“It’s Like Our Two Linebackers Don’t Like Each Other Or Something”
November 2nd, 2022
Is there something up?
When things go badly for the Bucs, what is the standard default excuse? Communication.
(During the Mike Smith reign of terror, this wasn’t a nondescript, generic, empty excuse for playing with your head up your arse. Defensive players couldn’t understand the guy who called the defensive plays so dudes were freelancing constantly.)
Joe can just hear Robert Plant caterwauling.
Communication breakdown
It’s always the same
I’m having a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Suck!
That’s what the Bucs defense is turning into. It’s driving Joe insane and giving Joe a breakdown. Watching mistackles and loafing will do that to ya. And yeah, it sucks!
It’s gotten to the point that Bucs legend Warren Sapp openly wondered if there is any communication between inside linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White.
Sapp suggested David and White aren’t on the same page, while appearing on the podcast “In the Trenches” hosted by former Bucs guard Ian Beckles.
“Tell me if you see this,” Sapp asked Beckles. “It’s like our two linebackers don’t like each other or something.”
Sapp said he didn’t think he has seen two inside linebackers play so out of sync.
“There is something weird going on,” Beckles concurred.
Joe wishes Sapp would get on Instagram and demonstrate on All-22 specifically what he’s referencing, as he does sometimes.
If one of the greatest Bucs to ever lace up a pair of cleats can see something this concerning, well, that’s not good — like the way the Bucs are playing defense lately.
https://twitter.com/peg_Iwonderwhy/status/1296474215592460288
November 2nd, 2022 at 6:53 am
I’ve given up on this trainwreck of a season.
This Sunday it’ll happen again then Bowles and Leftwich will spew white noise about communication and execution blah blah.
You gotta be crazy to continue to watch this same garbage then hear the same garbage post game.
Nah.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:01 am
It’s because David has realized that White is an idiot.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:05 am
This team is in Discombobulationville.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:05 am
David is just getting to old. The Bucs would be fools to give him another contract. White is just not smart enough to run an NFL defense. Heck he’s not smart enough to do his own job. Add to that the fact that he flat out loafs on plays, and gets bored you’re left with bad LB play. If they were the only problem on defense. Which brings it back to coaching. No accountability anywhere on this team.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:25 am
Only fools watch the games and think lavonte David is not still a good to very good linebacker …you are exposing yourself saying he looks old..been one of our best players on D this year (as usual) just hasn’t had the splash plays he normally produces but those will come..he’s been one of the most sound and smart right after Winfield and dean shockingly
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:30 am
It’s almost like Devin White isn’t intelligent at all…
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:32 am
Turn out the lights. The party’s over. 🎼
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:34 am
The complete opposite personalities are reaching a break point
LVD is a quiet leader that has been a star for over a decade – White is a blowhard that rarely backs up his big mouth
Wonder why they don’t get along?????
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:36 am
Vita Vea on the “Bussin w/the Boys” pod talked about his rookie season and not knowing a particular assignment and recalled David picking up on this after series and coming back to the sideline exclaiming “If they don’t know what they doin’ get them the F off the field”. So, you’d think White gets a shorter leash from David in terms of screw ups considering he’s in year 3 and Davids’ job is directly tied to how well Devin White does his job. That could be a source of tension between the two.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:38 am
If you can’t see David’s play is slipping, you’re the fool. Where’s the picks, forced fumbles? David is not making plays like he used to, and the Bucs would be pissing 10 million away resigning him again. You can’t say the LB play is good when you’re last in the league against the run, and can’t get any turnovers.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:41 am
Beckels and sapp up to a lot BS now in days.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:43 am
Whites freelancing leaving LVD to try to cover for him. The fact that Bowles thinks this guy is smart enough to be the defensive communicator has always worried me. Who got the call in the Rams game last year ? White will never figure out that you don’t make big plays by trying to make big plays. Play your position correctly and let them come to you.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:08 am
I heard this in the podcast.
So stupid.
Never meet your hero’s fellas. Sapp sounded six beers in too.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:11 am
I think behind the scenes White wants a new contract and the Bucs are content with his 5th yr option. White has a huge ego, I think that’s very obvious….along with a tad of immaturity. If he’s not getting what he wants then he checks out…freelances…overall lacks focus. When we are in a position on defense to attack, you see a very engaged version of White because it plays to his strengths and he knows his number is going to be called to make plays. When we’re not attacking but trying to play sound defense while the offense sputters, that’s when the mental lapses start to pop up. The unit as a whole got accustomed to being able to apply constant pressure, it’s like we are lost if we have to play a more conservative style of defense.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:40 am
Go watch the game again.
