The Return Of Devin White
January 18th, 2022
Bucs ILB Devin White.
For the final games of the regular season, Bucs inside linebacker Devin White wasn’t his normal self.
For reasons not quite clear, White’s production really fell off. Last year at this time it seemed White had turned the corner as one of the game’s premier linebackers. In December, not so much.
Joe guessed a lot of this had to do with Lavonte David being out with an injury. Joe may have overstated the following but the root of Joe’s premise seems logical. White was lost without David.
Joe spoke with a member of the Bucs media gang during the clobbering of the Eagles and this person didn’t totally disagree, suggesting it’s reasonable that White’s play was affected by David being on injured reserve.
Yesterday, Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians was asked about White’s play on Sunday and if David returning was a direct impact on White stepping up his game. Arians said many factors were involved.
“I think that [David’s absence hurt], and he wasn’t trying to force [things],” Arians said of White’s five-tackles, three-quarterback hits, one-tackle-for-loss game. “I think when those guys are all out, he thinks he has to make every play and gets caught up in it.
“But this one, just do your job. He was all over the field – it was one of his best games.”
This should be an example of how important David is to this defense. If just having David play alongside him unleashes White to be the sideline-to-sideline beast he was Sunday, and the past two seasons, that is very, very big for the Bucs defense.
The Bucs are going to need a shutdown performance against the Rams on Sunday. Can they pull it off again? This game has the same feel as playing the slimy Saints in the playoffs last year.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
This is an “attitude” game coming out. Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey (and a few others on LA)can cross the line with chirping and after the whistle type stuff. WE are the Super Bowl champions, we cannot have these flaming Cali guys to come in to OUR house with that BS. Fight fire with fire. We need Devin white, Donkey Kong Suh, Vita vea etc to impose their will. Our house, our trophy.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
D. White is the ONLY player in the entire League over the last 2 seasons to have 250+ tackles and 10+ sacks (still don’t know how he didn’t make the Pro Bowl last year….what a joke). So not only did he play some of HIS worst games down the stretch, but we also hold him to the highest of standards too. But I also think you are completely right w/ the Lavonte David angle here as well.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:16 pm
This will need to be the best Bucs game in the Brady era for the Bucs to ein.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:21 pm
Whoever pressures the QB better probably wins
January 18th, 2022 at 12:28 pm
What that tells me is that we need to Draft and start developing David’s replacement. He’s getting a bit long in the tooth for a football player. Abe No!! I’m NOT talking about a Bellacheat-style ‘dumping’ !! At the least that would allow the team to extend David’s career.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:30 pm
Stoooopid autocorrect—- that was AND, not Abe
January 18th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
Devin White is outstanding player when he is highly motivated! I hope he does everything possible to help Brady in the next game against the Rams!
January 18th, 2022 at 12:37 pm
In the first game with LA, Brady was our leading rusher, and we gave up some HUGE pass plays, including a 75 yarder to Deshaun. That needs to change
January 18th, 2022 at 12:51 pm
Love the guy but got to sit JPP, Akers is too fast around the corners thos is where Tyron has to step up. I can’t remember a time when Brady was an underdog at home in the playoffs. Uncharted territory for him. The D doesn’t get to Stafford game over the DB’s aren’t good enough to shut down their receivers.
January 18th, 2022 at 1:00 pm
Its going to take a fired up attitude to win against these Rams. They are trying to present this Swag on Defense. But they gotta prove to us they can do it. When a team comes in your house and whips you, there is nothing left to be said. Ray jay is Buc country. Our home. The home of the champs. To be the best, you gotta beat the best. Go hard Bucs. Go all out. Make them prove to us they are what they are trying to be. This will be a great game. Got my wings and libations ready.
January 18th, 2022 at 2:32 pm
Gofortheface30- I nominate you to give the pregame speech!
Totally agree. We’ve got some players too. Swag is issue here. We need more cowbell!
January 18th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
With our possibly gravely concerning O-line issues, Sunday may all come down to the Tampa D. Can they have their best game ever and shut down the Rams, get 4 or 5 sacks, force 2 or 3 turnovers, keep the Rams to 17 or less points? If yes, we have a shot.
Go Bucs D!
January 18th, 2022 at 4:12 pm
What happens when David retires? Is he going to fall apart then? What does that say about his true mental ability? Great players play great regardless of who is around them. Hope David stays healthy and balls out against LA because this defense will need White’s ferociousness the way he played last year
January 18th, 2022 at 6:51 pm
Bucfan99,
I agree 100% with your comment. What does it say about DW when he can’t take over a game by himself but has to have LVD alongside him for him to make and impact.
Sounds like DW isn’t a awesome as he says he is.
January 18th, 2022 at 7:05 pm
@Joe,
Good call on “This game has the same feel as playing the slimy Saints in the playoffs last year.”
Optimistically Concerned is what it’s called, I think.
All the ingredients for this game, are an instant classic, on paper.
January 18th, 2022 at 7:37 pm
Devin White had to do the work of two men when David was out. He had to do his assignments and David’s. Now that David is in, White can focus on his assignments and his assignments alone. David can handle his own. #51 (David’s replacement; Kevin Minter) he’s a good player and LB, but he’s no Lavonte David. I’m happy to have David and White back together again.
January 18th, 2022 at 9:08 pm
I’m hearing a large number of Karens on here, and though I don’t know who is going to win, neither does Karen! We have overcome a lot of adversity the past two years, this is manageable! Let’s go BUCS!
January 18th, 2022 at 9:15 pm
Hey Listnfrmafar the Bucs and Brady are 3 point favorites over the Rams. Don’t know why you think they’re home underdogs.
January 18th, 2022 at 10:18 pm
Davine White 😇🙏🏼 Send these Rams to hell!
January 18th, 2022 at 10:20 pm
My mistake lol Divine White ha
January 18th, 2022 at 10:36 pm
Our damn house LFGO WERE THE CHAMPS!!!!!! HIT THEM SO HARD D MAKE THEM PAY FOR EVERY INCH
January 18th, 2022 at 10:37 pm
This confirms what I already suspected. White is a phenomenal athlete and a very good football player who could be in the Hall of Fame one day. But Lavonte David is the Alpha on that defense and it’s a completely different unit when he’s not there. This concerns me because White should have been taking over that leadership role this season but he doesn’t seem to have grown as a player much. When a guy loses his passion for playing it’s hard to get that back. The other Devin LB who plays for Pittsburgh is already being run out of town and that poor sod is still trying to get where he was pre-injury. Just saying, it happens.
January 19th, 2022 at 8:16 pm
Those who think DW is a great player are not really watching his play. 5 tackles Sunday? Truth is it was 3 solo… numerous missed tackles continue to plague the defense…lost in coverage not as bad with LD on the field, still can’t shed a block to make a play, still overruns plays and constantly out of position and failure to get home on blitzing continue. Great athlete? Probably is but that doesn’t make a great LB. He plays out of control and if and only if he fixes that will he become a good LB.