Two Bucs Got Hosed
December 22nd, 2020
Joe was actually looking forward to covering the Pro Bowl next month.
Oh sure, Joe had fun going to Orlando when the Pro Bowl was there. But for 2021, the Pro Bowl was moved to Las Vegas.
But then, well, you know.
No game this winter doesn’t mean players aren’t selected for the Pro Bowl. Too many players have bonuses for making the Pro Bowl written into their contracts.
Last night we learned Jason Pierre-Paul is the only member of the Bucs selected. Yeah, Lavonte David got the shaft. Again. What’s new?
Over at NFL.com, Nick Shook believes 10 NFL players got hosed in the selection process and two are Bucs. And no, not David, Shook named Devin White and NFL sack king Shaq Barrett.
Devin White
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · LBWhite also fell victim to the numbers game — sort of. San Francisco’s Fred Warner is very deserving of his selection to the Pro Bowl as one of the league’s best (and most versatile) defenders. Meanwhile, Seattle’s Bobby Wagner is a future Hall of Famer who is having another very solid season, but it’s debatable putting him on this roster over White when their stat lines are similar, as are their teams’ respective standings in the playoff hunt. They have nearly the same exact amount of tackles, but White has also recorded a whopping eight sacks (Wagner has three). White has a slight edge in QB hits over Wagner (13 to 11), while Wagner has twice as many passes defensed (8-4). Reputation matters and gives Wagner the edge, but White has a compelling case for the spot, and would be a lock if we had a third inside linebacker slot available.
Shaquil Barrett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · OLBLet’s pull off another teammate swap while we’re here. Jason Pierre-Paul made the list with a strong 2020, recording 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, 48 tackles and 12 quarterback hits. Barrett, meanwhile, has eight sacks, two forced fumbles (zero recoveries), zero interceptions, 52 tackles and 15 quarterback hits. Based on that comparison, Pierre-Paul should get the nod, but as we’ve noted above and countless times before, sacks are an incomplete stat. Diving deeper into advanced pressure metrics reveals who is really making a bigger per-play impact, and it’s Barrett, who ranks third in the NFL in disruptions with 64, and second in the entire league in turnovers caused by QB pressures (six). Pierre-Paul is far down the list in disruptions with 29, though he still owns a respectable three turnovers caused by pressure. Pierre-Paul is making the highlight play, but Barrett is making the more consistent impact; while this has made for quite an edge-rushing duo in Tampa, it might have given us the wrong Pro Bowler from the pair.
Shook also said he considered Ronald Jones and Ali Marpet as Pro Bowl worthy.
No Tristan Wirfs? No David?
Joe’s just going to embrace how David never will get the recognition he deserves as being one of the best and most consistent linebackers in the NFL over the past nine years.
His numbers are Luke Kuechly-like. His respect from the NFL community is way down the list.
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:04 am
Indeed, David got dissed again. But there are just so many great LBs in the league. Maybe David is just so good everyone expects him to play lights out all the time, so they don’t notice?
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:16 am
We know this is a joke. Always has been. I thought this would have been LVD’s year, but I’m not surprised. It comes with being a perennial loser.
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:20 am
Wow everybody expected Tompa Bay to get David his much deserved recognition……. guess they were wrong! It’s a crying shame
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:39 am
One problem is the majority of national televised games the Bucs played in did not display any pro bowl caliber play to non Buc fan voters.
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:46 am
When you have 2 great players at the same position….they split votes.
WR Evans, Godwin
OLB JPP, Shaq
ILB LVD, White
Well, at least we have a lot of players that should be there…
I think the point made about poor performances on National TV is spot-on
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:08 am
So what happened to Cappa leading the votes at his position?
Or did I just imagine that?
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:10 am
Do I think Devin White is a great tackler and pass rusher? Yes.
Do I think Devin White is one of the worst defenders against the pass from the LB position? Also yes. My friend says he couldn’t cover a stationary pebble with a king bed quilt.
I watched film on White during the Chargers game and saw him get beat in most all games since. On tape, he looked lost—so LOST he looked like he was auditioning for a role in the TV show that bears the name. He showed the speed, often recovering to make the post catch tackle, but never seemed to know where he was supposed to be beforehand.
His reputation is built solely on making a big tackle or sack. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great athlete, but he often costs his team by giving up the easy first down to the person he is supposed to be covering as a pass defender.
Until he corrects this, he will not be Pro Bowl material.
Lavonte David does it all. When discussing players who are overlooked for the Pro Bowl, the focus should be entirely on him.
When it comes to pass coverage, both White and Bunting need to go back to the proverbial drawing board.
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:11 am
Shaq has jumped offsides numerous times and been sackless in 7 games. Didn’t even touch the QB until week 3.
Arguing Marpet is a joke. His play has been so inconsistent. He was also injured part of the year.
David? Invisible at the wrong times. Missed tackles. Out of position.
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:26 am
We played like crap in every prime time game. What did people expect?
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:32 am
I’m with Joe on David, He’s always gonna get looked over. I told my kid last night, after he told the pro bowl was a “crock of $h!t”, that until these guys step it up in prime time and quit laying eggs they’re not going to get noticed or the respect they deserve.
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:09 am
White David Marpet Wirfs were all screwed. But everyone knows the Pro Bowl is a complete joke anyway.
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:15 am
Sorry, but no one on this team has played consistently well enough to be selected. When you play like hot garbage on every Primetime game, none of the national writers are going to pick you for Pro Bowl. Wirfs has probably been our best and most consistent player this year, and unfortunately is remembered for being suplexed by Khalil Mack.
Tons of talent on this team but they have yet to put it all together.
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:27 am
Hmmmm…maybe it is because they STUNK IT UP during those awful Prime Time games they supposedly played in?
