Odd Numbers For Lavonte David
October 18th, 2016
Not yet in groove.
In the past two weeks, the Bucs defense has notably improved. Yet it has done so with one of its studs, Lavonte David, playing a bit role.
David is a key starter, but his production the past two weeks has been, well, pedestrian, just 10 tackles. Now this could be something as simple as teams not running his way, but that doesn’t explain how David has had much better games this year, specifically at Atlanta (eight tackles) and against Los Angeles (seven tackles, a forced fumble and a sack).
Joe won’t get into the goose egg David laid at Arizona.
Under the watchful gaze of Mike Smith, the defense appears to have turned the corner through the past two games, yet David is not yet into overdrive.
If David can get into his normal wheelhouse and become a terror week in and week out, look out.
October 18th, 2016 at 5:10 am
We have a roster full of players used to losing. As in life, most people that give their greatest effort with little (winning) in return will eventually resort to a mediocre effort. He’s already been paid, you do the math. Eventually Ayers will be lining up behind him, along with Sweezy.
October 18th, 2016 at 5:27 am
I wrote this long essay but instead I decided to just hit a few points. It’s not as bad as u guys think. Maybe this will cheer some of u guys up. This is what I know
*Only 4 teams in NFL are more than 1 lgame ahead of us
*2-0 in division both road games
*1 of only 3 teams 2-0 in their division
*Only one loss behind division leader and we hold the tie breaker and they are also playing a capable chargers team this week.
*Coach is willing and eager to keep learning instead of saying his system is end all. Not saying it’s going to guarantee results but it’s a good quality to have if u want to be a good coach
*We are only 5 games into season with a first year head coach and the other else implementing their scheme.
*the defense is looking better. Not great by any means but they are stepping up at crucial moments and I honestly think they are going to play better if we get Martin back and we can establish some type of run game. That will help take some pressure off the defense as well.
* Mike Evans playing some of his best football
*We have a ton of injuries.
*Who knows how the offense will open up when Doug Martin comes back. I mean he only played just over 1 game and I seen people say he has no heart but I always see 100% when he is on the field. To me he is one of our hungriest players along with Evans, Winston, and kwon
*Schedule easing up for us
We aren’t going to be a dominant team over night it takes time. We just need to establish an identity. I think we got the players minus safeties and another wr but we aren’t going to get all that at one time. I would just like to see koetter, the owners, and licht keep making decent moves. I know some of u don’t agree with their choices but guess what we aren’t bringing in a ton of old washed up players. We aren’t running the same exact defense every week and getting shredded on the exact same play. Our coach isn’t stubborn and not willing to adapt. U asked for Winston not to turnover, u asked for a run game, u asked for a better defense. Guess what all of that happened before the bye. Sure it wasn’t a pretty win but an ugly win is better than a pretty loss. And anyone who knows football and looked at that schedule knew 2-3 was as realistic as expectations could be and if we could get more good but we needed that to keep hope alive. Let’s see if they can build on it.
October 18th, 2016 at 6:01 am
BF4L. Great post.
October 18th, 2016 at 6:17 am
LVD will need to step up this week, with Kap being able to take off at a whim. Let us not let this be the same ol Bucs that make mediocre quarterbacks get confidence
October 18th, 2016 at 6:46 am
@Joe
There are whispers that LVD54 has been hiding a shoulder injury since early this year?? Have you noticed anything???
October 18th, 2016 at 6:53 am
He was the same way last year early on. I’m assuming it’s the same this year. He will show up soon I’m sure.
October 18th, 2016 at 7:48 am
LVD still living off the hype from his first two seasons. He’s bad in coverage I’d blitz him almost every play since has a better chance of getting a sack than covering anything
October 18th, 2016 at 7:58 am
Bucs4life, or we just suck and barely beat a 1-5 team because we just to run our 5’6 street free agent RB 30 teams and prayed that our accuracy, poor judgement QB doesn’t lose the game for us AGAIN, an improved defense versus a backup, never good QB (except versus a Lovie defense), open your pewter covered eyes, you really think we are going cross country and beating a team we are supposed to beat, wake up
October 18th, 2016 at 8:00 am
30 times not teams
October 18th, 2016 at 8:12 am
I’m a Bucs fan but I’m also a fan of the entire NFL. I watch every game I can. I don’t know why u are so caught up on we barely beat a 1-5 team. Guess what look how good the steelers have been playing and they lost to an eagles team who’s only other wins came against Cleveland and Chicago. They actually got stomped. Then lost to a dolphins team which is one of the worst teams in football right now. How many ugly wins do U think Seattle has had to get into playoffs and majority of the other teams that make it. Most of them save a few aren’t these power house teams that are just running through other teams and u realize that winstons bad pass percentage if we are throwing out useless stats are about 3% higher than most of the leagues “elite” qb’s. We are talking about 3 passes per 100 attempts to put it in to perspective. He isn’t going to be Aaron rogers or tom Brady or drew Bree’s in his 2nd year. Not might he ever be but name a qb we have had that stayed and started with us that had more potential. Way too early to start flipping out about some bad passes and bad decision making. He at least looks competent.
