Lavonte David Details Drop
October 6th, 2015
Lavonte David talks about what’s seen in this fantastic photo from the official Buccaneers photographer
It was one of those critical moments you can’t blame on coaching.
There was Lavonte David in coverage at the goal line against the Panthers. The positioning and preparation were perfect. David turned his head, tracked the ball, got two paws on it cleanly, and then dropped it.
David talked about the gaffe on the Buccaneers Radio Network last night.
“I was able to get good leverage, get coverage where I could feel my receiver by me,” David said. “So I got the opportunity to look back at the cornerback. When I looked back, the ball was in the air.
“I got my hands up (laughs). Stuck in my hand. You know, when I was coming down, I couldn’t quite get a good grip of the football. When I was pulling it down, it just slipped out the bottom. It just slipped out my hands.
“It was just a missed opportunity. Like I said, opportunities like that doesn’t come around too often, and as easy as that one was.
“I gotta get back on the Jugs [machine] this week again.”
It sure has been a rough season for David. Multiple dropped balls and missed tackles, and his solo tackle numbers have dropped way off.
Unlike some, Joe is not about to claim the $10-million-per-year linebacker has cashed his bonus check and is coasting.
October 6th, 2015 at 2:13 pm
Mr. David has more than half of the season left to shore up his #s. He’ll be fine.
October 6th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
(laughs)
Is that the same type of laugh the players were doing on the sideline in the 4th qtr of the Panthers game?
Yep probably so.
October 6th, 2015 at 2:30 pm
for some reason i recall seeing it alot in baseball but not so much in football – guys who sign big contracts and suddenly are pressing to prove their worth and end up doing uncharacteristic things. i’m giving LD54 the benefit of the doubt, it’s all above the shoulders and something he probably wants to shake off more than anybody else
October 6th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Was there any doubt after that drop that we were going to give up a TD on that drive? These are the opportunities that we seem to continue to not take advantage of. Good teams pick that off 10 out of 10 times. It’s not coaching. I don’t even think it’s a lack of talent (certainly not with Lavonte). I truly believe we are either cursed or have such a losing culture that these kind of things just continue to happen. Just don’t get it.
October 6th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
I hope we can put to bed all the Derrick Brooks comparisons with LVD. Big time players make big time plays. He’s nothing special and he’s playing uninspired, but he’s rich.
October 6th, 2015 at 2:52 pm
Watching Megatron lose that TD last night reminded me of things that usually happen to our Bucs….find a way to lose….even down to the player batting the ball out of the endzone…..I yelled at my wife….”he batted the ball”….refs either didn’t see it or gave the Shehawks a hometown break.
LVD needs to grind it out and soon…..
October 6th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
It’s stupid to say LVD is not a special player. Yeah he has had a bad start to the season, but the guy is a heck of a player. He continues to fly aeound and get tackles left and right. Luckily we have another LB that is complimenting David. It’s amazing how 58 and 54 look identical on the field. Both are going to be great players for this defense.
I agree with the poster that said David looks like he is maybe feeling the pressure, its in his head. He’ll find his groove again. He’s too talented not to.
October 6th, 2015 at 3:21 pm
I used to like LVD, I used to like the Bucs, I used to like…… OK well I still like Beer.
October 6th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
What is a jugs machine and where can I get one? Does it operate on dollars?
October 6th, 2015 at 3:28 pm
It happens I’m sure he’ll make it up along the way this season but it could’ve potentially been a game changing opportunity. 24-17 could’ve at the very least been 24-20 with Brindza’s big leg (lol) instead of 31-17.
October 6th, 2015 at 3:31 pm
LVD has missed way too many tackles this season (preseason included). Not sure what’s going on but how many time have you seen LVD blast into the back field and wrap his arms a guy, who then slips out and heads upfield – for a critical first down. Pro-Bowl, All Pro, Derrick Brooks comparison – blah blah. I’m happy he’s on our team and think he’s good, but elite players make elite plays. How about making one?
