David: Credit Hargreaves, Mike Smith
December 5th, 2016
Changed yesterday’s game.
Yes, Lavonte David, too often MIA this season, reached into his not-so-distant past and showed why he was a Pro Bowler yesterday with a ballhawking pick-six.
Yesterday, David downplayed his game-changing play. He all but said he was teed up to make the play thanks to the coverage of Vernon Hargreaves and the coaching of defensive coordinator Mike Smith.
“First of all, it was a great play by Vernon Hargreaves,” David said. “Great coverage by him. Tight coverage getting a hand on the football and tipping it up. Coach has always preached run to the football when the ball is thrown and that’s what I did. Great things happen when
you run to the football and that’s what happened. I was able to get a pick six and help turn the game around.”
David later added that it was Smith who changed things up at halftime to better put players in position to make plays.
“Our coach just made different calls for the stuff that they were hitting us with,” David said. “It was a great adjustment at half time. Guys came out playing harder, making an emphasis on getting the football out and creating takeaways. That’s what we were preaching on, guys staying resilient and staying in tune with everything that’s going on no matter what’s going on through the game. All we can do is just focus on getting better each play.”
Joe cannot tell you how refreshing it was to learn that, by golly, a coach makes in-game adjustments to put players in a better position to make plays. Imagine that?
David thought Smith makes a helluva point: fly to the passed ball. The more a player is around a ball, the better chance there are for plays to be made.
December 5th, 2016 at 6:50 pm
if verner gets up and sprints to the ball after falling & getting burned instead of jogging… that 1st TD of the game doesn’t happen then… & they probably could’ve held them to a field goal attempt
December 5th, 2016 at 6:52 pm
The more a player is around a ball, the better chance there are for plays to be made.
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Sounds like a def we all know and love.
Speaking of adjustments what happened to Verner, did he get benched?
December 5th, 2016 at 6:54 pm
Our defense under Mike Smith is different then how it was under Lovie, or even Schiano. Those old defensive schemes funneled more stuff to the linebackers, and allowed Pro Bowl type numbers for Lavonte.
December 5th, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Yes, Lavonte David, too often MIA this season
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You’re killing me joe, absolutely killing me.
December 5th, 2016 at 6:56 pm
Ty Chris. Idk what it takes to get some to realize this. Jeez.
Do you guys even watch film? Seriously though you’re killing me.
December 5th, 2016 at 7:30 pm
THANK YOU MIKE SMITH. The only thing they had going in the pass game was the checkdown pass, and once we cleared that up their offense was all either Gordon run (who looked like an absolute moose to try and tackle btw) or deep pass. Swear on my life I noticed the change in game and I was so flipping happy.. Its like we have real coaches all the sudden.
December 5th, 2016 at 7:32 pm
As for David, I think between the defense changing and offenses giving him respect he just isnt getting as mamy chances as he used too. He shows up on big plays lately, but the main cog of the tackling machine is Kwon now.
December 5th, 2016 at 7:38 pm
Just got home from work and had an awesome set of gut laughs reading the “Alone” article a few back!!!! Walter football says if the Rams knew then what they know now they would have taken GMC no. 1 overall! Detroit would have taken Antonio Brown and we would have been stuck with Suh. SO glad hindsight is 20/20
December 5th, 2016 at 7:39 pm
https://walterfootball.com/draft2010redraft.php
December 5th, 2016 at 7:44 pm
SB what’s up my G..
December 5th, 2016 at 7:47 pm
@ chris and db55
It is well known the cover 2 scheme is gearded to funnel the action to a supreme tackler like brooks. That is why nickerson would lose their season bet of who would have the most tackles. When david played in similar schemes, his tackles were off the charts. Koetter and smith have said many times this year that david is playing really well. I was not very familiar with mike smith schemes before this year. All i heard him say was he taylors his scheme to the personnel he has and i was cool with that. Lvd is learning how to be effective in this scheme. Let him learn it and figure out how he can make plays. Do not subscribe to the pff narative when we do not know the responsibility. Remember pff told us ej biggers was better than barber.
