“I Feel Like We Wasn’t Locked In”
October 4th, 2022
After a lot of time to reflect, a stud of the Buccaneers defense shared a moment of clarity on what went wrong Sunday night.
“I feel like we wasn’t locked in this game,” cornerback Jamel Dean told the Buccaneers Radio Network.
Sunday Night Football against the mighty Chiefs? With a storm-stressed community yearning for the little bit of relief a Bucs win would provide?
How could the Bucs not be locked in?
“You know, maybe it could have been what we had to go through the whole week,” Dean said of the team practicing on the road to avoid the storm. “Not making an excuse but I’m just saying possible factors. Like traveling to Miami and traveling back to Tampa. And you know, you got families to worry about. So it could have been a lot of factors, but it’s no excuse.”
“I just feel like we wasn’t playing for like each other this game,” Dean said. “It was more of everybody was just doing their own thing trying to make a play. But football doesn’t work like that, it’s a team game.”
Playing that way, Dean said, is “chaos.”
Interestingly, Dean said Todd Bowles sort of warned the defense that it wasn’t showing enough leadership in practice and that needed to be stepped up. Dean added that their performance against the Chiefs was a bit of a wakeup call and showed the Bowles was on point with his leadership assessment.
Joe’s not sure how this happens to a veteran team on a huge stage — at home — but it did. Hopefully, the Bucs got it out of their system.
October 4th, 2022 at 10:46 am
Excuses excuses…. Miami to Tampa is just an hour flight and you dont even have to fall in line in TSA. It’s just like driving from St Pete to Ray jay. Maybe some articles about Bus defense “being the best” (i dont think so) went to some of their head and became complacent. We did not see any FIRE in their eyes.
October 4th, 2022 at 10:46 am
No leadership in practice? Didn’t they rave about the leadership (and intelligence) of the free agents they brought in? Didn’t I also read articles about White taking more of a leadership role?
October 4th, 2022 at 10:56 am
This is a lame excuse. It’s embarrassing. Sometimes great leaders/teams rise in the face of adversity to bring hope to the surrounding community that actually is suffering and could use a little hope.
This trope needs to end here, right now
October 4th, 2022 at 10:59 am
While facing the hurricane shaq did not rescue any stranded individuals. He ran his mouth then does what he does when the team needs a leader/spark. Millionaires crying about flying 30 minutes to stay in 5 star hotels and workout in state of the art facilities is weak
October 4th, 2022 at 11:02 am
28-43
October 4th, 2022 at 11:04 am
Effort does not require you to be locked in.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:08 am
It’s how you all looked while you played Jamel, ya’ll didn’t look like a unit that carried the team for those first 3 games. Certainly didn’t look like a team that was synced up and staying rooted in the fundamentals that got you lauded for performing at a higher level in the first 3 games, and about midway through the 3rd quarter against KC, a lot of you were straight up gassed. You got tested, got beat, now this week the primary concern is what did ya’ll learn and how can you apply yourselves in old/new ways to assure that does not happen again this season, because ya’ll stunk it up in primetime.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:09 am
K.C. just made another 3rd down conversion…
October 4th, 2022 at 11:10 am
It’s pretty evident that the defense wasn’t “locked-in” No excuses this week. It’s time to take it out on a division rival.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:10 am
I have to apologize to Dean if I ever meet him I really didn’t like his play the past years but it seems he has grown, now I hate Carlton Davis who looks scared to play here lately. Can we move on we lost to a good team yes, we have issues we shouldn’t have but hey this is what happens when you hand the keys over to a coach who sucks.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:11 am
Bowles always gets schooled by offensive minded coaches. Unless he has more to prepare or plays em 2 or 3 times in a season
October 4th, 2022 at 11:15 am
Excuses sounds like pre Brady bucs.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:17 am
You think they all flew from Miami to Tampa WITHOUT their families and pets? I think not, MOST of them drove (dont forget the training staff in all of this).
Doesn’t matter to Joe either way, but the Bucs did charter two plans to Miami. –Joe
I know for a fact that some of them got stuck in the evacuation traffic.
NOT an excuse for sure. BUT also, not your typical week of prep for a big game.
Say what you want about them as a team. However, as individuals it was clear they were TIRED and not focused on the game.
Still, they could have played better NO DOUBT.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:26 am
You can take Bowles out of the Jets but you can’t take the Jets out of Bowles?
October 4th, 2022 at 11:39 am
Tod warns the players about their leadership?
What about your leadership, Todd? Losing by 2 to a very beatable Fudge Packers team was pathetic, where you stubbornly insisted on keeping to your Dungy offense, then passively discussing leadership with your defense during a distracted week…….this embarrassing atrocity falls directly in your lap, Todd. And if your defense can go this off the rails in one week, fans should not be blamed for expecting a Raheem 2011 collapse, because that’s what Sunday night looked like.
Prove us wrong or step aside and hand the wheel back to BA.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:41 am
Did Joe see that video made by some Chiefs players in the locker room? The player was identified as Joshua Williams, and they were celebrating and he shouted “put that old man in the dirt.” The guy filming quickly cut the video. I hope Brady sees the video. Brady thrives from any perceived slight. I love a revenge filled Psycho Tom.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:44 am
The simple answer is “No.”
The complex answer is, “What video?”
October 4th, 2022 at 11:44 am
Goatfarmer…do ya really think BA could just step back in at this point?
October 4th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Chartered flights TO Miami from Tampa but what about the flights back?
NOTE: I said, don’t forget about the training STAFF!!!
