Lavonte David Discusses Bucs’ Suffocating Defense Against The Chargers
December 15th, 2024
Proud of defensive effort.
Lavonte David was ready for physicality.
David is, if you can believe it, a former Big Ten player just like Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh. Nebraska has been in the B1G that long.
And like Harbaugh, David played for a coach who preached toughness, defense and running the ball too.
So when the Bucs prepared for the Chargers, David said the Bucs wanted to show Harbaugh and the NFL that the Chargers weren’t the only team that could play Battlebots football.
“We pride ourselves on being tough as well,” David told Joe after the game. “We let them know what type of game it would be.”
The Bucs sure did.
It wasn’t just smashmouth, old school, 1960s football. The Bucs, on timely plays, opened the game up. Most notably they finally unleashed their future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans, who responded with two touchdown catches and 159 yards receiving.
The game-changing play was from the unexpected sure hands of corner Jamel Dean. With the Bucs up by a touchdown, it was Dean’s pick that set up an Evans touchdown late in the third quarter. It was Dean’s first pick since September 2022.
“It was big,” David said of Dean’s pick. “We have to take the ball away. That’s why we dialed up the pressure. We were able to get pressure on the quarterback.
“We received that gift. They hadn’t thrown any interceptions since Week 2. Momentum was on our side. It was huge.”
David had a typical Lavonte David game: 12 tackles, a tackle for loss, 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits.
Ho, hum. What’s new?
December 15th, 2024 at 10:18 pm
Lavonte better make the Hall of Fame. The man is an absolute iron man and has better numbers than damn near any linebacker who has played the game.
December 15th, 2024 at 10:18 pm
Bbbbbbbut the chargers have Harbaugh a top coach in the league no way Bucs win! All the Bucs fans who doubt this team can eat crow tonight! Peaking at the right time not only against bad teams but the “good” ones too! LFG!!
December 15th, 2024 at 10:35 pm
Again Jason, bring him back….not done yet
December 15th, 2024 at 11:05 pm
Really hoping he plays next year. Love watching him play. I deff put him up there with the GREAT DB55
December 15th, 2024 at 11:08 pm
Being able to run the ball effectively is always a big advantage toward the end of the season. Not only because the weather gets worse, but you have a lot of guys on defense looking forward to finishing out the season healthy so they make more “business decisions”.
December 15th, 2024 at 11:21 pm
Hall of Famer.
December 15th, 2024 at 11:45 pm
Need him again. All in next year. One last go at the SB Lavonte, strong finish and a good offseason … we all know it’s right there.
December 15th, 2024 at 11:49 pm
We are back to Ryan Neal and jj Russell again. May be that’s going to sick for a while, no one else seems to want to play next to lavender.
Labonte is definitely a hofer iimo, I have him as good as brooks
December 16th, 2024 at 12:04 am
Yeah LVD we need you next year…
Main focus is to draft the next inside LB phenom and have him follow LVD and learn all next year.
Hoped we had him with Devin White but realized he wasn’t the guy…
Hope Licht can find him in the draft next year…
December 16th, 2024 at 1:53 am
Amazing when Coach lets his guys play football instead of needing to decipher ancient Pythagorean geometry, what can happen.
December 16th, 2024 at 2:31 am
LVD looked great as usual.
Keep getting it Pops!
December 16th, 2024 at 4:44 am
Lavonte David is one of the best! Neal, Dean, and the rest are back. Wow, they all looked so good.
Herbert really got beat up. The Chargers looked defeated by the time the Bucs got done with them.
December 16th, 2024 at 6:13 am
Defense looked great. Teams don’t want to play us, we beat up on em. That makes me happy don’t know about you guys. Tampa n Baltimore n the super bowl.
December 16th, 2024 at 7:18 am
Best tasting crow I’ve ever had!!! GO BUCS!!
December 16th, 2024 at 7:28 am
Just put his name and number in the Ring of Honor before the next home game!
December 16th, 2024 at 8:48 am
mayfield’s scrambling bullet to evans was my top play. i thought he was directing traffic for the dump-off to one of the two targets just in front of him! classic baker/mike chemistry