Bowles: Buccaneers Pass Rush ‘Some Progress’?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have fallen to the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-7 in their preseason matchup on Saturday night, but the game wasn’t without its bright spots.

Among the positives was the Buccaneers’ pass rush, which proved to be a force to be reckoned with against Jacksonville’s offense.

Tampa Bay’s defense, which has faced scrutiny in recent seasons for its lack of consistent pressure, came alive with an aggressive pass rush that resulted in five sacks. Leading the charge was linebacker Jose Ramirez , who recorded three sacks on his own, showcasing his ability to disrupt the opposing quarterback.

“That’s the one good thing that showed up on defense,” Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles remarked after the game. “Obviously, there were a lot of missed tackles in the run game. Not pleased with that. Not pleased with third down, but we got five sacks.

“Doesn’t count in the loss, but the young guys made some progress.”

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While the overall performance left room for improvement—particularly in areas like tackling and third-down defense—the ability to apply consistent pressure on the quarterback is a promising sign as the regular season approaches. The Buccaneers' defensive line has been under the microscope, and this showing could be the beginning of a turnaround for a unit that has struggled in recent years.

As the team continues to fine-tune its roster and strategies, the pass rush will undoubtedly be a focal point. Saturday night’s performance offers a glimpse of the potential impact Tampa Bay’s defense could have in 2024 if they can build on this momentum.