Rondé Barber: Lack Of Discipline Crushing Bucs Defense
October 26th, 2022
Legendary Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber has clear thoughts on the failures of the Tampa Bay defense, and he named some names this week.
Barber, speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network, wagged a finger at too many Bucs trying to make splash plays and not doing their jobs. He also pointed specifically at Vita Vea for quitting on his assigned gap during Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman’s 60-yard scamper on Sunday.
(Joe would link to video of the play but it shows (again) Joe Tryon-Shoyinka throwing his arms up in frustration during a play rather than chasing a ball carrier. Joe can’t stomach that.)
Barber explained that big-play players don’t focus on big plays. He said during his 10-interception season that “I probably worked hard for three of those,” and the rest came because he simply was playing hard and following his assignment.
He pointed to Devin White as a guy who tries to do too much and it backfires.
“Devin is a one-of-a-kind type of football player — size, speed, you know, instinctiveness, all these other things,” Barber said. “But you can also put your self in position when you’re trying to do to much, you put yourself out of position to make plays. And I’ve seen that.”
“… So if the numbers are down [for White and Lavonte David], that could be the reason why. … He doesn’t need to do anything more than be the Devin White we know that he can be.”
Defense isn’t the Bucs’ primary problem, of course, but it’s an issue. The Bucs have too much talent to be ranked 31st in red zone defense and 16th in yards-per-carry allowed.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:05 pm
Defense is the Bucs’ primary problem – blown out vs Chiefs, 3- 2nd 1/2 td’s to Panthers, mainly by running wild , several 3rd and long conversions by Steelers which kept ball away from offense the last 4 1/2 minutes.
You could fix the offense and this defense still stinks and will lose games.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:10 pm
Devin drives me nuts. Love the ability and his competitiveness but unless he picks up his game his mouth running wears on me. He seems like the type of player that if he was on another team, I would despise him. He just comes across as a guy who thinks he’s much better than he really is. Frustrating to watch because I want to see him become that, but he needs to chill with the talk and quietly go to work. I wish more of Lavonte’s quiet work ethic would wear off on him.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:14 pm
Return all coaches to their former positions. They obviously do a better job where they were. That includes Arians. I know it’s a pipe dream.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:17 pm
@Alanbucsfan
You nailed it!
Currently, offense’s obvious deficiency is masking the real issues of Defense.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:20 pm
COACHING!!! Bench him, he’ll learn. Oh maybe he was just bored. I’ve watched two games KC and Carolina where the bull in the China shop’s lack of discipline lead to two TD’s. I am sure there are more.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
I Remember what Bowles said about White before the season. He needs to play within the defense and let the game come to him. He’s doing the same crap he did last year. Overrunning plays and guessing. He’s one of the most naturally gifted LBs I’ve ever seen. It’s incredibly frustrating to watch him. I don’t care how gifted you are. If you’re consistently out of position, it doesn’t matter.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:35 pm
God help this organization if they get mauled by the Ravens. What a shytty season this has been. We expected so much more out of this team.
Todd Bowles this is on YOU.
Remember the time for talk is over? Get them right or get another job.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:38 pm
Devin White = Kwon part deux
October 26th, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Jmarkbuc Says:
October 26th, 2022 at 3:38 pm
Devin White = Kwon part deux
———
Kwon, like Devin, was a pro-bowler. Except Devin has also been an all-pro.
The fact you think that’s an insult just shows an extreme lack of knowledge.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:43 pm
Ronde got two out of three right. White is fast, and strong, but he’s not instinctive, far from it. I also don’t think he’s trying to do to much, I just think he’s stupid, there I said it. Having good instincts should take him to the right gap, not the wrong one. He’s strong so why does he look like he’s on roller skates when he’s being completely blocked out of the play? I also see him quiting when the ball carrier runs by him which is all to often. Trade his butt while he still has value. He has not lived up to his draft status, all hype. Maybe the dog can bite, but it sure can’t hunt.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:43 pm
I’m seeing a couple of constant refrains with this post. “Lack of discipline crushing bucs defense” Again…. “Devin White as a guy who tries to do too much” Again….Let’s go ahead and throw in the old favorite, “Communication was lacking” Again….
