“Quickness And Agility At The Same Time”
April 13th, 2024
Hall of Fame praise from Vita Vea came a couple of times in 2024.
Since the final game of his career (against the Bucs), future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce, the six-time All-Pro, has spoken at least twice of Tampa Bay’s manbeast defensive tackle.
Joe heard the first time on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show and made a mental note. And then Joe heard Kelce again this weekend on his New Heights podcast, where a discussion/argument about the Eagles’ famous “tush push” short-yardage play led to a discussion of how to stop it.
While Kelce didn’t want to talk about the secrets to short-circuiting the tush push, he did say there is one direct way to stop the play: “Vita Vea.”
Months ago with McAfee, Kelce said how dangerous and rare Vea is as a nose tackle because he combines speed, power and size.
“Although he’s 350-plus, he’s got plenty of quickness and agility at the same time,” Kelce said, again noting Vea has what it takes to stop the “tush push” single-handedly.
Joe now sees 29-year-old Vea as possibly entering the final year of his prime. With electric second-year tackle Calijah Kancey at his side, Vea should be more lethal this season with defensive guru head coach Todd Bowles having an entire offseason to find ways to have the beastly duo play off each other more successfully.
Joe doesn’t know any team that has an inside tandem like Vea and Kancey. Make the most of it, Coach!
Generations ago, Bucs fans called the iconic Tampa Bay offensive backfield of Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn, “Thunder and Lightning.” Joe thinks that moniker now fits the interior of the Bucs’ defensive line.
Now the Bucs just need to add more juice to their edge rush to go with it.
April 13th, 2024 at 9:03 pm
Thunder and lightning? Maybe. Shock and awe? Definitely.
April 13th, 2024 at 9:11 pm
F Cam Jordan
April 13th, 2024 at 9:23 pm
Can’t help but wonder how many times Vea & Kancey were on the field at the same time last year Joe.
Bucs’ defense was on the field for 1126 total plays by our opponents (apparently including plays that were called back such as Pass Interferences, etc). Vea was on the field for 607 of those (53.9%), while Kancey was on the field for 577 def snaps (51.2%). And yet Vea was probably on the field for a lot of predicted running plays, while Kancey was probably in there for a lot of passing plays. No way for me to know, but I doubt that the two of them were on the field for the same play more than 25% of the time.
April 13th, 2024 at 9:28 pm
Miss A-train and dunn. They really were thunder and lightning
April 13th, 2024 at 9:47 pm
Miss the A-train for sure & yeah
f cam Jordan!
April 13th, 2024 at 10:14 pm
Could we find a DT/Edge guy in the first round this year? Would you be surprised if so? Anyone? Give us a name if so.
April 13th, 2024 at 10:49 pm
Kancey is gonna be a force this year so I hope that has Vea fired up to play lots and play well. Not that he hasn’t, it’s tough to tell watching games live how much he gets doubled tripled, I’m sure it’s a lot but some games he looks unstoppable and others don’t really notice him outside of taking up space as a man his size does. Not knocking him, love him, just hope he can be healthy and as effective as ever cause that is a hell of a 1-2 DT punch with him and Calijah.
April 13th, 2024 at 11:38 pm
It might be time to use a lower-round pick for a developmental DT to replace Vita eventually
April 13th, 2024 at 11:41 pm
Vita Vea is a good solid defensive tackle, He’s not an all pro. He doesn’t play as many snaps as a typical d-tackle. He does make a few impact plays here and there and I’m glad the Bucs have him. He’s not all world. He’s a good component to the Bucs defensive line.
April 14th, 2024 at 2:53 am
VV is the best pure nose tackle in the game and has been for a while now. We are lucky to have such a man beast, but I can’t help but feel that interior line needs another stud in there to replace Willy Will Gholston and the bust that is Logan Hall. I would love to see us come out of day two with 3 starters like we did last year.
April 14th, 2024 at 4:59 am
Hoping for “Thunder and Lightning.” Unsure if we can ever replicate Alstott and Dunn though. Two of the best!
April 14th, 2024 at 5:57 am
SenileSenior
Darius Robinson would be the best IMO
He rushes the passer as an OLB with ferocity as shown at the Senior Bowl
He projects inside and could easily add weight.
We should draft 2 trench guys in the 1st four rounds every year.
As soon as someone says but we just spent our 1st pick on DL in the last 2 years needs to realize Vea will be 30. Time flies.
Good teams that don’t have Mahomes have 1st rounders galore in the trenches.
That’s how you get a Walmart cart guy to be a pro bowl RB.
April 14th, 2024 at 6:19 am
Tvondre Sweat with a 3rd if he falls there duh….NT taken care of even more, imagine Big V and him at the same time….thats just stupid and not right lol…
April 14th, 2024 at 7:25 am
Alstott and Dunn were also referred to as the Hammer and the Sickle.
April 14th, 2024 at 7:31 am
I was thinking same MadMax
April 14th, 2024 at 7:46 am
Can’t help but wonder what our offense would be like if we had a punishing fullback with the size, agility, and quickness of Vea.
April 14th, 2024 at 7:58 am
Vita Vea is a freak athlete, probably has several years before he loses his elite status. I worry more about this health than his age. If he could trim down to 320ish, he would be able to play twice as much as the Bucs let him.
April 14th, 2024 at 7:59 am
Also WD/40
April 14th, 2024 at 8:25 am
Perfect example of VV being held, it goes uncalled multiple times every game!
April 14th, 2024 at 10:19 am
It’s hard to believe VV has been a Buc for so long…
April 14th, 2024 at 11:40 am
@Capt Ahab
Vita Vea is most certainly an all pro. He’s such a force that he gets double teamed sometimes tripled every week, that’s exactly what all pros have to deal with when there a freak athlete. A good component is a slap in his face dude, he’s literally the reason why no teams have been able to rush the ball on our defense for years, yes he’s had help with Suh for some years but Vea is a run stuffer. Go back and look how great he was Super Bowl year and reconsider his part on the defense.
April 14th, 2024 at 1:48 pm
I am taking a closer look at Darius Robinson. Thanks, Billybucco.