December 5th, 2016 at 7:52 pm
It’s comical that Joe likes to ream “McCoy haters” while he’s been on David this year for the same kind of things. I think the McCoy hate is overplayed, people just wanted him to make plays when games were on the line and it wasn’t really happening. You don’t hear from them anymore because they’re happy he’s been doing it. David’s stats haven’t been great but Dirk and Smith have been extremely happy with his play or so they say. IMO David earned that criticism but I was also fine with the McCoy criticism. I’m just happy everyone is making plays right now!
December 5th, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Do any of the old Lovie apologists still doubt that this is a much better coached defense?
December 5th, 2016 at 7:58 pm
Not much Nos my brother!! Just catching up on the day’s reading. Had even more laughs with the “Koetter reaching Milestone” article. I just shot you a text.
December 5th, 2016 at 8:01 pm
The scheme is the issue, not David – although I have noticed him missing a few more tackles than what we’re used to seeing. Regardless David could be a huge player in the defense if they moved him around more or did more with him. On the INT it was off a deflection and he made the most of it, but had the ball not been deflected he wouldn’t have been involved with the play – and that’s mainly what the issue is with the defense, his talent isn’t being used for much as his position is not all that important. I wish Mike Smith would use him more as an edge blitzer, as he’s already shown he is excellent at doing that. While David had a good play yesterday, again this defense doesn’t do anything to feature him, he’s just another player because of scheme, not because of talent or lack of heart.
December 5th, 2016 at 8:09 pm
David should be given free reign IMO of what gap to take to rush the passer pre-snap in rushing situations IMO. Schiano used to let him do that
December 5th, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Oh and btw…….Tandy said that it was VH3 that tipped him off to what route to watch for in the pre snap
December 5th, 2016 at 8:37 pm
It’s comical that Joe likes to ream “McCoy haters” while he’s been on David this year for the same kind of things.
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lol.The Joe’s are doing their jobs well. We all come back for more. Love it.
December 5th, 2016 at 9:17 pm
Yea I always love David way more than mccoy. David is just one of the best lb in the nfl from a talent standpoint. I’m a true believer that David numbers are low cuz Kwon eating tackles too. I like McCoy but too inconsistent and that 7 sacks this or he doing what his coaches ask that talk I like to see McCoy and what he does vs Dallas. This should be the game for Mccoy. This game will be make or break for Mccoy and his haters
December 5th, 2016 at 10:06 pm
Looks like Joe is still sitting in the linebacker’s room. Joe knows exactly what Lavonte responsibilities are on every play. That’s really the only way you can criticize a player in the NFL. Lavonte should be as productive a second he was in other defenses. It’s not like a totally different defensive scheme would make David’s production different….
/sarcasm
December 5th, 2016 at 10:16 pm
@Lamarcus – so what he has done over the first 12 games of the season doesn’t matter? It all is going to be based on how he performs against Dallas? SMH.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:19 pm
Also who cares that LVD has nearly 1/3 of teams forced fumbles. Turnovers are overrated anyways. The only way LVD is worth a damn is if he is getting 120 tackles a year. Yeah that’s right, he needs to produce like a MLB even though he is WLB. Stupid LVD. Do work son!
December 6th, 2016 at 1:00 am
Flexin
December 6th, 2016 at 1:21 am
Its probably been said but, Goddamn its refreshing to hear ( we made adjustments at halftime based on what looks we were given)
December 6th, 2016 at 8:24 am
I believe it was explained in the pages of the last pewter report fab five,that LVD is often tasked with coverage of the tight end taking him out of run play defense somewhat.
The last two weeks have shown how effective that can be. Point is you can look at stats and come to the wrong conclusion,if you don’t know what the players assignment actually was. So if LVD is in pass coverage,Kwan will have to cover more ground in the run game.
December 6th, 2016 at 10:24 am
@db55…yeah verner was put on the bench in favor of Elliott….the kid played well too…..verner may not see the field again on defense unless an injury occurs….GO BUCS!!!!