Rodgers: Props To David, White
October 19th, 2020
Speed kills.
It is nothing new to Bucs fans but it was sort of very new to Aaron Rodgers.
The future Hall of Fame quarterback knows full well who Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David is. He spoke glowingly of David last week. But White, Rodgers had never played against
Pairing David with White as inside linebackers in a 34 defense was an unholy terror Rodgers said yesterday, and the key to why the Bucs were living in the Packers’ backfield pounding Rodgers like he has rarely been beaten on before, documents Tom Silverstein of PackersNews.com.
David and White were like Cooper’s hawks the way they swooped through a forest of defensive linemen and lifted quarterback Aaron Rodgers off the ground. The Packers’ offensive line, heretofore very solid, looked like its learned technique was to block in the back because the Buccaneers were rushing past them so quickly their backs were all they could see.
“It was just those guys are so fast,” Rodgers said. “They’re so good sideline to sideline. We just had a hard time getting on them in some of our zone blocking schemes, just kind of out-running some of the angles, and it’s a credit to them – not necessarily us not doing our job.
“You just don’t see two inside backers that can run like that a lot. You’ve got to give both those credit. I think they were disruptive for sure.”
White, speaking after the game, said he told Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles last week to unleash him. And he did.
Perhaps this is a sign of things to come? That was one of the most dominant defensive efforts Joe has seen, certainly since the Bucs “choked out” the Seahawks four years ago, and maybe since the Bucs beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl, or since the 1999 NFC title game where the Bucs defense almost beat the mighty Rams by themselves.
“We always have fun. I told Todd to unleash me.”
🗣️: @DevinWhite__40 pic.twitter.com/oxq5JTaAMr
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 19, 2020
October 19th, 2020 at 8:12 am
So Joe… coming around to this pick or do you still burn a candle at the alter of Allen?
1) White is a good player and Joe expected him to be one.
2) Currently, White is elite against the run and below average in pass coverage. His blitzing has been just ok, and yesterday he broke a 10-game sackless streak, which was great.
3) The bar is very high for White as the No. 5 overall pick. Joe can’t call it a great pick yet.–Joe
October 19th, 2020 at 8:16 am
Lol get him SC!!
October 19th, 2020 at 8:25 am
That’s awesome! Go Bucs! Interesting to see all the national types start to talk about the Bucs… they called Jamel, Jamal Dean, said Lavonte David wanted to be unleashed and not Devin White. They referred to Coach Bowels not Bowles, referred ROJO as a second year back, and said Jamel was a safety too. JBF is my favorite site period, but I think I have an even greater appreciation for Joe right now.
October 19th, 2020 at 8:31 am
the entire defense stepped up….glad to see that….this goes to show we have the talent to beat any team….
BL has the offense humming…bowles has the defense clicking….
lets start a streak!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 19th, 2020 at 8:36 am
We’ve now seen what this defense can do when it’s ‘unleashed’. We’ve also now seen what this offense can do when it’s allowed to play to its’ strengths, not trying to mold it into something it’s not.
No excuses from here on out. Vegas here we come. Go Bucs!
October 19th, 2020 at 8:38 am
I agree about White pass coverage limitations (currently) but most LBs struggle in that department early. Also, you scheme around what he CAN do right now and by God that guy can run and HIT.
But I totally understand his pass coverage gaps. He will get that down. Remember he’s also relatively new to the position in the big picture.
October 19th, 2020 at 8:39 am
D White gets it!!!
I do nitpick his critical observation however. He pointed out that playing four quarters is essential…I agree. And I take his point, but the EXTRA beauty of this is that the Bucs did this with THREE quarters of DOMINATING play which offset the first quarter.
In the first quarter I didn’t feel we played as poorly as the Pack played well. The int turned that around and we played THREE quarters of incredible ball.
After the game Brady was heard to say “Check yo sheets”…oops sorry a hungover flashback. LMAO
For the third time in as many months Duke Power scrwd the pooch in my neighborhood. The power went out right after our second score with the game still very much in doubt. I was very fearful about the future.
The power did not return and so I went to my cellphone and was stunned to see us leading by 18 at the half!!! Two TD passes?
I was able to watch the rest on my tiny phone screen. It was the first time I felt the Buc’s play on the field truly lived up to the pre season hype. That was a game against a good team…spotting them ten and looking vulnerable…we sucked it up and not only came back but kicked their butts.
Let’s be honest here guys. It was a very “unBuclike” performance! We lose that game in years past after a start like that.
October 19th, 2020 at 8:41 am
SC is now in permanent moderation! How DARE a you criticize the owner/owners of this site! UNFORGIVABLE!
Why the silliness? Hundreds of readers are in permanent moderation. And every post is moderated automatically to some degree. –Joe
October 19th, 2020 at 8:42 am
Be honest, who out there thought there was any hope of us winning this game when the Packers were up 10-0. They drove down the field virtually unopposed and our offense couldn’t get anything going.
I’ve never seen such a dramatic turn-around and then a pure dominating performance after that early pick-6. If the D keeps this intensity up, it’s hard to imagine there’s any team we can’t beat.
