Lavonte David Hustle Stops
March 14th, 2021
Hunter.
Man, this shows Joe what a fantastic linebacker Lavonte David is, aside from his Luke Kuechly-like stats.
In hockey there is a term “keep your head on a swivel,” as in always be on the lookout for getting splashed.
An excellent example came in 2002, when Warren Sapp wiped out Chad Clifton of the Packers after a Brian Kelly pick. Joe thought it was an awesome football play by Sapp. A defender immediately turns into a blocker on an interception, a change of possession. If Clifton wasn’t ready for Sapp’s hit or didn’t see Sapp, that’s Clifton’s fault for not having his head on a swivel.
Well, ballcarriers should also have their heads on a swivel when David is on the field. Official NFL NextGen stats back that up.
In the past four years, no linebacker has covered more ground to make a play than David.
Lavonte David is one of more rangy LBs in the NFL, accumulating 56 hustle stops over the last four seasons (12 more than any other LB).
Hustle stops are tackles where the defender covers 20 yards of in-play distance and prevents the offense from gaining a successful play.
[1/n] https://t.co/kAfmPccT2D pic.twitter.com/tPpUuu8wPc
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 10, 2021
In 2018, Baker Mayfield was a rookie and the Browns played at Tampa Bay. It was a close game. The Browns were driving in the fourth quarter and it was fourth down and Cleveland went for it.
Mayfield dropped back and no one was open. Joe isn’t sure if Mayfield saw David coming around from the right side or not. But there was nothing but green grass around the left side and Mayfield made a run for it.
Mayfield ran past the first down marker (and there was a path to the end zone) when at the last second David caught Mayfield from behind and stripped the ball, which bounced backwards and out of bounds behind the sticks. No first down for the Browns, Bucs ball, and David possibly saved a touchdown.
Then-Bucs coach Dirk Koetter called David’s rundown of Mayfield the play of the game.
That’s just an example of why offensive players need to have their heads on a swivel when David is on the field. Because if you are a ballcarrier, David will hunt you down.
March 14th, 2021 at 10:39 am
And White is following in his footsteps. The way he defended Kelce in SB was epic.
March 14th, 2021 at 10:42 am
I recall that hit by Sapp on Clifton…wasn’t that a career ender for Clifton? Seems like there was a lot of fall out – but it was a clean hit.
March 14th, 2021 at 10:51 am
Impressive that kuechly made the list and didn’t even play last season.
March 14th, 2021 at 10:54 am
Hey Joe it was the 2nd quarter with 26 seconds left not the 4th quarter and Mayfield eluded both Kwon on a blitz and JPP before David chased him down from the other side of the field. I think Baker saw him late because he flattened his running angle at the last second, but it was too late. David punched the ball out and the rest is history.
A really great play.
March 14th, 2021 at 11:02 am
I’m just here for the good vibes & sipping on some Captain Morgan’s
March 14th, 2021 at 11:21 am
lavonte proved to be better then kuechly hes still playing at a high level
March 14th, 2021 at 11:36 am
i remember that game. jameis kept trying to make us lose.
March 14th, 2021 at 11:40 am
Jaymiss, yeah I recall a lot of blow back from that play. Although it was legal, people were questioning whether it was necessary.
March 14th, 2021 at 12:04 pm
That Lavonte strip was before half and kept them from scoring before halftime.
March 14th, 2021 at 12:17 pm
Sapp’s hit was clean under the rules at the time. It was devastating. Behind Brantley on Hipple as the second hardest hit in franchise history.
If either Brantley on Hipple or Sapp on Clifton happened today, they’d probably have been suspended. Now, if a pass rusher puts his hand up to block a pass, loses his balance and bumps the QBs helmet, it’s an international incident.
March 14th, 2021 at 12:32 pm
Good to have the best linebackers of the sport on our team.
Life in general requires you keep your head on a swivel, especially in Florida, great state that it is, nothing is easy or guaranteed. Never know if this might be the year you get wiped out by the Cat 5 hurricane or the insurance premiums rising afterward.
