Mike Edwards Hopes To “Spark” The Defense
November 19th, 2024
Back home.
Since his rookie year when the Bucs didn’t make the playoffs in 2019, former and now-returned Bucs safety Mike Edwards no longer knows what it’s like to play in a season when his team doesn’t make the playoffs.
With the Bucs on the cusp of securing a spot on the couch for the playoffs in January, Edwards hopes he can help find a way to rally the team in the final seven games.
Edwards has two rings to his name, one with the Bucs in 2020 and last year with the Chiefs. He hopes all his experience can somehow help the Bucs rattle off a string of victories.
“Hopefully I can bring a spark or whatever [the defense] may need, bring any type of help that I can bring to this team,” Edwards said yesterday from One Buc Palace. “I mean, not just defense, but the whole team and yeah, they had struggles but they also had some great parts of the season.”
Edwards made a good point. He’s also a strong special teams guy. Who can forget how Edwards raced downfield on the kickoff team for the Bucs in Indianapolis to make a touchdown-saving tackle in the final moments of a 38-31 Bucs win that, had Edwards not made the tackle, would have turned a Bucs win into a heartbreaking loss?
Edwards believes one play in four of the Bucs’ six losses was the difference. Edwards hopes he can provide that one missing play.
“I’ve been keeping up with them from afar, watching some games, stuff like that,” he said. “Still a good team. The record might not show, but still a good team.”
Despite being a part-time starter with the Bucs, Edwards has always been a ballhawk. Edwards had three pick-sixes, seven picks and three fumble recoveries in his four Tampa Bay years.
A takeaway or a forced turnover might just be what the Bucs need.
November 19th, 2024 at 9:06 am
Always loved this guy. Welcome back!
November 19th, 2024 at 9:29 am
Welcome back Mike….
Please your only mission is not to miss tackles, that’s the only thing you need to do!!!!!!!!!!
November 19th, 2024 at 9:40 am
Mike was a ballhawk when he was with us before.
Not sure why we let him go. I didn’t agree with it.
Anyway, I’m glad he’s back. Even if he captures just a little bit of the magic he had before, it’ll make a big difference in how well our D plays.
November 19th, 2024 at 9:54 am
He needs to be in the middle of the field come 3rd downs
November 19th, 2024 at 10:01 am
Love the attitude, but…………LOL.
ROTFLMAO
Bwaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaahahahahaaaahahahaaaahahaha.
Mike — you experienced this defense when Bruce Arians was head coach. Now that the circus clown calls the shots, you won’t know what your assignments are let alone what anyone else is supposed to do. But kudos to you for thinking so.
PS — why’d you get cut?
November 19th, 2024 at 10:04 am
Maybe having Mike Edwards and Jamel Dean back will give Coach Bowles enough confidence in the personnel to call some freakin Man Defense! SHEESH
Imagine that we of all teams have the highest Zone Defense percentage in the NFL and one of the lowest blitz rates….
WTF.
MAN UP, Coach Bowles! Play Man and send some freakin blitzers here and there…
November 19th, 2024 at 10:06 am
Algo Rhythm playing strong defense. Every time. Now that’s consistency.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Happy to have Mike back too. He is optimistic and wants to bring a spark. Sounds good!
November 19th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Unless he’s calling the defensive plays there will be no spark. Clulesss Todd’s scheme is pure TRASH. Clueless Todd and his defensive staff has to go. Cohen is your new HC and he needs a young DC with a fresh scheme.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:14 am
Well, with THAT HAIR… Looks like he’s been struck by lightning, so he could definitely be a “spark” 💯. Wish we’d NEVER let him go in the first place! I remember when he signed with UK outta HS. The very first time I saw him on the field, I told a group of people the next day, that “I really like this Edwards kid… We’ll be seeing him play on SUNDAYS” 💯.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:18 am
We need all the help we can get in the middle of the field pass game…
November 19th, 2024 at 10:22 am
We’re going to need more besides you Mike to spark this defense. We’re going to need for Bowles to be fired.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:25 am
He can play IF he gets rid of that dumb hairdo.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:31 am
I think we’ve missed Mike. Glad to have him back.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:40 am
Spark? This Defense needs more than a spark. It needs headhunters, violent hitters, Leaders and a new DC. Ever watch Defenses like the Steelers? They hit with impact and power. Makes a receiver or RB think twice. Our Defense is like Charmin toilet paper.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:42 am
I’m optimistic but I was hyped about getting Whitehead back so I need to reel it back in a little.
November 19th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Yeah that’s just the spark this team needs I’m sure.
November 19th, 2024 at 11:05 am
@Dave Pear
Oh yeah I’m sure Bowles would probably have their D from years ago looking bad, too!
November 19th, 2024 at 11:07 am
Just need them to go out & sign Bobby Boucher. At least we know he’s definitely a FA. Once they start talking about his mama & how water sucks we’ll be fine.👍
November 19th, 2024 at 11:37 am
This coich could send the Bucs defenses from 1979, 1999, and 2002 right to the toilet. With coich running the show, Mr. Selmon would’ve retired early. What a sham Coich is.
November 19th, 2024 at 11:50 am
keep spark away from hair
November 19th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
I’m thinking that Bowles knows that the defense’s only chance is to play more dime packages, since we are lacking in middle linebackers who can cover. The bench players don’t know the scheme and their assignments well enough and maybe Edward’s is the missing, experienced piece in the dime puzzle.
November 19th, 2024 at 1:10 pm
Get Shaq too,,, let’s go back to The old days ,,, Bowles has to know it’s on the line the next 7 weeks ,,, You don’t get a third chance to head coach when you sux!!!! God , go for 2 against KC and we all say at least you went for the W
November 19th, 2024 at 1:14 pm
I’m also a Bills fan and McDermit critic but he made the absolute right 4th and 2 call against KC ,, win or lose ,, Bowles needs to change or get out of way ,,,,
November 19th, 2024 at 1:49 pm
If he wants to spark the team, he should relieve Bowels of his duties and take over as the DC.
Bowels can go clean the toilets and take out the trash. He’s qualified to do that.
I’m going to laugh my ass off when Devito shreds the Swiss cheese defense on Sunday.
Licht better have the pink slips ready. Or he can go as well.
November 19th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
The one time Aaron Rodgers would’ve come in handy. At least he would’ve complained about the coaching & Bowles would’ve been gone then.
November 19th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
@BallHawk75
I said the same thing. I could actually see Devito having a good game against the D with the way things are going. You’d think he’d learn to change things up after awhile but he’s too stubborn. There’s no way their D should be struggling the way it is with the amount of talent there is on it.
November 19th, 2024 at 3:20 pm
That’s the spirit! It’s people like you that make Bucs fans the best.
You and Dave Pear should hang out and watch the game together….I’m sure it would be a lot of fun – lol
November 19th, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Needs to be a Blow Out like the 7-5 game in the SuperBowl year,,, we never lost again
November 19th, 2024 at 7:16 pm
I think this site uses the term “ballhawk” a little too liberally. The guy averaged 1.75 interceptions a year.
I guess compared to Jamel Dean he’s a ballhawk, but gotta set the bar higher and quit putting players on a pedestal just because they were Bucs. Edwards was just cut by the Bills and lowly Titans. Relatively speaking, he’s a nobody in the NFL.