It may have been delayed, but the true Calijah Kancey debut was a blast for anyone who roots for or follows the Bucs, or the NFL for that matter.
Kancey missed the entire preseason due to a calf injury. He was able to start Week 1 in Minnesota, but had an extremely abbreviated outing, exiting the game after just 11 snaps due to an aggravation of that injury. But on Sunday, at home, in the creamsicle jerseys, Kancey reminded Bucs fans of a long legacy of elite defensive tackle play.
40 snaps.
28 pass rush reps (per Pro Football Focus).
Six pressures.
Having played less than a game-and-a-half Kancey is already tied for sixth in the NFL among rookie defensive linemen in pressures with eight. He is also fourth overall and second among interior rushers in pass rush win rate. In short, he has quickly shown himself to be a dude. Here are but a few of his best reps from Sunday’s matchup against the Detroit Lions.
Breaking Down Calijah Kancey’s Highlights In Bucs’ Loss To Lions
Putting Kancey next to Vita Vea gives the Bucs an interior line that matches up with many of the more elite units in the NFL like San Francisco, both of the NYC teams and Philadelphia. It also helps the rest of the pass rushers on the defensive line get more advantageous reps. He is one of many bright spots on the defense in a disappointing loss. Despite his extremely small frame he uses his speed and leverage like few others can.
On the first rep he uses his speed to get inside the guard’s frame and prevents him from using his arms. Once he has the guard driven backwards, he flips his hips and turns the corner to pressure Lions quarterback Jared Goff and help affect the throw.
Second rep Kancey treats elite right tackle Penei Sewell like a child, stacking and shedding him with ease before engulfing the running back.
Third rep he takes advantage of a pass protection blown call and runs through the running back, just missing a sack.
Fourth rep Kancey throws a false jump into an inside rip before knocking Goff to the ground. In my opinion this was absolutely the best pass rush of the day for him and certainly the most fun. In just his second game he is already throwing out unique moves that opposing offensive linemen don’t see week-to-week and will struggle to prepare for.
Fifth rep he is able to once again lean on his quick burst off the line to beat Sewell to his spot and penetrate the line to blow up the inside zone run.
On the final rep of the clip, Kancey gets his first sack of the year from a 5-technique, showcasing some outside versatility. He loops around Logan Hall, drives through the left guard before wrapping up Goff for the takedown.
This isn’t the first time the Bucs have utilized Kancey’s speed and lateral agility to get him free on a loop. It was his signature play from Week 1 as well.
Of course, it is a very small sample size, but Calijah Kancey’s arrow is certainly pointing way up.
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