Monday Rang The Bell
February 8th, 2017
Lavonte David sheds light on the offseason
A couple of Bucs made the rounds on national radio at the Super Bowl, and one was Lavonte David.
No. 54 sat down with smack-talking Jim Rome who, yes, is still around doing his radio thing every weekday for CBS.
Bucs fans will like knowing that Rome, while introducing David, painted the Bucs as a team on a serious trajectory after finishing last season on a 6-2 run.
Asked about starting on the 2017 campaign, David explained that he was delayed in his workouts but would start Monday, the day after the Super Bowl.
“This season’s real different for me because, you know, I had a couple of injuries that I had to heal up a bit,” David said.
David wasn’t the only one getting his body cranked up Monday. Left tackle Donovan Smith took to Twitter and proclaimed he was back in the gym for the road to 2017 glory, joined by Gerald McCoy and Kevin Pamphile.
Joe suspects Monday was a target date for many Bucs, especially considering that this year Tampa Bay reports back for spring practice on April 17. There’s plenty of time to rest and recover — and to get back to the football grind.
On the season turning around after a 3-5 start, David pointed to his defensive coordinator being willing and eager to adapt.
“Coach Smith basically sat everybody down and said, ‘Something’s got to happen. Something’s got to change,'” David told Rome.
On America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, David said, “Coach [Koetter] gave him the freedom, let him loose” to be the team’s top-dog leader. Jameis never looked back or disappointed, David said.
Joe’s glad David is feeling repaired and is back in the gym. Now that Smith has had a full season with David, Joe expects more blitzing and more results.
February 8th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
Cheers boys and girls!
February 8th, 2017 at 2:16 pm
What a difference a year has made in this team’s chemistry!!!
February 8th, 2017 at 2:34 pm
Coach Smith will be the most important signing of 2017
February 8th, 2017 at 2:43 pm
Agree firethecannons…
What a difference indeed..
February 8th, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Rack him!!!!!!
February 8th, 2017 at 3:21 pm
Not sure why everyone is on Smith’s nutsack. Outside of the 5 game win streak his d was very Lovie like in its passiveness. I’m all for continuity but if he left it wouldn’t have been a big loss with how bad his calls were. DB’s still allowing way too much cushion and the lack of an aggressive mentality killed this team almost as much as Jameis’s turnovers
February 8th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Alot of you guys here were all jacked up for us to make noise in 2016 at this time last yr. My projection was 9 and 7. Lo and behold here we are. This yr it is me all jacked up for us to make noise this yr. I am calling 11 and 5. Division winner…………………..IF…………………we do well in FA and draft. Atlanta is going through a Huge coaching upheaval. It is OUR time this yr brethren.
February 8th, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Remember these days ?
“Well, we didn’t tackle well today but that’s ok. We made up for it by not blocking well either.”
“What do you think of your teams execution coach ?”
“I’m in favor of it.”
“What’s wrong ?
“My neck is killing me coach.”
“Then go get an X-ray. See the team doctor.”
some time later….
“Did you get the X-Ray ?”
“Yeah coach but I don’t think it worked. My neck is still killing me.”
February 8th, 2017 at 4:38 pm
Lol…..McKay was a walking soundbite.
February 8th, 2017 at 5:09 pm
@Tampa Tony….MOTHER TRUCKER!IF THE BUCS MADE THE PLAYOFFS I GUARANTEE YOU OUR DEFENSE WOULD’VE CARRIED US TO HOUSTON!BY THE END OF THE YEAR SINCE WEEK 10 TAMPA WAS THE #1 DEFENSE AND ALSO #1 IN TURNOVERS! YOU CALL THAT BULLS(P)IT?!I DON’T WANNA SEE YOU JUMP ON THE DAYUM BANDWAGON NEXT YEAR IN DECEMBER.GET THE HELL OUTTA HEAR WITH YOUR NONSENSE!
February 8th, 2017 at 5:21 pm
SINCE WEEK 10 TAMPA WAS THE #1 DEFENSE AND ALSO #1 IN TURNOVERS
————
You sure about this buddy? I know they were the #1 def on 3rd down but overall def ranking was like 26th in the league. Week 9 we got blown out 43-26 and ATL never even punted once in the whole game.