October 19th, 2020 at 8:52 am
He better make you a DE, becuase you can’t COVER NOBODY!
A middle linder has two respociblites, stop the run and cover.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:11 am
I appreciate Joe’s response. I don’t agree with all he says but I appreciate the efforts he puts forth on this site and, like all of us, he is entitled to his opinion. I always respect the opinion of someone who makes a rational argument instead of disagreeing just to disagree or having 20/20 hindsight.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:13 am
PSL. I will answer your question. I did. I gave them a chance. Go to the open thread and see where I checked out of the thread because I said I could see it was diaper day. Yes the babies were crying like hell. Gave no chance and the day was doomed. I was not staying there watching that crying. Their words. Here comes the blow out. Well they were wrong.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:16 am
PSL
I DID!!
813bucboi Says:
October 18th, 2020 at 4:53 pm
1 score and we back in the game
GO BUCS
**************************************************************
when i made that post it was 10-0 and folks were predicting a blowout and we finish 6-10…lol…
but it was looking ugly for both sides of the ball early…
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 19th, 2020 at 9:29 am
I wouldn’t say they played great all 4 quarters as White stated. Quarters 2-4 yes, but definitely not quarter 1.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:32 am
I honestly almost felt like crying yesterday. After the nightmares we as fans have had with a decade of watching terrible defenses from these coaches like lovie smith, Bill sheridan, and Mike smith. yesterday was so beautiful finally watching a real defense after all these years, come back to Tampa bay.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:34 am
PSL Bob,
I had to have a conversation with myself after the Pack went up 10-0. “Okay, it’s still early” while having a sinking feeling that GB was going to just walk up and down the field all day.
I didn’t see it coming, but it shows that teams are so well matched on the physical/talent side that it is the psychological component that makes the difference.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:39 am
Nick…clearly you’re stuck in the past if you think this scheme and the MLB position are like you say. Plus you’re forgetting the concept of leadership that Devin brings. You’re like Joe in focusing on the position and not the player. It’s akin to what Derrick heard coming out of FSU…”but he clearly can’t play OLB”…well, Dungy had a different plan for him in his scheme.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:44 am
I would have to check the film out closer, but watching live yesterday it definitely looked like White and David were being used to blitz more than usual. And we can’t argue with the results!
October 19th, 2020 at 9:47 am
Joe will come around to Devin White the same way he has to Rojo……slowly, reluctantly……hard to admit errors in judgement….
Unlike some who go down with their players even if they are no longer relevant or with the team.
October 19th, 2020 at 10:10 am
David is a all time buc . He’s one of the greatest linebacker in bucs history . He must retire a buc pay him !!!
October 19th, 2020 at 10:12 am
I admit that I expected us to lose before the game and especially after falling behind 10-0. That is how bad I still felt after Chicago. I am so happy to see what we are capable of now when guys play disciplined and with intensity. I never like to be negative and now after this week I have seen that our Bucs can go all the way when we play sound football in all phases of the game.
October 19th, 2020 at 10:13 am
I’ll be the first to admit that I believed this was going to be a nasty 3 score loss. The most significant development from this game (and during it) was the heretofore unprecedented discipline, technique, situational awareness and effort that all led to a net of ZERO penalties. There has been such an appalling lack of accountability on that front, I never expected it from the group. Ever.
As for 45 and 54 (LVD has been particularly outstanding in this scheme), they were everywhere, all the time. They key for the entire team moving fwd is being consistent week to week. How they play against the Raiders will be the real tone setter for getting through this tough stretch of the schedule.
October 19th, 2020 at 10:22 am
Man, that was fun to watch. Every starting linebacker whether it be inside or outside must be seriously accounted for. So much fun to see our defense flying around and making plays.
October 19th, 2020 at 10:56 am
RayJay I thought the same thing when they went up by 10 !!
October 19th, 2020 at 12:08 pm
I hope Mike Evans ask BL to unleash him, I want ME to get him 1000 yards on the way to winning (selfishly as a fan), want to see a Buc own a record on their own
October 19th, 2020 at 12:38 pm
I figured that it was SOB time when the Pack went up 10-0. Plus, all the holding their offensive line was getting away with. I even texted it to my pal In NC who watches the Panthers. I kept thinking that the defense has to figure out how to combat the holding to have any chance at all. Then the pick-6 happened. I could feel the momentum change literally through the boob tube. What a game for sure!
October 19th, 2020 at 2:03 pm
White so far has been a liability in coverage… I see it getting better every game and yesterday was his best in that aspect and I think that was because he was allowed to blitz and go fill speed all game… White is not a drop back in coverage guy!! He’s a blitz the QB and RB and occasionally fake the blitz and play the screen or short outs … Dropping him back into a cover 2 type roll is not his thing!! Would be better to switch him and David when playing that type of defense
October 20th, 2020 at 1:16 am
White is getting better and will continue to do so. He obviously has a lot still to learn on the back end but his speed and strength often make up for it. The defense was in the zone. If they keep feeding off each other as they did, they will be a terror for any offense including the Saints.