Surprise!
September 21st, 2024
Bucs’ biggest surprise.
So what has been the biggest Bucs surprise in the still-young 2024 NFL season? Joe has a pretty good idea.
For Jenna Laine of ESPN, she believes the Bucs going 2-0 (including a landmark win over the Lions in their den) while suffering so many injuries to star defensive players is the biggest surprise.
… They got outstanding effort from backups such as defensive back Christian Izien, inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis and defensive linemen C.J. Brewer and Mike Greene, who were called up from the practice squad the day before. That doesn’t happen without a coaching staff ensuring that players are on the same page and always prepared, which bodes well for later in the season.
She isn’t wrong. How many among us thought the Bucs would win the game before the season assuming the Bucs were fully healthy? Not many. Add in all the injuries to star defensive players, it makes the win seem all the more improbable.
For Joe, the surprise runs deeper. Joe will offer up three.
* SirVocea Dennis: Joe was ready to write this guy off. He was always hurt. If you’re a backup and can’t stay out of the tub, what good are you? Two games into the season, Joe doesn’t know why the guy isn’t starting. Dennis has been a force in his rotation with K.J. Britt. Speed for days. Physical hitting. Wrapping up. He’s been really, really fantastic play. Top-notch.
* Zyon McCollum: “This Joe” wasn’t comfortable with Todd Bowles handing McCollum the starting job at corner this offseason when the Bucs traded away Carlton Davis. For Joe, McCollum hadn’t show enough to warrant a gift like that. However, if he plays the rest of the season like he did in Detroit, he’s going to give Jamel Dean a run for the money as the team’s best corner.
* Christian Izien: Guy came off the bench because of injuries, played outside corner Week 1 for the first time since high school, and he played pretty well. Then the next week in Detroit, he was a force on defense at safety. Izien has really taken a step forward from his rookie season last year.
Joe couldn’t whittle the surprises down to one. So Joe chose three.
September 21st, 2024 at 2:03 pm
Dennis needs to start simple
September 21st, 2024 at 2:13 pm
I agree with Joe 100% about McCollum. I thought forsure he’d be E.J. Biggers
2.0 this season. Dude is holding is own so far.
September 21st, 2024 at 2:17 pm
Don’t rush him in the line up hidden gems off the bench helps down the stretch trust me…the more he plays the more film you have on a guy…the less is the best can’t gameplan the unknown which is smart for bowles and Co.
September 21st, 2024 at 2:28 pm
Lucht’s success with late round draft picks and UDFAs is amazing….really helping us and will going forward….
September 21st, 2024 at 2:32 pm
McCollum is going to be a top CB in this league! He’s good now and only going to get better. Great instincts. Studies hard and is in position to make plays on game day.
September 21st, 2024 at 2:47 pm
Zion was awesome but I suspected he was going to be solid… Trusted Todd on this one.
SVD, Izien… Holy smokes ! I don’t see how you keep those guys off the field. Neither got much lip service during the off season/traing camp but those dudes were ballin out Sunday.
September 21st, 2024 at 2:49 pm
I like KJ Britt’s energy. But he’s is not very talented. Hes a one dimensional run stuffer who is slow compared to most ILB in the league. I hope Dennis takes over his spot, he checks way more boxes than KJ.
September 21st, 2024 at 2:49 pm
Coen
September 21st, 2024 at 2:56 pm
Some of this is far more than simple “depth” or replacing injured. In fact while the saying goes nobody should “lose their job” to injury that happens all the time.
That’s what Bowles saw last year when McCollum was in the game and it made Davis expendable. Now we have Dennis balling out and Britt’s gotta feel the pressure.
IE this team is in a great spot right now!!! Hungry second tier players ready to replace the first with no dropoff. Nobody is going to replace Winfield but as long as Whitehead stays healthy the back end at least is not like the days of Logan!
September 21st, 2024 at 2:56 pm
Team is tough no doubt have to admit that after beating Detroit so giving licht the credit means there’s no excuses when lining up against the eagles and especially the falcons.
September 21st, 2024 at 3:01 pm
And from what we saw from Izien and Tyler smit, we have some very athletic nickles. Smith look anything but a rookie against the lions. He shut down Amarion at brown multiple times.
September 21st, 2024 at 3:10 pm
Everything went against the Bucs in the Divisional Round (including the reffing) and they still almost beat Detroit. I had them winning this game before the season, however, that prediction was before the rash of injuries and it turning from a a decisive win to a skin-of-your-teeth win.
September 21st, 2024 at 3:32 pm
No question whatsoever that our defense has risen to the occasion & played lights out. But there are a couple of guys on offense who deserve a big pat on the back too for their performances in Games 1 & 2:
1 – Chris Godwin: 15 catches in 16 targets for 200 yards (93.8%), 2 TDs & 12 first downs in these 1st 2 games is unheard of.
2 – Baker Mayfield: 36 completions in 49 passing attempts (73.5%) for 474 yards & 5 TDs against only 1 INT in these 1st 2 games is incredible. Then throw in his 55 yards rushing for 1 TD & 4 first downs in only 8 rushes (6.9 YPC) and he’s having an MVP year thus far.
this team ha a LOT of solid young talent. Bodes well for the next several years IMO.
