318 No. 2 47
2020 268 No. 2 48
2021 313 No. 1 47
2022 182 No. 8 45
2023 273 No. 3 48
2024 244 No. 2 46
2025 191 No. 5 37
Yes, even during the 2020 championship season, with Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul coming hard off the edges, Bowles blitzed on 39 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps. That was the year inside linebacker Devin White posted nine sacks, looking like a precursor to Micah Parsons. But in the biggest game Bowles has served as a coach, he went against his instincts, abandoned the blitz, and unleashed a dynamic 4-man rush against Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City’s offense never had a chance as Mahomes was chased all over Raymond James Stadium in a 31-9 setback.
What can we expect from Bowles in 2026?
That depends in large part on Rueben Bain Jr. If the 15th pick in the draft lives up to the hype, Bowles may be inclined to drop seven players into coverage. Add in training camp phenom David Walker, returning YaYa Diaby and veteran addition Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Bowles has potential edge rushers to unleash — beginning at Cincinnati against Joe Burrow.
Tampa Bay’s sack total cratered last year, even while Bowles blitzed at a high rate. His extra rushers failed to get quarterbacks on the ground and that placed an added burden on a struggling secondary.
This defense has been overhauled and new linebackers Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter don’t appear to be natural blitzers. Anzalone has never registered more than three sacks in a season while Trotter posted 2 1/2 sacks in 24 college games.
Bowles has hinted some schematic changes are being implemented for a defense that ranked 20th in points allowed and 19th in yards given up. The season opener should provide Bowles with some answers because Burrow is an elite quarterback when healthy, averaging more than two TD passes per game during his six NFL seasons.
Will Dr. Blitz change his sideline manner and order up fewer blitzes this fall? If he’s not thinking about it, he should be.
