Skip to main content
Advertising

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RED Chalk Talk: The Tampa 2

A look at Tampa's infamous defense.

88lansanah-story.jpg

Earlier in this series, we went over the concepts of defensive zone coverage. Now, since this is the Buccaneers website after all, let's get a bit more specific into a defense made famous in Tampa Bay by Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin: the Tampa 2.

The Buccaneers most often run out of a 4-3 defensive package, which has four defensive linemen, three linebackers, two cornerbacks and two safeties. The defense is similar to a cover two (where the safeties will drop back and split the deepest part of the field) except the middle linebacker also drops into a deep coverage in the middle of the field when the play reads as a pass, effectively shifting the defense from a Cover 2 to a Cover 3.

This defensive strategy is popular and well-known because of its simplicity, its speed and the aggressiveness of the defenders within it. Without significant speed and discipline at all positions, concentrations on fundamentals like gang tackling to limit big plays and hard hitting to cause turnovers in the secondary, the system will not work.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content

Latest Headlines

2025 Home Games

Titans vs. Buccaneers

Preseason Week 1

Date TBD

Time TBD

Bills vs. Buccaneers

Preseason Week 3

Date TBD

Time TBD

Jets vs. Buccaneers

Week 3

September 21

1:00 PM ET

Eagles vs. Buccaneers

Week 4

September 28

1:00 PM ET

49ers vs. Buccaneers

Week 6

October 12

1:00 PM ET

Patriots vs. Buccaneers

Week 10

November 9

1:00 PM ET

Cardinals vs. Buccaneers

Week 13

November 30

1:00 PM ET

Saints vs. Buccaneers

Week 14

December 7

1:00 PM ET

Falcons vs. Buccaneers

Week 15

December 11

8:15 PM ET

Panthers vs. Buccaneers

Week 18

January 4

Time TBD

Advertising