September 21st, 2024 at 3:45 pm
@Joe…..RE: Voss Dennis….
Told ya
September 21st, 2024 at 3:56 pm
I think that the “winning attitude”,The ultimate unmeasureable, is the biggest surprise, and what carried us through the last game.
Of course these guys have the talent, or they wouldn’t be on the payroll.
The hidden downside to practice squad players filling in for injuries and then ballin out, is that they will have to go back to the practice squad when the starters come back.
There they will be in danger of being poached by another team.
Good for them to get an actual contract….
But then we will have to find their replacements.
September 21st, 2024 at 4:12 pm
I have always said these young Bucs players are the most developed young talent in the NFL. I give credit to Bowles and his staff for developing them. And also for putting them in a position to succeed.
September 21st, 2024 at 4:19 pm
I wished we would’ve let JDean go vs CDavis. JDean plays very stiff n is slow to react on certain plays n plays passive. What does he bring to the game, height n speed only and doesn’t know how to use either. He doesn’t have a nose for the ball.
September 21st, 2024 at 4:51 pm
If we could just get a consistent edge rush the Bucs will be tough to beat. Would like to see Diaby start getting some sacks and perhaps start playing Ramirez as well, since he looked pretty good in preseason.
September 21st, 2024 at 4:52 pm
i think people who know the bucs knew what we have in izien…good solid young player…
those reports he would be getting cut had me spooked, wondering and smh…
i’m gonna say dennis is the biggest surprise…no one knew this was coming…
big sir is beasting & bodying out there…all frothy and energized…
not only do we have a linebacker in lavonte david, who you could totally reverse his name and think it’s normal…but now we have 2 linebackers like that…
david lavonte
dennis sirvocea
see what i’m saying…
tell me i’m wrong…
put respect on their names bro !
September 21st, 2024 at 5:30 pm
Funny..but I’ll go with getting rid of drama players…just do your job blue collar work ethic professionals. Thanks Licht.
September 21st, 2024 at 6:59 pm
adam from ny Says:
September 21st, 2024 at 4:52 pm
“i’m gonna say dennis is the biggest surprise…no one knew this was coming…”
Um – perhaps there were at least a couple people who ‘knew this was coming’
Pickgrin Says:
July 5th, 2023 at 12:53 pm
Trade White for a 3rd and a serviceable slot CB.
Start SirVocea Dennis who is not only a good rusher up the middle, but who may already be better as a rookie than White in coverage.
Dennis has great instincts, his first step is almost always correct and he doesn’t easily get tied up by blockers. These are all weaknesses in Devin White’s game as is White’s obvious lack of coverage ability.
Dennis is going to be a good player in this league! Let him go ahead and get started (for 1/10th the price of White the next 4 years) while LD54 is still here to help teach and guide and cover for the promising rookie.
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Pickgrin Says:
July 25th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
You know who is also a good off ball blitzer? Sirvocea Dennis. And Sir Dennis – who is a good athlete but obviously not as “fast” as White – is probably already more “instinctual”, better at shedding blocks and especially better in coverage as a rookie than Devin White in his 5th year…. He’s probably a better tackler too….
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Pickgrin Says:
March 31st, 2024 at 4:16 pm
Sirvocea Dennis – Yea – Yea – I know – witness protection program last year… Ha Ha – I’ll keep saying this though till I see otherwise on the field… This kid is going to be a good NFL football player.
I’m convinced that Dennis will outplay his draft position at some point…
September 21st, 2024 at 7:11 pm
That broad in the pic needs to get her roots colored. What can I say about SVD? I like him on the field, and off the field in his glasses. You can bet LVD has been helping coach him. And Izien….yow whoo! I just hope this team buries Payton’s nose in the dirt tomorrow! Go Mighty Bucs and watch your knees!
September 21st, 2024 at 10:11 pm
Baker
September 21st, 2024 at 10:34 pm
Agreed Joe. The best part izien was undrafted and the other 2 late rd draft picks. Kudos to the coaching staff and the scouting dep. Jason has really done a great job the past 5 years drafting not saying he’s perfect no GM is but dam I’m glad we got him pirating the ship
September 21st, 2024 at 10:44 pm
If you couldn’t see the growth of Zion last season…. He was fine. Coaches know more than you. I know it’s a novel idea. Seriously, anyone who knew what they were looking at could see Zion was ready to take a starting spot. After Houston last year the writing was on the wall. They wouldn’t have traded Davis if it was even close.
September 21st, 2024 at 11:45 pm
First time I’ve noticed Joe using ESPN instead of BSPN!? Jenna has captured his heart LoL.
September 22nd, 2024 at 4:23 am
Agreed. It’s the trifecta and we all won!
September 22nd, 2024 at 6:27 am
Solid backups make for championships. Rare for any NFL team to not lose guys during a 17 game season. Bravo to the backups!
Go Bucs!