“Everything Is Clicking”
December 20th, 2023
Turning point.
On Sunday in the middle of the celebration in the Bucs locker room at Lambeau Field, Joe had a one-on-one with Bucs future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans.
Evans said something to Joe that was very interesting.
“At the end of the day, this is still new,” Evans said. “This is Dave’s first year with us. We’re probably starting to hit our stride. Hope we can keep it going.”
Evans was being real and thoughtful.. It wasn’t like some rehearsed football cliché.
So yesterday Rachaad White was on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams, seen on FanDuelTV. White said he could feel a change coming over the Bucs about the time the team started its three-game win streak.
“Everything about our team has been clicking,” White said. “The past few weeks, even the weeks before that, [the Bucs were] getting into a rhythm.”
White is certainly in a rhythm. He’s gone from maybe the worst back in the league to one of the most lethal weapons in the pass game out of the backfield.
Part of his growth, White said, was the Bucs’ confidence in him. The Bucs, as Adams noted, easily could have decided to move on from White as an RB1 after a pathetic season last year. They could have gone out and drafted a stud back to replace him.
“It just meant a lot,” White said. “The year didn’t start out how I would have liked. But you just have to trust the process and enjoy the journey.”
White said he believes his season began to change in the Atlanta game in Tampa. He admitted he wasn’t running well in that game.
“I had to figure out other ways to be effective when I touched the ball,” White said.
And he did. White caught each of his six targets for 65 receiving yards. “I’ve been rolling since.”
So how much chemistry does White have with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield? Enough to stay away from him on the sidelines, White said.
When Mayfield gets fired up he likes to headbutt folks, White said.
“He’s got a hard head up there on his shoulders, he likes to head butt a lot,” White said. “I know it’s going to come. So I move out of the way. You have to be faster.”
White added teammates like Mayfield because he is such a competitor and “plays with a lot of passion and enthusiasm … juice and belief in himself.”
.@Chaad_1 knows to steer clear of @bakermayfield when he's in headbutt mode 😂🤕@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/ZLH1jhxrq2
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) December 19, 2023
December 20th, 2023 at 7:35 am
Happy the offense is coming around. But that defense…sheeesh!
December 20th, 2023 at 7:48 am
Excellent revealing article Joe. Sounds like Evans, White & Mayfield have all bought in 100% into the Bowles-Canales way. From previous articles it’s obvious that other starters like LVD, Winfield, Wirfs, etc have also. Not hard to extrapolate that to the rest of the team also. Bodes well for the rest of this year.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:04 am
For some of us fans still suffering from PTSD losing to the Texans, we need to see another win and a convincing performance against the Top 10 ranked Jaguars to believe the Green Bay game wasn’t a fluke.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:05 am
Baker Mayfield head butts…….I’m really starting to like this guy.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:22 am
The Bucs have been averaging 28 ppg over the last 3 games. The 2022 Bucs did not have a 3 game stretch where they averaged 28 ppg. The best they ever did was 23 ppg over a 3 game stretch. They’ll be tested against Jacksonville’s pass rush for sure.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:56 am
BM head butts cos he’s psyched. His fellow team mates know it. That’s why they’re smiling while avoiding it. You can bet they’re getting ready for Jax. This is a rare state game, Christmas Eve, and RJS will be packed. Even the walking wounded D will get fired up. Sorry I have to miss it cos I’m attending a holiday event, but I’ll read the reviews when I get home. Have a funny feeling they will be good ones.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:08 am
Bowles fighting for his job. Love it.
Wanting is not enough. Make them play like crazed dogs.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:17 am
“””Happy the offense is coming around. But that defense…sheeesh!”””
My sentiments exactly.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:18 am
“””For some of us fans still suffering from PTSD losing to the Texans, we need to see another win and a convincing performance against the Top 10 ranked Jaguars to believe the Green Bay game wasn’t a fluke””
Count me as one of those fans.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:20 am
Watched the Barry Sander Netflix documentary last night. He is the GOAT of RB’s….but more impressive is his humility. We can all learn from him. Had flashbacks of W Dunn.
Oh, and props to White. it’s due from a lot of ppl on here.
December 20th, 2023 at 10:00 am
The Bucs and the jags are in similar positions within their divisions. Both must win. It should be a Donnie brook providing our cornerbacks don’t go full on lawn chair with that cover zero, on their teammates as we’ve seen before. 🤞
Jags tight end Evan Ingram might get 150 if Tampa goes into slack attack mode… just sayin
December 20th, 2023 at 10:11 am
Isn’t the first time a Bucs team took 8 or 10 games to dial in with a new system.
I remember 1996, it took Dungy and Kiffin’s D half the year to start coming around.
I would say that worked out.
And we all remember 2020, how the offense flopped around until the Week 13 bye.
Go Bucs!
December 20th, 2023 at 10:36 am
Uh oh. I smell over confidence.
December 20th, 2023 at 10:56 am
Testing my ban length – haven’t been able to post in a while LOL
December 20th, 2023 at 11:29 am
I remember a guy saying, ” Baker loses interest as the season wears on.”
Could this knucklehead step forward and APOLOGIZE ? Danny Baker Brown Esq.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:27 pm
White has improved greatly. I’m proud of him, I thought he was garbage but I respect his hard work and devotion to getting better. I can see him continuing to grow, he could really turn into a special player.
December 20th, 2023 at 11:05 pm
Good stuff Joe!
You and Mike just reminded me of when BA brought the Biscuit offense and it took a bit of time for everone to get it down. O course Jaymiss never quite got the INT thing down, LOL.
Heck even Brady took a bit of time getting the new (to him) offense. I don’t know why I thought somehow we would get Canales stuff down quicker. But I guess I did.
Go Bucs!