Do you have a source or link to support this #1 ranking?
February 8th, 2017 at 6:06 pm
Personally, I’d like to see more 3-4 looks on passing downs with Spence and David coming off of the edge. I think David would be able to blow by most Olinemen.
February 8th, 2017 at 6:39 pm
@BuccaneerEric75 if we were to try and run more 3-4, I’d want us to sign Melvin Ingram in FA.
February 8th, 2017 at 7:12 pm
Here are the season long Defense rankings for the 2016 Bucs:
Points per Game: 23.1, 15th in the league
Yards per Game: 367.9, 23rd in the league
Yards per Play: 5.8. 25th in the league
1st Downs Allowed per Game: 20.4, 17th in the league
3rd Down Percentage: 34%, 1st in the league
4th Down Percentage: 80%, 31st in the league
Penalties: 121, 5th Most in the league for the 3rd Most yards (1,061 Penalty Yards)
Turnovers: 17 INT’s, tied for 4th most in the league. 16 Forced Fumbles, tied for 7th most in the league. We recovered 12 of the 16 (75%). Also we were tied for the most Pick 6’s in the league with 4.
Passes Defensed: 98, 6th most in the league.
Sacks: 38, tied for 9th most in the league
So there was some good and some not so good. As Tampa Tony mentioned, a lot of the turnovers we forced were in that 5 game win streak (10 INTs, 2 FF). Having Mike Smith back is at least continuity. Finally won’t be learning a new scheme on either side of the ball this season.
February 8th, 2017 at 7:12 pm
# 1 Ranked Defence! Is that the whole joke, what’s the punch line!!
February 8th, 2017 at 7:17 pm
Blake, I think I agree.
February 8th, 2017 at 7:36 pm
It’s funny…there are some issues…some coaches..some players and a GM that some people have totally judged in the most rigid unflexible way.
Nothing deters the criticism from this group…the defense improves dramatically over the second half…but compare Smitty to Lovie’s D…the team finally has a winning season and finishes with a flourish…some complained the Joe referred to Koetter as a winning coach…he hasn’t won any championships…duh…that’s why we don’t call him a “championship” coach. Sometimes the negativity here is pretty silly.
One guy called me an imbecile for simply mentioning Jon Gruden’s record after the SB…it’s simply not impressive. Dirk Koetter has a 56.25% winning %. Gruden has a 50.89% and that includes his SB 12-4 record…if you just look at the record after the SB Gruden is a LOSING coach 8 games UNDER .500.
Am I saying Gruden is not a good coach…nah…I believe he’s a good coach with almost zero personnel skills…no eye for talent. I think Gruden can win if he had a GM like Licht to provide some talent. My point is we want more than 9-7 but Koetter had a freaking GREAT year last year given the talent…the injuries…and the CULTURE of this franchise. Why can’t we rejoice and look forward to next year.
At this point in time…Dirk Koetter has won a greater % of his games than Chucky!!! Doesn’t that count for something? Again I say this not to slam Chucky but simply to bring a little perspective here.
February 8th, 2017 at 7:54 pm
IMO it isn’t fair to compare Gruden and Koetter’s win %. It was Koetter’s first season. 16 games isn’t a big sample size compared to 112. To me that is like winning Week 1 and braging that you are undefeated lol.
February 8th, 2017 at 8:12 pm
Joey…sometimes you just have to let Stpetebucsfan go on his rants.
Thanks for answering for me as I didn’t know where to start. 🙂
February 8th, 2017 at 8:50 pm
Tampa tony, Ive been saying that forever. Didnt like the smith signing to begin with. Lets see if he truly does adapt, but I will.not believe it until I see it. Our defense NEVER plays press at the line bumping the recievers off theyre routes. . I wish he would be more aggresive in certain situations. I am very skeptical of us maki g the playoffs unless he makes changes to his defense or he is gone
February 9th, 2017 at 12:25 am
I agree Kevin. I’ve hated on M Smith for a while now and I’ll be happy as heck to jump on board with him if I see this defense play the majority of the year with energy and will. We were a bottom 10 defense so lets not go M Smith cray cray.