October 6th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
LVD is very good. But let’s not over do it with the adjectives. Great players don’t lead their teams to 2-14 or pitiful defensive performances. Since Schiano was fired he’s looked good but not even close to great
October 6th, 2015 at 3:44 pm
Really hope LVD turns around this year. Last year, his sack and int numbers were way down from the year before, but he was still a tackling machine. And the sack numbers dropping was to be expected bc of where he plays in this defense.
But this year? I just don’t know. As others have alluded to, he’s just missing tackles. Guys are slipping out of his arms and making big plays against us. Cmon LVD, turn it around!!
October 6th, 2015 at 3:57 pm
This team is filled with mental midgets that have a loser’s mentality. Unfortunately many of the so-called leaders on this team fit in to this category.
October 6th, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Tampa Tony Says:
October 6th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
“Since Schiano was fired he’s looked good but not even close to great.”
True his numbers were a lot higher under Schiano.
October 6th, 2015 at 4:43 pm
To everyone who still Have hope and is still positive, I tip my cap. I was born in 1974 and the Bucks first season was in 1976 so, due to my young age at their inception, I have to count my years of being a fan at 25, starting in 1980 to be fair. I have endured so much losing and embarrassment due to bring a Bucs fan and I literally am over it. I am expected to he a professional in my career field and I expect them to be as well. They clearly are not professional in the conducting of their craft. I refuse to continue to make excuses for these paycheck collecting millionaires who get paid damned good money to catch, throw,tackle, block, run and kick on a football field and who fail miserably to perform those tasks. I used to look up to the Bucs players when I was young, now I am older than all of them and I will make excuses for them no longer. Do the jobs you are paid to do or retire! No more excuses and no more tolerating mediocrity.
October 6th, 2015 at 7:19 pm
I’m still in LVD’s corner. The slippery conditions could have caused the drop.
October 6th, 2015 at 7:42 pm
The head coach is rich too and they know they will be paid only one that might be losing sleep is the kicker theirs simply no emotion on the sidelines why should any care I started turning the game at halftime to watch better football what else can ya do
October 6th, 2015 at 7:45 pm
I also think that the team would be better off starting glennon while the stair down master gets his feet right this could spell doom for all of us just tired of being a laughing stock every year
October 6th, 2015 at 7:47 pm
When watching interviews with David he seems like a soft spoken, humble person, who is not the kind to “cash his bonus check and is coasting.” The Cowboys Sean Lee is rated the best 4-3 OLB, by PFF. If you look at his numbers below and compare to Davids and other LB, you can see that David is not far from re-claiming the top spot. He will be back to the beast we all know, very soon.
Lavonte David – 10.05M 23 tk 8 ass 6 mt 17st 88.2 cov 2 pd
Bobby Wagner – 10.75M 25 tk 8 ass 8 mt 18 st 94.4 cov 0 pd
Brian Cushing – 8.75M 24 tk 6 ass 4 mt 19 st 80 cov 0 pd
Sean Lee – 7M 31 tk 5 ass 1 mt 17 st 80 cov 0 pd
October 6th, 2015 at 8:21 pm
It’s just so hard to jump when you have all those 10s and 20s in your back pocket. Ask Michael Clayton.
October 6th, 2015 at 10:14 pm
The people hating on David are probably the same low lifes that hate on Mccoy. It takes more than a couple defenders to win games. Sure they are not perfect players, but they are the best we have.
October 7th, 2015 at 9:41 am
A good player would have had the pick. A mediocre guy coasting after signing a big contract drops the ball….. What did Lavonte do on that play and how much is his contract again? The guy needs to make an impact to help spark this D; and the sad thing is that he is probably the 2nd best player on that side of the ball so that really magnifies what a poor, poor job L&L have done concerning getting talent on this rosteras right now Lavonte is simply an average player; not doing anything to really help his team end this pathetic home losing streak….