The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had their fair share of struggles at the start of the 2026 season, but one area that has consistently delivered is their run defense. Despite the disappointing start and questions surrounding Todd Bowles' defense, Tampa Bay has quietly established itself as one of the most difficult teams in the NFL to run the football against.
Through five games, the Buccaneers rank second in the league in both rushing yards allowed per game and yards allowed per carry. Tampa Bay is surrendering just 72.8 rushing yards per game and 3.3 yards per attempt, trailing only the Jacksonville Jaguars, who lead the NFL in both categories at 63.8 yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry. The Houston Texans round out the top three, allowing
78.4 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry. Opposing offenses have struggled to establish a consistent rushing attack against the Buccaneers. Vita Vea remains the centerpiece of Tampa Bay's defensive front, using his size and strength to occupy blockers and disrupt running lanes before they develop. His presence allows the linebackers to attack downhill, while the defensive line has done an excellent job preventing opposing running backs from reaching the second level.
The production also speaks to the discipline Tampa Bay has shown against the run. Setting the edge, maintaining gap integrity, and limiting explosive rushing plays have been critical to the unit's success. While the defense has experienced its share of issues defending the pass and generating consistent pressure, opponents haven't been able to consistently exploit the Buccaneers on the ground. For Bowles, whose defensive philosophy has always emphasized stopping the run first, these numbers are evidence that his approach is still producing results in at least one important area. However, the challenge moving forward will be translating that success into more complete defensive performances. The Buccaneers have plenty of work ahead if they hope to recover from their slow start, but their run defense has already proven it belongs among the NFL's elite. With Tampa Bay ranking behind only Jacksonville in two major rushing categories, this unit deserves considerably more recognition than it has received.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs run defense ranks second in NFL in two major categories
