Rough Start For The Defense
August 26th, 2023
Devin White exonerated.
UPDATED: The good news surrounding the Bucs’ rough opening drive on defense tonight is that iconic Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David was not on the field.
The bad news is his backup got roasted.
Joe is referring to J.J. Russell, who was the culpit on the Ravens’ first big play, a 19-yard catch and run on the opening snap. Three plays later, Devin White was beaten easily in coverage by notorious first-round bust (Vikings) receiver Laquon Treadwell for the Ravens’ 24-yard touchdown pass. Eighty yards in four plays for Baltimore.
After the game, head coach Todd Bowles said White was not to blame on the play and the mistake came from those playing behind him.
Russell rebounded to finish with nine solo tackles. He plays on all special teams units and is likely to make the Bucs roster considering rookie inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis has been banged up.
Joe’s focus, however, was the overall fail by the defense out of the gate. They didn’t come out smoking and Lamar Jackson wasn’t playing; it was 2008 Bucs draft pick Josh Johnson at quarterback. (Yes, 2008).
Last year, the Bucs’ first-team defense made its preseason debut against the Colts in Indianapolis in Game 3 of the preseason. The Bucs locked the Colts down to just 18 yards on 8 plays through two series before most defensive starters left the field.
The defense snapped out of it quickly tonight and had a strong second series, holding the Ravens to one first-down and just 14 yards. Joe liked what Joe Tryon-Shoyinka flashed tonight; he looked like the guy disrupting the Jets in the teams’ scrimmage last week.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:21 pm
Stop playing the guy in zone defense.
I hope it was just because it was a preseason game and they didn’t gameplan, and David was out.
If Bowles is so stupid he’s just going to continue to use White that way, you might as well trade him now and get whatever you can since his value is only going to plummet.
He should be rushing up the middle, run or pass, like 70% of the time or more. If they did that, he’s instantly be an ALL-PRO again.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:26 pm
Everytime the Bucs play zone defense there’s sometime kind of communication error or blown coverage.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:27 pm
You are right Joe. The sky is falling!!!!
August 26th, 2023 at 10:28 pm
@Rod Munch
If you had bothered to watch the post game press conference TB said it was not on Devin White, it was the safeties.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:29 pm
why on earth would anybody care……it’s just a “worthless” preseason game according to Joe…..(probably not this Joe)
August 26th, 2023 at 10:34 pm
Starters who didn’t start; Davis, Winfield, Neal, Vea, Barrett, Kancey. Pretty much the core of the D.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:38 pm
Other than the opening drive, they basically gave up a big run and a big pass late in the game with fourth string guys playing.
A lot of people think I’ve been trashing Trask when that is not what I’ve been doing. I have simply been saying he hasn’t even made the active roster in 2 years, so I see him as nothing more than a cheap back up until his contract is up. I don’t feel like there was any competition whatsoever, the job was Baker’s.
All that said, this is two weeks in a row with a lot of playing time and Trask has impressed me. He definitely looks more than capable.
He’s not going to be a superstar taking you to the Super Bowl, but he could be a Brad Johnson if your defense is great though.
Anyway, great to see him playing well. Awesome to see Jarrett and Palmer. Two young receivers who look really good.
Tucker has looked awesome at running back and so has White. Really hope Tucker is OK.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:38 pm
That first drive made me so mad bowels rage is right there for me and many across Bucs nation. I also think though in hindsight bowels made mistake not playing the starters till this 3rd game. I understand LVD mike evans sitting out but everyone else could have used those reps.
August 26th, 2023 at 10:41 pm
The man that held out for 20 million a year was a liability in coverage again? Nah, that’s impossible!
August 26th, 2023 at 10:56 pm
Slacker, White didn’t hold out. Irish Tony, Davis, Vea, and Barrett played, not sure about Neal, thought he did too.
August 26th, 2023 at 11:05 pm
In his limited reps, Devin White had looked heavier and slower
August 26th, 2023 at 11:06 pm
JTS keeps this up and most of y’all will eat crow for calling him a bust. That’s a big IF tho lol but seriously some guys just take a few season to get right and JTS was raw coming out of college. He sat out a year. So he was a proj. Let’s go Bucs
August 26th, 2023 at 11:24 pm
One reason Bowles has been successful the first weeks of the season is he goes vanilla in preseason, doesn’t show anything. Buccaneers 2-1 in preseason anyway and only loss to Steelers who rolled over everyone they played.
August 26th, 2023 at 11:42 pm
I don’t care what toilet bowl says. Will he have to make excuses for him every week again this year
August 27th, 2023 at 1:55 am
Every team knows D White is a liability in coverage. He’ll get schemed against until he shows he can play the pass.
August 27th, 2023 at 2:06 am
Todd Bowles lost his defensive playcalling mojo when the Rams completed that bomb to Cooper Kupp against us a couple years ago to end our SB after TB12 had one of the Greatest Comebacks in playoff history underway…
In my mind; Bowles sucks as a D Coordinator until he proves otherwise.
And our D sucked last year, so we need to see some immediate improvement from the defensive coaches and players when games start counting again on Sep 10.
C’MON MEN!!!
August 27th, 2023 at 2:06 am
Superbowl *run
August 27th, 2023 at 7:15 am
Dw sucks in coverage , don’t care what you say coach, he SUCKS!
August 27th, 2023 at 7:52 am
The reception was behind white. This is all ‘lawnchair 4’ baby. Give credit where credit is due. I don’t know if it’s individual or scheme.
Our secondary will be exposed time and again this year, until it’s fixed. That’s why I was amazed this team rewarded such huge pay raises to a couple of the 4.
It must be a sign of the times. Rewarding failure has become a standard for whatever reasoning in some circles, and will always remain a complete mystery to me why it’s done.
To me it’s like a silicone bank lending huge deposits to people buying crypto with the borrowed money. Then going bankrupt because the crypto value plummeted. Just a real head scratcher.
August 27th, 2023 at 7:55 am
Munch is expert on everything just like Tmax use to be
August 27th, 2023 at 10:18 am
Should have played more….it’s a shame The Ravens Backups Moved down the field at ease… Josh Johnson formar buccaneer went 4-4 with a TD Our defense couldn’t generate a pass rush or stop a pass… But we get them to Punt on their second drive and we were done…. That was very unacceptable I’m terrified to go up against the Minnesota Vikings… Cousins is going to have a Field day against that Starting Defense if backups looked that good…. Same for our offense 2drives I didn’t see enough… But Hey Go Bucs
August 28th, 2023 at 2:17 am
Bowles is desparately trying to hide the fact that his “best Player” can do nothing but Blitz on his clever Blitz packages. Can’t tackle, can’t fill, can’t cover, constantly out of position, can’t shed blockers, and has not played descent football since the three game stretch in the Super Bowl season.
Other than that he is fine… The real problem is that Bowles will not replace him and hasn’t thus far got much to replace him with. Dennis…not yet. Russell…maybe.
Bowles needs to come off this belief that blitzers are better than players.
Go Bucs!