Xs And Os Explanation Of Devin White’s Diminished Performance
January 12th, 2022
Devin White
Leave it to a renowned Buccaneers Xs and Os guru to explain why Bucs savior linebacker Devin White has been made to look average at best over the past few weeks.
Former Bucs tight end Dave Moore, the team’s radio game analyst, missed Sunday’s season finale with The Sickness but that didn’t halt his film study.
Speaking on WDAE Radio today, Moore outlined why, in large part, White was reduced to 10 total tackles over the past three games.
“You can see he’s gotten blocked the last couple of weeks, kind of disappeared a little bit. Teams have figured out once they get to the outside, they can pin him back with tight ends or wide receivers,” Moore said.
Todd Bowles’ 3-4 defense is about containing everything and “funneling it up the field,” Moore said, “and that’s where Devin White plays his best — downhill.”
Moore said the absence of Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett have hurt the fundamentals of the run defense and White is suffering as a result.
“Yes, he has the speed to go sideline to sideline, but the defense is not designed to have guys out on the perimeter,” Moore said. “It’s designed to have them go north and south inside. And that’s where they kind of lost that technique of funneling everything — where he can play to his strengths.”
Moore didn’t say White is playing well, just that the run defense is failing in front of him. Joe believes White hasn’t been at his best, regardless, and Joe’s looking forward to him shedding those blocks of tight ends and receivers on Sunday against the Eagles..
As for the Bucs’ run defense overall, Moore is dialed into the matchup of manbeast Bucs nose tackle Vita Vea against five-time Eagles Pro Bowl center Jason Kelce. If Vea can force double teams, as he usually does, then that will bode very well for the Bucs, Moore said.
January 12th, 2022 at 5:27 pm
If D White depends that much on others then he’s not going to be here for long. Too bad we can’t clone Lavonte
January 12th, 2022 at 5:40 pm
Is Moore available to be Bucs DC? It’s call adjusting.
January 12th, 2022 at 5:41 pm
Is Moore available to be Bucs DC? It’s call adjusting. I hope Bowles is reading this.
January 12th, 2022 at 5:43 pm
Yes Devin’s had some ‘diminished performances’ since the New Orleans game when LVD went down. But unless I’m mistaken, we’ve won all 3 of those games. I’m sure that Joe & some JBFers would blame White for that, but again … we won.
Certainly some will say that those wins came against teams with losing records, but guess what: the Bucs offense AND defense was pretty well beaten up when we played those ‘losing teams’. With all our injuries, no doubt there’s been LOTS of changes in terms of our game plans on both offense and defense. And yet we persevered. And we’ll do the same against Philly this weekend.
January 12th, 2022 at 5:48 pm
Hopefully Shaq and JPP
being back will help… And possibly LVD
January 12th, 2022 at 5:50 pm
White has trouble shedding blockers, and since both starting OLBs were out, teams were attacking the Bucs with runs to the outside. I expect to see more of this versus Phili, as Phili likes to spread 3 receivers wide, plus they’ll try to attack with outside runs since this will be the first game back for both JPP and Shaq.
January 12th, 2022 at 5:55 pm
R-E-L-A-X….. The post season starts this week. He was a missile last year in the playoffs. As long as his hip is 90% I’m expecting him to smash somebody this Sunday!
January 12th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
WOW great advertisement client! Congrats! LF GO BUCS!!!
January 12th, 2022 at 6:08 pm
Just win, baby.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:16 pm
We’ll see.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:16 pm
The problem is Plan 9.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:21 pm
Look at the film and watch what happens to White when Plan 9 is in the game.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:24 pm
The downside of “complimentary football” is when “compliments” are missing.
Great role players need others, while stars elevate others.
We’re thinking White is a star when he’s actually a great role player.
Vea, TB12, and Evans are stars.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:34 pm
Kelce is the Eagles. If he gets manhandled, the entire Offense will fall apart.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
If Devin White is getting blocked like Dave Moore mentioned, then Devin has to do a better job of disengaging blocks. Either that is a coaching failure or Devin does not want to learn.
January 12th, 2022 at 6:56 pm
I don’t like the forecast for Sunday a whole lot. It’s gonna rain and be pretty cool. I just don’t want a slow start. I sure hope Tommy boy can throw the pill in the rain. I’m sure he’s played in lots of inclement weather in NE.
January 12th, 2022 at 7:11 pm
Right on Hair!
January 12th, 2022 at 7:19 pm
Looks like he is a magnet and the lineman are metal ….. he can’t shed a block !!!
January 12th, 2022 at 8:25 pm
The absence of 3 top LB’s is def obvious.
Thats why Im already gonna start pining for next years draft 1st round pick if we can get him….Bama’s Will Anderson Jr.
Mr. David still has some left in the tank but we know that ugly beast, father time.
January 12th, 2022 at 8:33 pm
Anderson did look like the all around stud. But so did Devin Bush. Never any guarantees. Heck the jury is still out on Devin White. He has played like the best in the businss in spurts and then goes mortal, reminiscent of Mason Foster.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:21 pm
I don’t think is a smart football player… simple as that
January 12th, 2022 at 10:01 pm
The defense is not designed to go to the perimeter”.
What ? That’s how they contained Mahommes in the SB.
When they didn’t, the Jets were successful running it to the outside.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:19 pm
Steven M:
Think you may be misinterpreting what Moore means. What Moore means is that the Bucs defense is trying to funnel runners to the inside, which a lot of defenses do and that’s smart. There are more defenders the closer to the middle of the field you go. Therefore, less defenders on the outside if a guy can turn the corner.
Moore doesn’t mean the Bucs don’t defend the outside, just that the defense, in theory, it tries to force runners inside.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:20 pm
You can’t tell me that teams just, all of the sudden, figured out a way to neutralize Devin White,,,,,,,thus gas ti be the loss if Shaq,JPP 8 LVD
January 13th, 2022 at 1:52 am
Isn’t Dave Moore paid by the team? Any chance this is just a calculated move on the Bucs part to protect their #5 draft pick.
January 13th, 2022 at 3:43 am
So you’re telling me that White can’t do it alone… remarkable.
Some of us knew this already, because some of us have watched football for a long time and seen many individuals have a sudden decline in play when everyone around them is injured, then they suddenly get better when everyone is back. It’s almost like it’s a team game, and you teammates matter.
January 13th, 2022 at 6:43 am
Ah, the old this guy who is usually great has had a run of games where he didn’t play fantastic… He must suck. Its a good thing tb12 has established himself or the joes would be trying to drag his name through the mud. Ludicrous. Exactly where did Joe drag White through the mud? –Joe
January 13th, 2022 at 7:46 am
I agree with LB~SV–White is dumb, and isn’t studying film to get smarter; he has no idea where the play is going due to lack of play recognition. He relies on Lavonte and the OLB’s to limit his gap responsibilities. Moore is covering.
January 13th, 2022 at 8:02 am
Bruce arians keeps saying what’s wrong with Devin, he doesn’t stay on his assignments and freelances too much
January 13th, 2022 at 8:54 am
He’s been playing like Betty White this year. A dead 99 year old woman.
January 13th, 2022 at 1:12 pm
That’s not really it at all. White has been slow to read and react. He is at his best when he sees the action start, eyes the pulling blocker and uses his speed to beat him to the spot. Now he’s playing it safe and meeting the pulling blocker and getting pushed away from the play.