“Sending Lavonte David”
November 13th, 2014
Last year, Lavonte David had a whopping seven sacks and five interceptions. That landed him the record books for a linebacker.
This year? David has a goose egg when it comes to picks and sacks. Lovie Smith is not getting the most out of him.
Yes, Joe knows David has different responsibilities in Lovie’ brand of defense. David is blitzing a lot less, and playing a lot more Cover-2. But he’s still not being set up as well to be the playmaker he can be. That stats bear that out.
In their Bucs-Redskins preview for CBS Sports, prickly Pete Prisco and Pat Kirwan, the former linebacker coach under Monte Kiffin, rave about David and Kirwan calls for David to be let loose to get after Robert Griffin, III, on Sunday. Kirwan says RGIII is not the runner he once was and has struggled in his limited action this season.
It will be interesting to see how the Bucs approach stopping the Redskins. The Bucs blitzed more than usual against Atlanta, but the blitzes consistently were picked up by the Falcons’ second-rate offensive line.
Enjoy the Kirwan-Prisco preview below. Both also serve up final-score predictions.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:07 am
So Schiano has David playing at a pro bowl level in his first 2 years but LovieDovie can’t find a way to showcase the best football player on the team? Another indictment on Lovie. More shame.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:07 am
Line Foster up right behind GMC…..send LVD….why not….we can’t cover a pass anyway…..
November 13th, 2014 at 11:23 am
The evidence about L Smith’s designing and play management continues to speak for itself. God Bless all you eternal optimists believing he’ll straighten things out. Yeah, right, in about as straight a line as the one to the cemetery for which the Bucs are being loaded into Glazer limos now.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:26 am
This season has been so depressing. Theres a lot of good players on this team. Just sad to watch them wallow with this incompetent coaching staff. Bring in an offensive minded head coach and draft the best QB available. You’re not going to win much in the NFL when you average 19pts per game. If its a “copycat” league then Tampa is doing its best to buck that trend, because we’re not copying any team that has success right now.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Lovie doesn’t think he needs to adapt to his talent, and thinks his talent has to adapt to him. It’s the textbook approach on how to not maximize your players abilities. Lovie needs to start showing some willingness to change in these last 7 games or most fans will want him gone.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:38 am
There is not one player on this team that this piss poor excuse for a coaching staff is getting the most out of.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:39 am
I don’t know what the fuss is, the season doesn’t start until August 2015.
November 13th, 2014 at 11:51 am
This is probably the most disappointing aspect of Lovie’s defense.
David is a stud, but Lovie’s bullsh*t has stripped him of the play making propensity we saw his first two years.
He’s just a tackling machine in this defense rather than a play making, difference making, game changing, tackling machine.
Brilliant job Lovie!
Maybe Lavonte doesn’t “fit the system”? Should probably trade him for a 5th Rd pick…
Geniuses!
#APATHY
Go Sucs!
November 13th, 2014 at 11:59 am
Can anyone please ask lovie during the press conferance why he is not being utilized in this capacity? And why Schiano was able to use him creatively? Oh he also was able to use Doug Martin as well. Our Tampa bay media is not hard enough on this guy. Do you think the Chicago media would be asking these soft questions if the bears were 1-8?
November 13th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Yeah, this defense sucks. It stifled Derrick Brooks in every way possible too, Urlacher, Bobby Wagner, Luke Keuchly, nobody can do well in this defense.
I see a lot of love handed out to David, who has been less than subpar against the pass for most of the season. Say what you want about Lovie, but it’s not Lovie’s fault that every time a QB fakes a handoff, David and every other LB come sprinting to the LOS like an angry Bobby Boucher. I’m pretty sure that Lance Briggs, Shelton Quarles, Brooks, Cato June, Kuechly, Chad Greenway, Jon Beason, Wagner, Urlacher, Bruce Carter, Rolando McClain, and Malcolm Smith didn’t or aren’t suffering from the same issues that David has.. and it has nothing to do with the scheme, because it’s the exact same one. It’s David and his lack of eye discipline, and Foster and his lack of eye discipline and awareness in coverage. It’s one of the most simple defenses to run in football and these dunces can’t figure it out.
November 13th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
so leading the league is solo tackles and being 2nd In total tackles doesn’t count as productive? only in tampa can you be a tackling machine but not a play maker lol now im confused as to what a play maker really is. i’d much rather have my cornerbacks leading my team in interceptions and my defensive line leading in sacks because it means we don’t have to blitz and lavonte can be free and unleashed to do what he does. wow some of the things people say on this site
November 13th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Didn’t we have a comparable problem last year when the previous regime couldn’t figure out a way to properly utilize a certain All-World Cornerback?
November 13th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
Brandon- there’s always someone out there to carry water for those that can’t. Nice job!
November 13th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
BucFanInArkansas Says:
Didn’t we have a comparable problem last year when the previous regime couldn’t figure out a way to properly utilize a certain All-World Cornerback?
——————————————————-
Much was about Revis’ bum wheel. He wasn’t right until mid season.
But at least Shiano used LVD and stunting to dial up the pressure .
Defense was mid-pack last year. Not great, not shabby either.
November 13th, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Revis still made pro bowl
November 13th, 2014 at 2:02 pm
We need to solve Brandon’s true idendity. No one can be on their knees this much for Lovie who isn’t connected to him right?
November 13th, 2014 at 2:12 pm
Blitz 9 on every single freaking play!
November 13th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Bucrightoff
I concur. Sounds like he works at 1BP or lives at the Smith residence.
November 13th, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Yet, David is our best D player.
November 13th, 2014 at 4:08 pm
L. David is not Derrick brooks and Lovie Smith is not Tony Dungy. Keep coaching like its 1999 though, and watch everybody regress. From the evidence so far, Schiano’s D was better. But Lovie just needs six more years to get the pieces in place.
November 13th, 2014 at 4:23 pm
Joe mama
I say 8 years. 3 more to build the roster, 3 to “gel”, 4 chasing the playoffs. In 8 years 2022 we should be competitive. Hopefully! Go Lovie!
November 13th, 2014 at 7:48 pm
Please ask Love and Hardy Nickerson about LVD and how they use or should I say misuse him. Hardy was always an attacker, so why isn’t LVD attacking now?
November 13th, 2014 at 9:56 pm
Got damn mane I gave youll the easiest and hardest blitz to pick up before the Vikings games. Just Threaten the A Gaps and then send a safety off the edge