White looked like he was having a pity party.
One scene, he blows off Bowles as he’s coming off the field.
Another zoom scene, shows him on the sideline about to cry.
I want to switch to a 5-1-5 defense.
3 down lineman. Gholston, Roches, Vea.
1 linebacker- David.
5 DB’s. Jordan Whitehead and Neal as our hard hitting in the box safeties/linebackers.
Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean as our outside tall and long corners.
And Antoine Winfield as our free safety.
Oh wait, we didn’t sign Jordan Whitehead and Suh back. We have their money to Rudolph, Hicks and Julio Jones. (Smart move)
Anyway,
I think our defense needs to switch to a 1 linebacker defense with two hard hitting strong safeties who can hit like linebackers in the box, but also cover the middle of the field like a DB.
Devin White should not be resigned.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:43 am
Devin is distracted with his mansion and horsies.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:49 am
Maybe they should put his horses out there & see if they could play D.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:53 am
The Bucs should just move Devin White to the outside and have him replace Shaq Barrett. Let him rush the QB 100% of the time. Move Neal into White’s roll. Won’t fix our miscues but it’d be fun to see.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:58 am
Maybe the Bucs can bring Sapp in and let him tell the team how championship defenses act on the field, in practice, and in the meeting room.
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:11 am
The entire team looks out of sort and it started in off season with the Brady debacle. Todd Bowles is not a qualified head coach and B.A. should have never given up his position for the sake of making Brady happy. We are unproductive on offense and our defensive line can’t get any pressure on quarterbacks so that leaves our mediocre secondary in coverage for to long! Outside of Carlton Davis, Antoine Winfield, and Murphy-Bunting the secondary should have had been replaced. Todd Bowles is not the answer and before Tampa wastes another year of Mike Evans amazing career I believe our defense and offensive line need a major overhaul, especially knowing that this will be Bradys last year as a BUC!
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:25 am
What I’ve been seeing is the odd play where David is tryijg to cover for white. I remember a play in particular where he vacated his area in coverage only for David to desperately come in and try to make a diving pass break up on the right end and make the tackle instead
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:46 am
Offenses this year broke down the ability of d. White. Put a blocker on him. No blitz no stuffing the run. If he is a elite LB he will adjust. That’s what great players do adjust. But David is off this year for sure , like he’s a step slower.
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:51 am
Chris Long was on wake up with GMFB today, Brant asked him who he sees turning the page Bucs or GB. He describes perfectly what is going on with the Bucs. He did spare the coaches, kinda.
White freelancing is killing this D and especially David’s play. After NE beat Seattle in SB, Belichick cut Jamie Collins who was a stud that season. WHY? Because he wouldn’t play discipline football.
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:53 am
Hodad, Lavonte David isn’t a splash player. What he is is reliable. He does his job to the best of his ability, goes home, comes back the next day and does it again. If you can’t realize the kind of impact he has on this defense, then you, indeed, are the fool.
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:01 am
This is looking like a lost season so far. If they lose to the Rams on Sunday you can pretty much start looking at a fire sale to start soon and a rebuild. On paper this team looks great but players are not playing well and the play calling is horrible. Time for changes….
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:13 am
As stated numerous times at the end of last season D White has to go ,how can L David like a dude who constantly isn’t where he’s supposed to be , guesses all the time and has a big enough ego that the media is blind to his between the big plays , Actual Play !! Folks this is Gerald McCoy 2.0 !! Joe I rolled this for you numerous times at the end of the year and you with team access , just chose to ignore the obvious !! L David deserves better than this punk ass , diamond earring diva ruining the entire preparation and effort he pours out on Sun . Lavonte David You are a Class Act but staying silent only killed your efforts and the team !! An Army can’t fight behind a leader ( Captain) like that ,a greater fighter isn’t that good with a bad corner ( Captain) ………L David thinks Team and Football , D White thinks Horses and Headlines …………. 1 plus 1 is two and if David doesn’t feel this way which I am way woe confident he does , well he’s just another enabler like the Co Defensive Coordinators ( what a joke) GM and Head Coach .
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:18 am
Teams run away from Lavonte, they know better. They run it right down White’s throat all day long.
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:21 am
We need a real GM.
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:25 am
Lavonte has proven to be a hard working humble excellent player.
Lots to appreciate about LVD.
He’s been a great Buc!
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:36 am
Remember Shiano had David calling the plays, run Blitzing, ” playing the run on the way to the quarterback” that’s the way to use LVD. Shiano had a good run defense too if memory serves. Problem was we had DBs like Myron Lewis, EJ Biggers, Sabby and Conte back then.