So a bunch of professional athletes have no discipline, try to hard and can’t communicate. How much of that is coaching and how much is just plain stupidity on the players part?
October 26th, 2022 at 3:45 pm
There needs to be a lot more people calling out Vita for being a slob and quitting on plays and taking so many plays off.
If he’d just lose some weight, he’d be such a better player, because he’d actually be on the field when it mattered and wouldn’t be out of breath constantly.
Warren Sapp has been saying this since day one, and he’s been right since day 1. Vita can make some highlight plays in the 2nd quarter of games on 1st down, and people will play those over and over again, then when you actually need him on 3rd and 4th and 1, in the 4th quarter, he’s either on the sideline or getting ran over.
I’m not a Vita hater, I literally want him playing more – and he’d do that by dropping weight. Also, no way he’s 350lb, that was his combine number, I wouldn’t doubt at this point he’s in the 370-380 range, who knows, maybe he’s pushing 400. If he got down to a playing weight of 330, and it was muscle, not blubber, there is no way he’d be a worse player, AND he’d be out there a lot more plays, AND he’d be a better pass rusher, and I contend no worse at run defense than he is now.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:46 pm
devin white is not good. flat out. and jumping around like hes at the rodeo every semi decent play even down multiple scores drives me crazy.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:54 pm
Devin White might be undisciplined but at least the dude is giving his all.
Vita Vea has been a shell of his former self all year and Shaq has been invisible.
October 26th, 2022 at 3:55 pm
Devin is an absolute freak athlete and for those saying he isn’t good just is a lie. Only thing that truly stops him is his brain. Todd gotta figure out how to reign In not only DW but TB12 skeleton looking ass
October 26th, 2022 at 4:06 pm
People are literally stupid. Barber is calling out Vita – and you dopes are talking about White… Just shows what a lynchmob mentality looks like.
White is an all-pro player. That means the best of the best. If you want to criticize anything, it’s that Bowles is a dope that doesn’t use him right. White should be running at the ball on every single play and never playing in space. Ever. Not even once a game should White be sitting back in a soft zone coverage, in particular on 3rd down, when Bowles loves to go to a soft zone coverage.
If you just use White to run blitz and pass blitz, he’ll excel. If you ask him to be a David clone, he’s going to fail. He’s a different player – that doesn’t make him bad, you low IQ dopes.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:06 pm
you can be as athletic as you want it doesnt matter when the on field production stinks. hes not a rookie either he wears a C on his jersey, he needs to get his brain on the right page or hes not good. end of story.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:09 pm
rod believe it or not you cannot blitz every down. if hes only good on blitzes than hes not all that good. and even on those blitzes you claim hes so good at he screams past the ball carrier and takes himself completely out of the play way too often.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:13 pm
We can be down 21 points and DW will make ONE play and get up like he’s Superman flying around. I am yelling at the screen DUDE. YOU ARE LOSING. SHUT UP AND DO YOUR MF JOB.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:23 pm
Via just isn’t as strong as he used to be. He’s always lacked stamina.
JTS pursues sometimes. Sometimes he gives up on plays.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:31 pm
White is just not good. People say he is great at rushing the passer but that is usually only when he gets a free shot. When is he ever beating a blocker? He blows assignments and can’t get off a block. Let him walk when his contract is up unless he starts to play way better
October 26th, 2022 at 4:33 pm
Vita vea is cheeseburger part two…Toilet bowl is the reason this team is a joke.Brady got vaccinated too..OVER
October 26th, 2022 at 4:36 pm
How about Devin flips to end like Micah parsons does. ROD you got it right, it’s about the Xs and Os – especially when you have all pro Jimmy and joes
October 26th, 2022 at 4:43 pm
I believe the D knows that the O is struggling so they are pressing to be the dominating D they were Wk 1 and 2. When it isn’t happening naturally in the game, the stars (D White) start pressing to make plays/turnovers. Then he misses gaps and tackles. The O with all the rookies can’t overcome it now. BUT hopefully with the change at LG and a possible Julio sighting maybe things can resemble some normalcy tomorrow night.
