A First For Kacy Rodgers
December 8th, 2023
Linebacker J.J. Russell.
Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers has been coaching in the NFL for 20 seasons. He’s seen a lot.
Football is full of clichés, one of which is, “Next man up,” referring to backups stepping up when starters are injured. Rodgers always thought it was a hollow saying.
So Sunday with the Bucs already down three linebackers due to injuries and illness, another linebacker, K.J. Britt, went down. Uh, oh.
As a precaution, one day last week the Bucs had safety Ryan Neal practice at linebacker, where he had very little experience. So when Britt went down, here came Neal to the rescue.
“This would have to be a first,” Rodgers said about using a safety as an emergency linebacker. “You go back to the typical, ‘Next man up [mentality],’ but I’ve never really actually seen it happen. We were living it.”
Neal had four tackles including a tackle for a loss.
“My hat really goes off to those guys and what they were able to do,” Rodgers said of third-string linebacker J.J. Russell and Neal.
Russell played so well, Joe defies any Bucs fan claiming they missed Devin White. And it sure seemed like Russell and Neal were prepared.
“I remember making a comment in our staff meeting that usually [defenders] are making the comment, ‘We aren’t getting the calls in,’” Rodgers said. “But not one time did they complain about that, so it was a relatively smooth operation, which is a credit to those guys.”
Obviously, this was a bad situation. You don’t want to go to battle with a guy playing out of position and the dude next to him being greener than grass. That is often a recipe for disaster.
But the way Russell played, Joe wonders if the the shot-callers at One Buc Palace were thinking how much cash they could save next year by playing Russell and letting Devin White walk.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:36 am
Say what? This happens all the time across the NFL.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:37 am
“I remember making a comment in our staff meeting that usually [defenders] are making the comment, ‘We aren’t getting the calls in,’” Rodgers said. “But not one time did they complain about that, so it was a relatively smooth operation, which is a credit to those guys.”
– That is the most damning quote of White if I ever read one. The 5th string LB calls the plays smoothly but he couldn’t. Just bench him for the season already.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:40 am
Neal and Izien played a ton of snaps inside last Sunday and their lack of impact was apparent as the runners were often getting 4-5 yards after initial contact. Neal did okay… not great… but 230 lb LBs were missed as we continually saw the piles moving forward.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:40 am
@realistic-optimistic
Safety moving to LB due to injury has never really happens is what he said/was saying. Thus, “the next man up mentality” does not really apply.
I can see why you said that though. Just gotta keep it in context and it makes sense IMHO.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:50 am
The best thing that can come out of down seasons is identifying talent. Good for these dudes getting an opportunity they’d never have otherwise. Same argument many of have with Baker – this should’ve been a year to find a 10 year starter, and he’s shown he isn’t it.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:55 am
Neal, Izen, and Russel all seem to have figured out the basis of the fundamentals coaches preach.
They took good angles and used solid technique on tackles.
Compare that to film of Devin White and you can see why they did well with little experience in the situations they were thrown into.
December 8th, 2023 at 9:56 am
Sort of like the Bucs had a linebacker in the Mike Smith era who the players couldn’t understand when he barked the plays in the huddle. So dudes were freelancing constantly.
No one had the common sense to give the playcalls to a dude who could enunciate. smh And folks wonder why sometimes teams play like shiite.
December 8th, 2023 at 10:06 am
Russell, Britt, and Dennis would probably be serviceable next season, if it came to that. Dennis might be good. If LVD comes back, it would be a fairly deep and strong group, even.
I’d rather see the Bucs try to sign Chase Young or some other full time pass rusher than Devin White, who seems to be falling apart.
December 8th, 2023 at 10:11 am
@WiseCrack, that’s fair. Although I have seen several S-to-LB transitions (Mark Barron, Keanu Neal, Deone Bucannon). Just not due to injury.
December 8th, 2023 at 10:16 am
Often the difference between avg and greatness is being able to consistently produce great results. Clearly Devin White has not demonstrated this capability. I am not surprised that a backup lb or a backup safety can elevate their play for a game or two to be more than serviceable. I dont know if JJ is the long term answer at LB but I do know that its not Devin White! That ship has sailed with his mediocre play the last few years
December 8th, 2023 at 10:39 am
Let’s be honest, we are lucky that the Panthers are trash. If we were playing a team like Baltimore they would have run for 250 yards.
December 8th, 2023 at 10:42 am
No player can possibly understand DW calling in the play!!!!! Did you ever here him talking fast???? That probably is the main reason for the poor defense. Why else would players say they didn’t know the defense call?? Of course he is TB’s guy so you can’t criticize him.
December 8th, 2023 at 10:51 am
Told My Buddy Keith Tandy I felt Russell out of Memphis was a Beast Sunday!!!! I like him. Hope to see # 51 again some against dem Nasty Birds.
December 8th, 2023 at 11:56 am
I like how everyone is noticing that comment reflects BADLY on Devin White.
So glad we didn’t pay him. I simply can’t see him playing in Tampa next year.
Of course some other team will probably get 8 sacks a year out of him because Todd Bowles doesn’t use him correctly.
Bowles always has losing seasons because he never takes his lumps. Always trying to just make it through.
It’s time to turn the page, regardless of a win or loss vs Atlanta.
December 8th, 2023 at 1:16 pm
I still go back to the fact the Bucs didn’t make any conditioning coach changes. Maybe its not their fault could be like Antonio Brown says their playing people that are hurt and making it worse. Like Vita Vea Bowles says gametime decision if he hadnt practiced all week he should not play.
December 8th, 2023 at 2:51 pm
Allbuccedup … I agree about the idiocracy of playing guys when they’re obviously hurt. That doesn’t help the team, and can often really hurt (such as when CBs & Safeties play with bad wheels & get beat for TDs?). I have no idea how much it has to do with our strength & conditioning staff, but it’s seemed to me for years that the Bucs have a propensity to grab ‘fragile guys’ with a history of injuries who other teams pass on.
The cure though is simple: BETTER DEPTH. That’s one of the things that I love about Nick Saban’s Bama teams … he plays a LOT of guys each game & develops his DEPTH early in the season. Seems to pay off as the season rolls along & various starters get injured, yet the subs go in & play without missing a beat, usually.
December 8th, 2023 at 3:03 pm
Devon White makes $11 million, has a PFF in the ’50s. JJ Russell makes like 7.95 an hour and he has a PFF of 79
December 8th, 2023 at 3:41 pm
By Devin, thanks for the Super Bowl. You had greatness in you but you got satisfied.
December 8th, 2023 at 4:46 pm
Part of me thinking they may let lavonte go if it came down to say him or Mike Evans. I don’t think his play will decline too much but it’s easier to get injured at his age and that would be money wasted if he’s on the bench
December 8th, 2023 at 7:48 pm
Interim Coach?
December 12th, 2023 at 7:31 am
We have had these guys stuck behind Diva for years. That is pretty damning evidencce againt Larry Foote, and Todd Bowles as talent evaluators. Dang it man!
Not to mention a rookie 5th rounder outplays him in his first start? But, But, But he is my best player! and he blitzes! Bowles still refuses to believe he has been under performing for the last two years.
Geez!
Go Bucs!