March 14th, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Once again, Joe. You’re not making a good name for yourself putting up these amazing stats and amazing past plays when you were willing to let this guy walk in order to resign Shaq.
March 14th, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Jaymiss: yes Clifton was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and had a broken pelvis. Doctors at the time said they had only seen that type of injury in severe car accidents. Everyone was complaining that Sapp didn’t visit him in the hospital, which I think would have been the nice thing to do but I also didn’t criticize him for it. Don’t remember if it was career ending for Clifton but our Jameis was probably in elementary school at the time.
March 14th, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Got to believe the Bucs decided to retain the guys with the best team first attitude and left Shaq the last big name hanging because it was more important to balance those trust worthy players vs somebody looking for a mega deal. Aside from Suh, Shaq is the only big name unsigned. My guess is the Bucs took care of the home boys know Shaq was the most likely to demand too much. Dumb to over pay a show boater which would risk team morale especially since star players have offered adjustments to help spread the money for the sake of the team. I hope Shaq stays and at a salary that fits favorably with team attitudes.
March 14th, 2021 at 1:55 pm
Glad he’s on our team. GO BUCS
March 14th, 2021 at 2:14 pm
Yes White and David are sick together. Just otherworldly.
We were supposed to be in the era of big offense and then
these guys came out and reset the game.
Ironically this will be the 2nd time a new arch-type defense
is invented by the Bucs.
They can call it the Tampa Two V2.0
#GOAT JBF Commenter
March 14th, 2021 at 2:16 pm
*archetype
#GOAT grammar
March 14th, 2021 at 2:23 pm
Idk Joe, that Sapp hit was awful close and while it may have been “clean” I didn’t think it was necessary by any stretch of the imagination.
March 14th, 2021 at 2:37 pm
Christian McCaffrey is their NEW Luke Kuechly.
#Stinkin’Panthers
March 14th, 2021 at 2:58 pm
Cmon restructure another deal or two
March 14th, 2021 at 3:05 pm
What impresses me the most about LVD is his tenacious play for a losing team year after year….no matter what the score, no matter what the record, you could count on LVD to play his very hardest.
What a great Buc!!!
March 14th, 2021 at 3:25 pm
Sapp/Clifton play November 24, 2002. It was an interception and even after review during the week by the NFL, it was deemed a clean play. Or so the internet says 😂
March 14th, 2021 at 3:28 pm
Thanks for the Clifton story. I had totally forgotten about that and Sapp would have pummeled that fool coach that was talking bs after the play.
David has been criminally underrated by the (mostly) biased national media and the fact that we were largely horrible during his time here. It’s a shame, but Bucs fans certainly appreciate him.
March 14th, 2021 at 4:45 pm
The things are shaking out, it looks like #3 for Tampa and #8 for Brady are on their way.
March 14th, 2021 at 5:21 pm
Bye bye Brees.
Can’t wait to play JayMiss!
March 14th, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Brees officially retired. Announcement made 18 minutes ago.
March 14th, 2021 at 5:38 pm
SAPP: Put a Jersey on..
March 14th, 2021 at 5:44 pm
Guaranteed bet:
Winston will not start for the Saints.
If he does this defense will make his life miserable.
Pick 6’s everywhere, ugly brutal mercy rule type game 2x a year.
Like when Brady played the Jets in the olden days
March 14th, 2021 at 5:54 pm
^^
Please announce 1.1 mill JW as the starter for the Saints…OMG that would be beautiful LOL.
March 14th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
C’mon Joes, get to work lol.
Howard wants to read your take on the Saints
March 14th, 2021 at 6:07 pm
I was at the 2002 game, yelling insults at any and all Packers fans. However, in the stands, we saw something happen post game but had no idea what the Packers were crying about, literally no in the stands, Packers fans included, thought anything about the play – the guy got laid out, tough luck. I guess the Packers were early millennials in their whining.