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:39 am
LVD used to commonly knife into the backfield for TFLs on ball carriers. Coaches are not playing these LBs to their strengths.
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:44 am
@teacherman
I like that idea. The game has changed so much that true off ball linebackers are almost a thing of the past. I wanted to use our 1st round pick this year on another safety. Hybrid Safeties are the way to go in the secondary in the middle of the field. Devin White doesn’t understand coverage schemes, that is blatantly obvious. He’s a liability on 3rd down and every OC in the NFL knows it.
This defense took a dive as soon as Logan Ryan got injured.
Ideally you would have Winfield, Edwards, and Ryan on the field in the nickel package and let White stand next to coach on the sideline on 3rd down, but of course half the defense is injured again, so…..
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:57 am
People fail to understand the Bowles Game Plans. This is them.
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:02 am
There are likely many factors. I think the DL is playing poorly. Too many holes, and they let too many blockers get to the next level. Last year it was the secondary, and this year there is too much turnover on the line. Considering Bowles is a defensive coach, this should have been addressed and fixed in the offseason. Naturally, we will have to wait a year or two before anyone on the team admits what we can all see with our eyes in real time.
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:15 am
So at this point, who is the best player/ players on defense? Or even the offense for that matter. It seems we have crappy players and coaches. And they are playing terribly. And per nfl parity it “could” change at any moment in any game. Will the light switch get flipped? Brady? Brady? Brady? Buehler?
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:20 am
I like the idea of moving White to the outside and use him as a pass rusher. I have always thought that middle linebackers have to be good tacklers and he is one of the worst I’ve seen. He refuses to wrap up anyone and is always grabbing guys at shoulder level. That doesn’t work against power backs.
Just get a guy that can go to the ball and stop running backs or at least slow them up so other guys can gang tackle.
White can be moved around in passing situations and take him off the field vs running teams. He is a non factor other than chasing down quarterbacks with his speed.
Middle linebackers in the history of the NFL have been tough guys:
Chuck Bednarik
Tommy Nobis
Dick Butkus
Ray Nitsche
Jack Lambert
Lawrence Taylor
Mike Singletary
Ray Lewis
Junior Seau
Hardy Nickerson
Devin White couldn’t hold any of those guys jockstraps and he acts like a “star”. No, those are the standards for middle linebackers.
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:32 am
D White would be fast d end but he gets absolutely man handled when engaged with lineman , he has no hand technique at all and appears midget armed when engaged !! Talk about a run liability at d end !! He and his lil midget arms would be engulfed like 300 lb prostitute riding a 125 lb virgin .
Btw those arms of his have terrible hands , I think he has caught like one of the last 7 passes thrown to him !!! Horses Pictures and Headlines !!! out of the NFL in 3 years …… sign the Texans Vet ( if he hasn’t signed elsewhere ) and cut this clown !!!!
Go Bucs !!!
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:40 am
I am positive fans aren’t the only ones sick of devin white and his big mouth and no big play ability to match. Lavonte quietly does his job and seems the team is too laid back to call anyone out when things are going badly or he would be loading like this early in the season with a bad record
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:45 am
It is a trust issue, not a communication issue.
David does not trust Devin to hold up his end of the deal. That causes him to constantly look over his shoulder to see if he needs to fix something, and that causes him to be late getting to what he should be doing.
In other words, it is a slow motion train wreck.
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:52 am
“Oh, we’ll turn it around in the playoffs.”
/sarc
This is like watching Julius Caesar bleed out on a Shakespeare stage play.
I never realized what genius BA is until I saw what Mo Rons “his boys” are. Lord, I miss that Kangol…
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:58 am
Seems like Devin is definitely free lancing and playing like a look at me player. Only all the look at me molmenthave been ugly. I remember an article earlier this year that referenced a coach who said something about having to repeat everything to him like a child thay doesn’tfollow direction. Then there was the whole upsetting Godwin with the Jamis remarks. Maybe he becoming a locker room issue.
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:03 pm
David is a hard working, professional, grinder. White is a lazy showboat. David is more than likely disgusted with his “team mate”.
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:04 pm
David is at the end of the road and Devin White is not very smart; thus being slow and dumb equals really bad play
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:07 pm
Got Tb Bucs nailed it.
Hybrid safeties are the future.
I said MJ Stewart would make a great hybrid MLB/safety for passing downs.
Imagine swapping Devin White for MJ Stewart on 3rd down?
Or imagine swapping Jordan Whitehead for Devin White on 3rd down?
