Devin White Hopes For More Game-Changing Plays In 2022
February 15th, 2022
Already prepping for 2022.
Nobody would be off base saying Bucs stud linebacker Devin White just had his worst season in the NFL. Yet he still made the Pro Bowl.
At the Pro Bowl practices recently in Las Vegas, White explained how he could be better. He said he has already had a sitdown with Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and the two went over ways Bowles can put White in positions to make more game-changing plays.
What are game-changing plays? Takeaways and touchdowns.
“Making game-changing plays for the team,” White said his goal for 2022 will be. “That’s what I know I am capable of. I know I can be put in a position to do it. I talked to Todd already this offseason about ways I can be used even more” to make impact plays.
In the playoffs in 2020, White turned into a complete beast. He was all over the field making plays. Splash plays — ones that vanished this past season.
Joe had suspected it was because White was asked to do so many things to compensate for injured teammates. Joe asked Bowles about this midway through the season and he didn’t deny it. White said that was exactly why his impact plays were down in 2021.
“Last year we had a lot of guys hurt, you know?” White said. “I had to compensate for those guys so I couldn’t do as much. This year? We’re all in.”
If White can play like a possessed man, the way he did in the 2021 playoffs, the Bucs defense will be a step or two better. The Bucs defense really, really missed those impact plays from White in 2021.
If White returns to his sideline-to-sideline playmaking like the run to the Super Bowl, look out.
February 15th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
He crapped the bed in the Divisional playoff game, that backup tightend made D White do a complete 360 before scoring a TD. smh.
February 15th, 2022 at 1:21 pm
if he gets more cerebral he can up his game…
if he just goes out there on the mission to talk all game he will remain the same
February 15th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
He couldn’t have picked a worse time to have his worst season. A lot of his poor play didn’t show up on stat sheets. He guessed a ton, and put those around him in impossible situations. White also looked like he did a lot of free lancing. It’s a common problem with physical freaks. If everyone isn’t on the same page, it doesn’t matter how talented you are. Bowles is part of the problem also. Instead of coaching those mistakes out of him, bowles compounded them. If you can’t tell the player, he’s hurting the defense by guessing and freelancing, why are you a coach? It’s obvious the position coach couldn’t communicate with him either. Ultimately, the head coach is responsible for correcting continual mistakes. But, BA doesn’t want to coach coaches.
February 15th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
I wouldn’t blame it on DW, just the other teams had more tape.
February 15th, 2022 at 1:45 pm
Did he mean like Toilet Bowles last play call? Now that’s a.game changing play.
February 15th, 2022 at 1:52 pm
Not one interception from your MIKE LB is quite pathetic. A ball should’ve hit him by accident if he was anywhere near one. How many picks, and pick sixes did Brooks have during our SB run? Plenty. David needs to pick that up too if he ever wants to make a pro bowl. With Whites speed, and the amount of times he was in coverage zero picks is unacceptable.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:07 pm
Wasn’t Sheldon Quarles the ml for the Bucs during super bowl run. And didn’t quarles solidfy that tampa 2 by getting those deep drops covering middle of field? Just curiously curious…
February 15th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
He needs more time with good coaches reviewing film. That’s the only thing that will help him.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:13 pm
I’m a huge DW fan & I’m disappointed in his performance last year…..but, I expect him to rebound……
This guy is a complete monster when he’s playing well….I don’t think he forgot how to play.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:14 pm
He needs to learn to stay in position more than he needs to try to force big plays.
A lot of the biggest run gains against them were because Devin White saw what he thought was the play and abandoned his position.
I’ve had dogs that were more mindful than he was last season.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:45 pm
stop running the wrong way first and then big plays will happen
February 15th, 2022 at 2:47 pm
Not very mindful! how so true, he was terrible this year!! This is what happens when you go to college and you don’t attend class….. When it comes time to think we all no what happens, sorry but true.
February 15th, 2022 at 3:08 pm
believe when I see it stop the talk and focus
February 15th, 2022 at 4:59 pm
White was good last year, the people who think he was bad are morons that don’t understand what they’re watching. Because of all the injuries in the secondary, the Bucs went from attacking, to more of a zone defense, and White is not a zone player, he should be playing going forward, not dropping into coverage.
Then the secondary finally gets healthy, and what happens, you lose 3 of your 4 starting LBs — and the dopes commenting think that doesn’t affect you in any way. Well dummies, teams make adjustments for that, and knowing White is the only NFL-level LB you have playing, they just scheme to take him out of the game.
When White was rushing the QB, he was creating pressure and causing havor, the issue was he had a lot less chances this year.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:37 pm
Too much White hype last offseason set expectations too high for a good but not great MIKE.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:40 pm
Or maybe it’s all about Diva White. He wants his $100million contract and he needs the stats to get it. If he has 10 sacks 5 interceptions and fumbles forced / recovered, and the Bucs go 5-12, it’ll be ok for the Diva.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:58 pm
Upstate NY Buc. Did you attend classes in college? I guess they didn’t cover the definition of no vs know if you were in fact there!
February 15th, 2022 at 6:41 pm
DW turned into a bona-fide superstar last year in a loaded, healthy defense. With all the injuries, coupled with fact that every team accounted for #45 this year because he had a target. That made DW have a step back. He will rebound if he realizes that he does not have to do too much, stay disciplined on snap counts, and to coin a N.E. Belichek phrase… “Do your job”… which equates to don’t worry about others people’s job, and don’t try to win the game on 1 play. I am not a fan of the culture Bowles fosters. It’s too loosey goosey and undisciplined. I hope we clean it up next year.
February 15th, 2022 at 7:29 pm
Get in that film room brother. Study like Luke kuechly did. You have to know what’s coming not react after the fact. Seems the only way to get to an all new level for him. He is completely dependent on speed which is why he over runs so many plays and missed so many sacks
February 15th, 2022 at 7:49 pm
Spot on, Pewter.
February 15th, 2022 at 8:32 pm
Amen to pewter power… exactly the problems. To the guy who called those who criticized White I say… watch the freakin film. He was not even an average LB this season. The only splash plays he makes are caused by others and since he has speed he was always around the ball …a good thing but not star quality. I contend that he’s far and away the most OVERRATED LB in the NFL. The tape doesnt lie. He missed tackle after tackle when he was in position, he overran plays more often than not, he never got to the QB, his tackling technique is to reach for the shoulders and drag the ball carrier down. I could go on and on….at this point he is a very good athlete and a poor football player! His speed is real, his overall game is just not there….pro bowler my A$$….
February 15th, 2022 at 10:28 pm
Just do yer phouecking job, dude. Be where you’re supposed to be, don’t eff up. Big plays will come.
February 16th, 2022 at 10:44 am
Just do your job!!! We had LA beat!!! Who would leave cooper single coverage with 30 seconds left??? And we ahould of went for the 2 FG instead of the 2 first diwns we would of won that game!! Look at the Atl pats sb, they were down alot of points but kept chipping away. We would of won that game if we went for the points instead of a no way 4th and 14