The Buccaneers defense runs through nose tackle Vita Vea. Teams have all but abandoned leaving Vea one-on-one with his brute power. He dominates the line of scrimmage and wreaks havoc on offenses, overwhelming linemen in the trenches with ease.
His stats may not be indicative of his presence in Week Six but Vea spearheaded the defensive effort at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday in the NFC clash. Vea was awarded a half sack on the day against San Francisco, tying Jason Pierre-Paul and Brad Culpepper (33.0) for the ninth most sacks in franchise history.
For a nose tackle, a position that customarily operates as a two-gapper holding the line of scrimmage, that feat is a rarity and a testament to Vea's athleticism. Per Next Gen Stats, Vea generated five quarterback pressures while facing double-teams on 69.7% of dropbacks against the Niners. Despite the double-teams, Vea still generated two pressures and 0.5 sacks when doubled. With Vea on the field, the Bucs allowed only 36 yards on 14 rushes between the tackles (2.6 yards per carry).
He sets the tone and intimidates at the point of attack. Vea has provided many offensive linemen with their 'welcome to the NFL moment' and he possesses a lethal bull rush and a strong punch. When he gains momentum early in rushes, the opponent does not stand a chance against 50. Vea recorded a half sack but opened up opportunities for teammates to get home. On one of Yaya Diaby's sacks, Vea pummeled Dominick Puni to the ground and on the takedown he shared with Roberts, Vea split the double team and utilized a nasty swim to flush Mac Jones out of the pocket.
"I heard the O-Line communication so I knew it was a pass and just looking at the formation and everything, I knew it was a pass," noted Vea via the Players' Table Show. "I knew I was going to get double-teamed but in my head I thought, 'If I get off the ball fast enough, I might be able to split it.' I did and he came in there and ducked. I should have got the whole thing but then E-Rob [Elijah Roberts] came and finished him off."
In his eighth season with the Buccaneers, his understanding of the Todd Bowles' system and how opposing teams will try to win the chess match has attributed to his success at the line of scrimmage. Whether penetrating, dropping in coverage or looping on a stunt, Vea sets the standard in Tampa Bay. His elite level of play and feel for blocking assignments/offensive schemes bolstered the defense in Week Six and has fostered a unique bond with Head Coach Todd Bowles.
"I did something, we were playing L.A. against the Rams and I did something where I won through the B-gap and I almost got a sack," said Vea. "We had a blitz that it would have worked perfectly if we had just run it because I knew what the guard was thinking, so I was like, 'Ok, just beat the guard this way.' The way the blitz is set up, it would have worked perfectly because I had messed up and beat him over the edge, and then it was like Bowles and I had telepathy in the moment because he called exactly what I was thinking. I came to the sideline and said, 'That was the perfect call.' He said, 'I saw what you just did.' They only see what they see on the sideline and what they see on the jumbotron so we get the full analysis of the game and what is going on and how they are trying to beat us. You get a feel for the team's coaching scheme and that is what has really helped being in this system is you really know it like the back of your hand now."