Or swapping Keanu Neal for Devin White on 3rd down?
I want only 1 linebacker on the field on 3rd down.
Devin White is NOT a 3 down linebacker!!!
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:30 pm
@Teacherman777
We tried the hybridized LB back in 2019 when we signed Deon Buchannon, who with Bowles as his DC in Arizona kind of popularized the “moneybacker” role some of you are talking about it being the wave of the future. Unfortunately Buchannon couldn’t stay healthy with us in 2019, but the concept isn’t new. It’s the role I thought Keanu Neal would assume upon us signing him, because he spent some time playing both safety and LB leading up to joining the Bucs. I just think Winfield playing as well as he has in coverage and as a run D supporter in the box, on top of Neal being hurt through much of camp has put that on the back burner
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:40 pm
If we had a real coaching staff, they would move white back on the outside to replace Barrett. Give the captains label to another that hasn’t sold his soul.
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:45 pm
It’s so funny Joe. Just yesterday when I looked up the coach Tony Piroli I thought of the old song, “Ball of Confusion” or whatever it was called and then you come up with this one from the same era. LOL. The comment someone made on here about LVD getting out of sorts with White may have validity.
November 2nd, 2022 at 1:07 pm
Hey joe,Joe, maybe on to something, bucs fall may have to do with dust up on plane when returning from New Orleans, maybe divided locker room,just a thought.
November 2nd, 2022 at 1:38 pm
What “dust up on the plane from New Orleans?”
November 2nd, 2022 at 1:41 pm
Exactly, Cobra. What dust up, Bobby C?
November 2nd, 2022 at 1:49 pm
Ed didn’t mention Brian Cox. He went to the Patriots at the end of his career. He’d lost a step but his football IQ and toughness sparked the defense. If a receiver dared to come across the middle, he got the snot blasted out of him and would think twice before trying it again. He’s assistant DLine coach for the Giants right now
As for communication breakdown, we need Logan Ryan back out there. He has no problem piping up to LBs to make sure they’re all on the same page in the huddle, not just the DBs. Don’t underestimate his value
November 2nd, 2022 at 2:49 pm
Joe I hope you are throwing Ian Beckles some of that ad coin, this is like the third or fourth article you’ve gotten out of his single podcast.
November 2nd, 2022 at 3:52 pm
You JBF bandwagon posters don’t realize defense head and heart are pounding a million miles per hour when the continuous 3 and out and defense is on the field 100 snaps.
Fake azz fyuck Bucs fans trying to hate on Lavonte and Devin.
November 2nd, 2022 at 4:28 pm
@SOEBuc
I put an enormous amount of blame for the defense on the offenses neverending inability to pick up first downs. Considering the personnel that has been on offense the last couple years, the punter should have never seen the field. Every drive should have ended with a PAT or field goal attempt. Our 3rd down percentage was good the two years prior to this, but it should have been damn near 90%.
3-and-outs for the offense are an absolute backbreaker for the defense, especially on a hot game day. By the start of the 4th quarter in this last game our defense had already played a full games worth of snaps and time of possession. Unacceptable.
November 2nd, 2022 at 4:38 pm
Hey cobra,didn’t white and Godwin get into it over white disrespecting Jameis?
November 2nd, 2022 at 5:30 pm
Devin White went to LSU, so we know he’s not the sharpest hook, in the tackle box.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:43 pm
It’s a locker room issue. It will come out after the season. They are going through the motions, but they have zero intention to be a team. Wait. You’ll see. My source knows.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:36 am
Why Wait !! It was pretty obvious I thought last year but please dump the news !! @ richbucsfan
November 3rd, 2022 at 3:40 am
Eckwood Says:
“300 lb prostitute”
.
.
LOL
This person might have trouble paying her rent.
November 5th, 2022 at 2:29 am
It’s like our players don’t like playing for their Mensa coich.
November 5th, 2022 at 10:28 am
D White
I’m not any kind of expert… but if I can see that this dude is a selfish, grandstanding, uncoachable asshat…Then surely Bowles, Arians, Licht, and more importantly the Glazers can!?! If they cant and or choose to ignore these facts then we are in far worse shape than I could have imagined!!! If I’m his agent I’m calling him every 20 minutes reminding him of the millions of dollars he is just pissing away!
November 6th, 2022 at 1:34 am
LOL Realy?
Hard to believe any of his teammates like D White and his BS play. I played team sports including football into my 20’s. Had a few guys like him on my teams that were more interested in making grandstand plays than if we won or lost. Thankfully I usually had coaches who would bench them. Just sayin!