It’s not an excuse either way. These guys have a job to do, and no one gets a pass these days for “personal problems” no matter where they work. Thats the reality and I get it.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:50 am
@Joe The video is being circulated on Twitter by someone with the username @ChiefsColby
October 4th, 2022 at 11:52 am
I was not the biggest fan of BA but the Bucs downgraded when they went from BA to todd bowles. Bowles is not a head coach.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:53 am
The 2 hard fought road wins to start the year are now pissed away with 2 home losses in a row. 3 if you count the Rams playoff loss.
That is nothing short of PATHETIC.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:58 am
Not just the player’s fault. It was poor game planning. Perhaps being on the road on short notice contributed to this.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:00 pm
“Joes not sure how this happens…”
Well, we’ve pretty much stunk out loud during every single prime time game the last few sessions. I don’t know why, but the trend speaks for itself.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Goodness gracious Bucs fans, the season is still young and the rest of the NFC South is weak imo.
And.
We still have Tom Freaking Brady!
October 4th, 2022 at 12:13 pm
I am going to use some as an excuse. Kansas City has been looking at this game for 2 years. If they were that fired up for the Super Bowl, it might have been a better game 2years ago. Why do you think the Chiefs stunk up the place the week before against Indy? Think maybe they were thinking ahead about the Bucs? They couldn’t wait for the game while our guys were spending their week worried about getting their families to Miami and than back two days later. It might only be a 1 hour flight, but I guarantee you it was at least a 3 or 4 hour deal getting the family ready and checked in, dinner plans etc. Like someone said, it would have been better if they would have played it at Minnesota. Only one travel day and no family along to set up. It was the perfect storm(Not talking about Ian) Kansas City had been thinking about this game for 2 years, the Bucs probably started seriously thinking about it Saturday before the game.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:19 pm
” Not sure how this happens” Ndamakong Suh was a force on the field and in the locker room as was JPP-Bucs GM cast them aside with no regard for the repercussions to the chemistry of the defense. Too late to sign JPP , but Jason Licht can correct his massive blunder regarding Suh-SIGN SUH NOW LICHT
October 4th, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Bowles and Leftwich are looking like Abbott and Costello in clown suits.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
Gashed our run defense im looking at JTS this guy hasn’t produced
October 4th, 2022 at 12:30 pm
I’ll be worried if we look flat against the Falcons. As mentioned previously, last week was a mulligan. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand how a disruptive week leading up to the Chiefs game affected this team.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
Been watching football for a while and that qb on the chiefs is special incase anyone didn’t know. And Don’t getting it twisted that game ment way more to them after what happened in 2020.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Todd looks way over his head after letting the defense go out and look like that, play like that. One and some Todd?
October 4th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Done
October 4th, 2022 at 12:43 pm
Teams usually take on the identity of the head coach. Bowles has the personality of a wet dish rag. BA was thought of as a players coach, but wasn’t afraid to go the other way. This team needs a swift kick in the pants. Not sure if bowles is the guy to do that. If they were effected by the hurricane, it’s an even worse sign.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:47 pm
Bucs are not playing mean enough. Not winning the battles. Defense was in a surrender mode after White’s kickoff fumble.
That defensive line of the Bucs did zero. What happened to the push up the middle by Vea and when is the edge rusher, JTS actually going to make a play on an opposing QB.
One of the softest defensive line performance I’ve seen.
If these linemen don’t start performing then our coaching is piss poor. They have been underperforming all season. Someone on that defensive line has to step up.
October 4th, 2022 at 2:13 pm
Sometimes you need to be embarrassed in order to pull your head out of your butt.
October 4th, 2022 at 2:30 pm
‘SLAP!’
October 4th, 2022 at 3:10 pm
Excuse maybe. Distraction yes. In this league any distraction can make the difference.
October 4th, 2022 at 3:11 pm
Clearly leadership is an issue if guys weren’t locked in for a huge game. Most of us had to deal with the hurricane and evacuations and still do our jobs.
October 4th, 2022 at 3:17 pm
I love Tom and the Buc’s, Let’s go, ps not crazy for Todd, yet get some emotions
October 4th, 2022 at 3:18 pm
Love Tom, let’s go
October 4th, 2022 at 3:58 pm
Its called life, everyone. Yes they are football players and its their job, but I’m sure most will have a bad day if you had to go through what they went through last week.
October 4th, 2022 at 4:57 pm
The Bucs defense got smoked by a better team. Unable to devise a game plan to stop Kelce, big cushions given by our DBs on the outside, our ILBs getting blocked on run plays and great execution by Mahomes. I watched the Niners shut down the Rams last night. After the Bucs get done with these next few slappies, it will be interesting to see if they can match what the SF defense did.
October 4th, 2022 at 5:00 pm
I do believe a very large percentage of people living ouside of the worst hit areas of Florida had a very intense and stressful week because of Ian as well. Just thinking about this a week later here in Tampa Bay, foks!
Go Bucs!
October 4th, 2022 at 8:30 pm
No. You wasn’t. Not many of your teammates, either.
The main problem besides failure to lock in is a lack of physicality and intensity. Lack of killer instinct.
Look at what the 49ers just did to the Rams.
October 4th, 2022 at 9:04 pm
TWO FREAKING TURNOVERS ON THEIR OWN 20!!!!
The Defense had barely warmed the bench to wait for their turn when oops…get out their now. No the Bucs certainly were NOT locked down that first drive on defense.
KC is a great team. You can’t give them the ball on your own 20!!!
As Lovie used to say…”It’s as simple as that.”.