Hopefully.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:56 pm
The rebuild is upon us.
October 26th, 2022 at 5:01 pm
Points to a complete lack of faith in leadership.
Competitors that they are, they think they need to take over and win the game for the team. They are in a phrase, trying too hard.
But that’s not THEIR fault, that’s the poor coaching leadership. Rams flashback anyone?
October 26th, 2022 at 5:04 pm
Wasn’t that White’s problem last year?
Has *anybody* spoken with Arians?
October 26th, 2022 at 5:43 pm
White has been doing the exact same thing since he entered the league….anyone who thinks he’s an all pro player is the moron!!!! All I keep saying is ” watch the film” …..we all want him to be the ” star” that some think he is but that is just not the case…Rod
October 26th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
When the players do not fear being held accountable, then there is no accountability. The failures are repeated and continued.
As we can all agree, this is a poorly coached team.
October 26th, 2022 at 7:19 pm
Vita Vea = McSofty.
Got paid Now you can take plays off
Obviously not getting the same push and taking plays off
October 26th, 2022 at 8:17 pm
BuckyDent Says:
October 26th, 2022 at 4:36 pm
How about Devin flips to end like Micah parsons does. ROD you got it right, it’s about the Xs and Os – especially when you have all pro Jimmy and joes
———-
White is actually great at rushing up the middle, and in the process can blow up the other teams run game. That’s what he did so successfully in 2020 when he was an all-pro. Last year, because of all the injuries at corner, the Bucs were forced to play a ton of zone – which was the right call for the defense as a whole, but a terrible call for White, individually. But this year, until this last game, there wasn’t any issues that would make you play zone, and yet we still have White out there, half the time or more, just standing in open spaces.
As far as moving him to end – or outside LB, the issue is that you don’t have anyone to replace him in the middle and you already have Shaq and Tryon out there, and White is way too small to play DE in a 3-4, where you’re primarily a run stuffer.
But, still, they should have White rushing from the middle on every play. If the other team is calling a run, he should be clogging up the middle, or getting into the backfield and causing havoc. If it’s a pass, again, you hope he can get pressure. He’s really good at it, ultra quick, and has already been really productive doing that.
But White stinks at just standing around in a zone, no idea why, it seems like it would be easy enough, but in space, he always seems like he’s a step slow – and he’s clearly not a step slow. But rather than trying to make White into something he’s not, just use him for what he is, and that’s an all-pro interior pass rusher.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:20 pm
duff man Says:
October 26th, 2022 at 4:09 pm
rod believe it or not you cannot blitz every down.
——
You have 3 defensive lineman in a 3-4… bringing a 4th guy means you’re rushing 4, the most common defense in football. I understand blitz generally means 5, so far enough if that’s your point, but I meant blitz in that I want White running up the gut on every single play. Sure, if you want to drop him 3 times in a game, just to mix it up, I guess, but I’d rather he rush on every single play.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:31 pm
Someones in love in seems to me
October 27th, 2022 at 2:52 am
“Barber, speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network, wagged a finger at too many Bucs trying to make splash plays and not doing their jobs.”
Been saying this for the entire season! White and JTS both are grandstanders and I for one have played with grandstanders and have developed a hatred for it because for every splash play they make they make three mistakes!
October 27th, 2022 at 7:38 am
I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, These player’s ALL believe too much in what they read about themselves, QUIT patting yourself on the back in front of the cameras and get back to being player’s instead of acting like and thinking you’re the Best that’s EVER been….. Somebody out there is MUCH better!
October 27th, 2022 at 8:11 am
if the offense scored 28 every week?