The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t just need to beat the Falcons on Thursday night - they need to stop the bleeding. And right now, that means asking a struggling defense to carry a team that’s lost its offensive identity, its rhythm, and a good chunk of its starting lineup.
That’s a tall order.
This isn’t about slowing down Kirk Cousins or bottling up Bijan Robinson. This is about whether the Bucs defense can stop its own slide - and in doing so, save a season that’s teetering on the edge.
Because let’s be honest: the offense, once expected to be the engine of a postseason run, is running on fumes. Injuries have gutted the offensive line.
Baker Mayfield’s playing through multiple ailments, and his effectiveness has clearly taken a hit. The swagger this unit once had?
It’s vanished.
So now the spotlight shifts to a defense that, on paper, has the talent to lead - but on the field, hasn’t delivered.
Let’s start with the numbers. Tampa Bay ranks near the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed - 27th, to be exact.
The run defense, once a calling card, has slipped. And the 25 points per game they’re surrendering?
That’s the worst mark for a Bucs defense since 2019. For a team that once prided itself on toughness and discipline, that’s a concerning trend.
And yet, there’s still hope - because the pieces are there.
Antoine Winfield Jr. is one of the highest-paid safeties in the league, and for good reason. He’s a playmaker with range and instincts.
Vita Vea remains a force in the middle when healthy. Lavonte David, though no longer the dynamic sideline-to-sideline presence of his prime, is still the heartbeat of the defense.
But the results haven’t matched the résumés.
The Bucs’ pass rush, in particular, has been a glaring weakness. So much so that the front office reached into the past this week, signing Jason Pierre-Paul to the practice squad.
Pierre-Paul is 37 and hasn’t recorded a sack in nearly three years. This isn’t about expecting him to turn back the clock - it’s about injecting some leadership and energy into a group that’s lacked both.
As run game coordinator and outside linebackers coach Larry Foote put it, JPP’s biggest contribution might come in the locker room. And that, in itself, says a lot. Because when you’re signing a veteran whose best days are well behind him to try and inspire your current roster, it’s a sign that something’s missing - not just in production, but in passion.
The Bucs knew they needed more juice off the edge this offseason. That’s why they brought in Haason Reddick, who had racked up 39.5 sacks from 2020 to 2023.
But so far, that move hasn’t paid off. Reddick has just 1.5 sacks this season - a stark drop-off for a player earning $14 million and expected to be a top-25 pass rusher.
This isn’t a sudden collapse. The signs were there.
Two years ago, Tampa Bay’s defense was still a top-10 unit, allowing just over 20 points per game. Last year, that number crept up to 22.6.
Now, it’s 25.0 - and the trend line isn’t pointing in the right direction.
The reasons are layered. The secondary that helped win Super Bowl LV has been reshuffled due to salary cap constraints and free agency departures.
The once-dominant edge duo of Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett aged out of their prime. Their replacements - Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and rookie Chris Braswell - haven’t stepped up.
Devin White, once seen as the future at linebacker, has seen his impact diminish. And while Lavonte David is still productive, he’s no longer the game-wrecker he once was.
That’s left a soft spot in the middle of the field - and opposing offenses have found it.
Add in the offensive injuries, and you’ve got a 7-6 team that’s barely hanging onto first place in a wide-open NFC South. The Bucs are still in the playoff hunt, but the margin for error is gone.
Head coach Todd Bowles pointed to “misfit” plays in the loss to the Saints - a polite way of saying players were out of position. That’s not what you want to hear from a veteran defense this late in the season.
These aren’t rookies learning on the fly. These are experienced players making mental mistakes at the worst possible times.
And those mistakes can’t happen again - not on Thursday against Atlanta, and not in any of the final four games.
If the Bucs are going to salvage this season, it won’t be because the offense suddenly gets healthy and explosive again. It’ll be because the defense rediscovers its edge, its discipline, and its pride.
The time for excuses is over. The time for leadership is now.