March 14th, 2021 at 6:08 pm
You dopes that think Winston starting for the Saints is a good thing do not know your Bucs QB history… you can always tell who the bandwagon fans are by their moronic comments.
March 14th, 2021 at 6:18 pm
@Rod, JW starting means our D will score more points than Brady can….lol, thats ok, that one went over your head…
March 14th, 2021 at 6:28 pm
@ Rod
We’re in the epoch of Brady now.
Normally you’d have a point
given Doug Williams, Steve Young and Trent Dilfer but Brady
is impervious to past precedent, curse or jinx. Brady automatically
destroys all curses by his very presence.
That said JW is more of a Josh Freeman than a Steve Young
March 14th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
I would take Freeman over Jay Miss all day long!
March 14th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Howard Cosell – Sure, but Brady isn’t going to play forever (I don’t think anyways but would like to be wrong). I was totally for signing Brady, loved it, still loved it, called his stats and the playoff run. While I’m a big Winston backer, Brady is the GOAT – so you 100 out of 100 times make that move. My comment has nothing to do with Brady or even the Bucs at this point, it’s the dolts who think Winston can’t play, they’re very low IQ individuals. The Bucs had the worst defense in the history of the team through the first 10 games of 2019 – then finally that young secondary started to get their footing and the team started to play well, then on offense we lose Evans and Godwin. We saw what this offense looked like with the GOAT in Chicago with a hobbled Evans and no Godwin – and it was ugly (and why we signed AB).
Anyways Winston is still only 27, he has 3 more full season before he turns 30. If Winston does what I expect, he’s going to be in New Orleans for the next 12-15 years, and based on the Bucs history with former QBs, he’s going to put up probably 40 a game.
I’d much prefer for Winston to go sign with a play like Denver so that way we don’t have to deal with the Bucs QB curse, at least not in the division.
Also Freeman was lazy, a mental case and not a leader who was likely abusing something starts with an X, and has a t and c in it. I’ve never heard anyone say Winston is lazy, mentally weak and not a leader – that’s a very poor comparison.
If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but taunting fate is what imbeciles with no knowledge of history do.
March 14th, 2021 at 7:05 pm
Tigers don’t change their stripes. Worst defenses in history don’t throw 30 INTs and lack of running games don’t cause consistent careless or moronic fumbles.
All the arm-talent and potential in the world can’t make up for poor decision making and lack of self-awareness. It’s what makes the Goat who he is despite what he “wasn’t” in the 2000 draft.
March 14th, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Yep.
Bandwagon fan since 1976…….you reetard.
March 14th, 2021 at 7:18 pm
God,was just a comment he made, probably a little sarcasm in it also,by the way I’m a band wagon fan,
March 14th, 2021 at 7:22 pm
ohhhh ouch, im an imbecile, dolt, moron….aw that hurts my wittle feewings
just keep Munching JW’s Rod….you’re in a league of your own lol
March 14th, 2021 at 7:30 pm
Ne
You are new aren’t ya?
March 14th, 2021 at 8:05 pm
WHAT?!?!? Taysom Hill signs a 140 million dollar contract??? <<< Hey Rod, you and JW both can go munch on that one LOL wow, holy jit….
well we wont have to worry about the Saints for a while
March 14th, 2021 at 8:08 pm
1.1 mill Jameis “but, but, what about me?”….
hmm, ok 1.2 mill, take it or leave it….
i know i know, im going to he!! for that one lol, just having fun wit WHO DAT?
March 15th, 2021 at 1:38 am
MadMax – the fact you actually think Hill signed a $140m deal shows what a moron you are…
March 15th, 2021 at 10:32 am
Doooshlarue,,am new,love Tom Brady,and love the bucs,I’ll try to stay in my place LoL
March 15th, 2021 at 11:01 am
Also Doooshlarue stated on another page didn’t like the way the Patriots treated Brady towards the end and stated I’m a fan of wherever he ends up ,hope the bucs smoke the Patriots this year,but again to answer your question,is my first year posting to the site