Ronde Barber didn’t mince words in a recent interview with Forbes. The Hall of Fame cornerback voiced his frustration over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense, calling their lack of timely takeaways “annoying” and drawing attention to a key area where the team needs to improve if it hopes to make the leap from good to great. His comments align with head coach Todd Bowles’ call for the Bucs to develop a “killer instinct.”
“They don’t take the ball away very often, which is annoying,” Barber said. He pointed out the Bucs’ middling 16th-place ranking in forced turnovers last season as an area of concern. From his perspective, the inability to generate momentum-shifting plays, like critical takeaways late in games, has hindered the defense from reaching its full potential. Barber, who made a living forcing turnovers on some of the most dominant defensive squads in franchise history, knows all too well that these game-changing moments can mean the difference between a playoff win and an early exit.
Barber’s critique fits squarely with Bowles’ recent remarks on the team’s mindset. Speaking at the NFL annual meeting, Bowles said, “We’ve got to have killer instinct. We’ve got to try to blow people out and try to win the division instead of it going down to the last week.” For Bowles, accountability and aggression go hand in hand. He emphasized that players need to push each other in practices and foster a more competitive edge during offseason training sessions.
The Buccaneers defense has certainly shown flashes of promise. They ranked sixth in sacks last season, but Barber noted their inability to deliver key stops or force takeaways at pivotal moments. “You’ve got to create something,” he said. “Get off the field in three damn downs or get a takeaway.”
Barber and Bowles both seem to be calling for the same thing: a defense that imposes its will on opponents. Whether through a strip-sack, a clutch interception, or simply shutting down the opposing offense in crunch time, the Bucs need to find the spark that pushes them over the top. With the NFL Draft approaching and significant offseason adjustments already underway, Tampa Bay has the pieces to answer the call. Now it’s about finding the mentality to match.