October 18th, 2016 at 8:30 am
BF4L, you’re on a roll. Love your posts today. Can’t wait for the next one.
October 18th, 2016 at 9:01 am
BF4L, stop making sense. Guzzie, Tampa Tony, Chris, and Big Stinky don’t want o read that. They expect a 22 yr. old kid to be Unitas already. These bozo’s were still being told to look both ways before crossing the street at 22. It’s a shame. I just laugh at their comments. They’ll weed themselves out in time. Let them have their moment.
October 18th, 2016 at 9:09 am
@BF4L: THANK YOU!!! Commenters like you are the reason I read these blogs. I love my team and the game, and want to learn as much as I can. Go Tampa Bay Sunday!!
October 18th, 2016 at 9:13 am
@bucinjax and gilhealy thx. Im on here all the time and don’t usually see very positive comments on here. Not saying we need to make excuses but let’s at least be reasonable with our expectations and open our eyes to see when the team is making some progress vs none I.e dolphins, bears, and browns to name a few. Those organizations are really being run into the ground.
October 18th, 2016 at 9:15 am
We need LVD to contribute if we are to be successful. His position in this defense may not be as pronounced as before, OR, he could be hurt. Either way, he’s valuable to this defense.
October 18th, 2016 at 9:15 am
Honestly I thought I was going to get trolled to death. I’m really happy to see some real Bucs fans are on here
October 18th, 2016 at 9:18 am
You guys can sugar coat it anyway you like LVD has not been a stud since schiano left. Sure he has had a couple of good games over the last couple of years but he has not been dominant nor consistent since schiano left. If he is hurt as realist suggests rest him. The more likely cause of his subpar play and mental errors is the training he received in pay check cashing and losing from the former face of franchise the Smiling Ice Cream man… Get rid of the overpaid loser and the culture change is immediate.
October 18th, 2016 at 9:55 am
tmax- I agree with most of your post but linking him to GMC is off base. You know where I stand on the rest.
October 18th, 2016 at 9:57 am
Bucsfan4life Good post. And those people out there who say Doug has no heart are just idiots.
October 18th, 2016 at 10:04 am
SOEbuc
Doug has a heart as long as he is running for himself and a payday. Funny how he can stay on the field when he wants to get paid…
October 18th, 2016 at 11:33 am
In his last 21 games:
3 INT’s
4 Sacks
11 tackles for loss
A liability in pass coverage now
For $10 million a year, that breaks down to about $500,000 per impact play – pretty expensive money for what was supposed to be a top 5 LB.
October 18th, 2016 at 11:51 am
Thanks B4L, I’ve actually been trying to make myself skip the comments as every single article every day is now taken over by the same 5 cry babies who insist on posting the same exact thing. Every day. Every time.
October 18th, 2016 at 11:56 am
He did have a shoulder injury but that was weeks ago and he has performed well at times since.
October 18th, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Tackles are a misleading stat. I’ve said this before, in a good defense your going to see fewer tackles, and the tackles will be distributed between more players. As a matter of fact when you get one player with a large amount of tackles it usually means that the player is compensating for blown gaps from his teammates, or the opposing offense is picking on his position. Neither is good. The fact that he has fewer tackles is actually a sign that this defense is starting to play better.
The better stat to check is offensive plays, and possetion time. It will tell the tale better then tackles.
October 18th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
Hopefully he is just starting slow before blowing up in this new defense. Also, I would love it if he shadowed Kap so he can’t run!
October 18th, 2016 at 4:13 pm
@Bucsfan4life
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How dare you support the Buccaneers and bring optimism to fellow fans! You must be some sort of Buccaneer fanboy to post like that!
[ ] Sarcasm [X] Normal
Thanks Bf4l! I don’t lurk around Bucs blogs 24/7 to hear what the Negative Nancys have to say.
Sure it’s been a disappointing decade to be a Bucs fan, but negativity does not inspire greatness.
October 18th, 2016 at 5:43 pm
Another new defense for David to get comfortable in. I dont know the scheme and the individual responsibilties, but perhaps the way this defense goes, LVD just isn’t in the right spot to make the plays as much. I know LVD has blitzed a lot more lately, perhaps these new alignments and different responsibilities are the cause of the lower stat lines.
Maybe mike Smith and LvD are focusing more on pass coverage and playing it a little more safe to not get fooled by play fakes (something that has killed the bucs in the past) whatever the problem is im not worried about LVD. He is a stand up dude and will do whatever he can to be the best player and teammate he can be.
October 19th, 2016 at 5:22 am
Here’s one for you BUC4life: 11 games to play with 7 games to win to show improvement over the last REGIME!