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:34 am
First off the pro bowl is nothing more than a popularity contest. And yes it is a joke. Who cares? After saying all of that I do believe Wirfs should have been on it.
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:43 am
What else did we expect? As long as fans are allowed as many votes as they want, larger markets will ALWAYS outvote us.
Fans make it a popularity contest…they’ve removed the honor of being selected. So…who cares?
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:45 am
If anything, I hope the Bucs win the Superbowl and one of our players is named MVP. An MVP that didn’t even make the pro bowl? Maybe that would open the NFLs eyes.
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:04 am
Pretty sure he finished fan voting with most votes at right guard for NFC.
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:08 am
Devin White is excellent against the run, and now blitzing, but his pass defense is why he is not selected for the Pro bowl. He has struggled so many times trying to defend the pass, and as he has stated, he needs to get better against the pass. We all have seen Devin play lights out and then, he has disappeared in other games. The players on this team have had ample opportunity to show what they can do. The results this year have been inconsistent, if the Bucs would have done better in primetime then there would be more selections to the Pro Bowl this year. Now on to the task at hand, put a beatdown on Detroit this week. GO BUCS!!!
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:09 am
Lavonte David is being consoled Susan Lucci?
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:24 am
They didn’t get hosed! They wet the bed in prime time! Thank the players and coaches.
They’re not better than Davis in NO and Wagner in Seattle.
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:25 am
People keep bringing up prime time games. Why does that matter? The fan vote apparently meant nothing. If the fan vote meant anything Cappa and white would have made it.
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:56 am
DW cant cover…end of story….
GO BUCS!!!!!
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:56 am
I’ve thought about this a lot, and honestly I don’t think any of them were hosed.
None of them have been consistent enough week in and week out.
Also, the pro bowl is a joke and has been for years anyways.
December 22nd, 2020 at 10:13 am
Game will not be played
December 22nd, 2020 at 10:15 am
I’ve been saying all season that Barrett is having a great year. He should be a high priority signing for the Bucs in the off season.
December 22nd, 2020 at 10:16 am
The Pro Bowl is stupid but I was fine with the selections. White can run and hit, and certainly can blitz, but he can’t cover the pass (yet?). Barrett didn’t put up numbers, and that’s a numbers position. He had a decent season.
How many players on this defense really change the game? Flip the field. Make a critical play each week? Make offenses fear them?
That’s why the Bucs aren’t in the Pro Bowl except JPP – since they need at least one representative.
On the offensive side, this is another indictment of the Left Sandwich offense. Talent in every area and NO Pro Bowl selections? That’s terrible coaching, again.
December 22nd, 2020 at 11:13 am
When you sleepwalk through national games you can’t expect the rest of the nation to think anyone on this team is any good.
December 22nd, 2020 at 11:22 am
If anything, I’d say Wirfs and maybe Evans are the players who got hosed.
December 22nd, 2020 at 11:51 am
Joe this frustrates me so much. Such disrespect for a guy who’s bin the best in the league at the inside linebacker position for 9 years and he’s bin a pro off the field never ever have you heard of this guy getting anywhere close to trouble. Joe idk if there is anything we can do but if there is we should help change this for LVD
December 22nd, 2020 at 12:14 pm
Just a reminder of how insignificant the Pro Bowl is. It’s been ruined, just like the All Star Game in MLB.
December 22nd, 2020 at 12:26 pm
If the players are upset, maybe they will show up when the playoffs start because that is when all the NFL suits are paying attention. If you want respect on DEF, dont give up 10-14 points in the 1Q every game. Wagner is better than White and its not close.
IMHO JPP, Wirfs and LVD were the only real PB candidates. Consistency matters!
December 22nd, 2020 at 12:32 pm
This really isn’t that surprising. We s(p)it the bed every time we are nationally televised.
December 22nd, 2020 at 1:36 pm
Ever since they came into the league together in 2012, David has been the superior player to Wagner even though it’s fairly close. Eight sacks for an inside linebacker is insane! Urlacher had 8 as a rookie and Karl Mecklenburg went over 8 several times as an ILB/DE. I haven’t been bored enough yet to check the yearly sack totals for every ILB to ever play, but I know that 8 through 14 games is incredibly good.
Our guys get screwed over every single year so this is no surprise. If I were a player, I would be pi$$ed that part of my livelihood (pro bowl bonus $) was tied to the crooked, hack, sports media up North and the whims of homer fans.
December 22nd, 2020 at 2:13 pm
cappa for president
with wirfs as his running mate…
a right ticket
December 22nd, 2020 at 3:08 pm
If Bucs get into the playoffs this season, LVD will be more than satisfied. Pro Bowl has been a sad joke for years.
December 22nd, 2020 at 3:54 pm
Ja
I agree. White is great if you ask him. Otherwise highly overrated. This guy writing the article watches far less bucs play than we do. Not saying he is a bad player just not what he says he is. Not close
December 22nd, 2020 at 5:43 pm
Please Buc fans..cut it out and knock it off..Please. We are lucky to even had one player make the pro bowl. Take your pitties out of your A’s..please. Almost every game we played nationally on TV this year? we stunk up the field with our lackluster play. Nobody is gonna vote you a pro-bowler with that crap. Yes, we have played outstanding in spots but not consistently. So cut the crap. How about winning out and rollin into the playoffs with hella momentum/ Maybe get past the 1st rd. The pro bowl? Crap on it. It’s just a favorites thing anyway. Not like it used to be back in the day.
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:12 pm
White got snubbed…Shaw didn’t if we are to be honest with ourselves!
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:12 pm
*Shaq
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:31 pm
That an Unfortunate byproduct of playing crappy, when our games were nationally televised.