“Don’t Put That On Tape Anymore”
September 15th, 2025
Linebacker SirVocea Dennis gets juked by Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts for a first down last week.
It’s game on the line, fourth down in the red zone with chance to drill the opposing quarterback who is now a runner in the open field.
Bucs starting inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis saw just that scenario in his first NFL start last week. But Dennis seemed to do everything he could not to hit the quarterback, Falcons QB Michael Penix. (video below)
It was flabbergasting. Joe even Tweeted about it in the moment. Also in disbelief was Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber.
On the WFLA show that bears his name, Barber unloaded on Dennis for his Week 1 showing.
“The worst performance of the day was Sirvocea Dennis,” Barber said.
“That first touchdown to Bijan Robinson, he was nowhere near him. Kyle Pitts had a good day against him. Now he was ok against the run; he played well against the run. But this guy is on the team and he’s a starter on this unit now because of his his ability to play in space. And that’s what they’re looking for, and that did not show up [last week]. And he’s got a long way to go to get some redemption in my mind.”
Barber went on to reference the fourth-quarter play Joe noted above.
“When I watched the film this really was irking me,” Barber said. “This guy [Dennis] decided to dive over the quarterback. … like he wasn’t trying to hit him.”
Barber said on fourth down to win a game you can’t make a play like that.
“Just run through the guy. If it’s a penalty, it’s a penalty,” Barber ranted, noting even a personal foul by Dennis there would have netted Atlanta only one yard at most.
“[Atlanta is ] first down at the 1 where he ended up. But it you hit him, if he just runs through the runner, the game’s over right then. …Tape doesn’t lie. Tape does not lie, and I would tell this to SirVocea, ‘Don’t put that on tape anymore. That was not good, dude.'”
Maybe 25-year-old Dennis was nervous in his first start, and wearing the green dot communciation helmet. Joe can’t be sure. But Barber is right. It’s always troubling when a linebacker’s instinct isn’t to drill a ball carrier in a do-or-die situation.
Dennis can soothe a lot of Bucs fans with a good showing tonight.
PENIX stretches and gets the first down! What a play
pic.twitter.com/n9GuDa5c1Y— Onyx (@OnyxOdds) September 7, 2025
That’s going to be first down Atlanta.
SirVocea Dennis went high on Penix and he went low for the first down. Crushing.— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) September 7, 2025
September 15th, 2025 at 1:51 pm
Oh boyee!
September 15th, 2025 at 1:53 pm
Horrible play referenced in the video. Voss looked like he intentionally tried not to hit Penix. He waived his hands up and everything like ‘I didn’t try to hit him, refs’.
If he met Penix head on, he could’ve made a game-saving play there.
Terrible instincts on that play.
September 15th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
And hey, what’s up Buc1987?
I’m guessing that signed Gruden photo I got you a few years ago is standing the test of time better than that Winston jersey? Am I right?
September 15th, 2025 at 1:57 pm
I wish that reply showed how long it took SVD to react to a scrambling Penix. He had his back to the play for way too long before that. Agree with Ronde, his play was alarming in Atlanta. I hope he redeems himself tonight.
September 15th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Watching the clip on my phone so it’s hard to see but it kinda looks like SVD thought Penix was out of bounds.
Not defending him in any way it just looks like he didn’t want to touch him at all.
I’ll look at again when I get home from work.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
Great chance for SVD to silence his critics tonight. Dudes been watching other people play football for over a year. Live, in season NFL ball is a different animal….. Said it before and I’ll say it again – he’ll be alright, just needs a few games to re-adjust to real football.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
It’s clear SVD didn’t want to get a penalty because Penix is a QB. Can anyone really blame him? With the way they’re treating QBs now a days its best to be cautious.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
I was so busy trying to understand the weird ruling and play, I completely missed this live watching the game. But yes, actually SVD could have knocked him out and ended the game right there holding ATL to 13!! Even just a light shove is enough to get him out/down before the mark. Dude was not playing with his head screwed on right for sure.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
I seem to recall a Bucs DL we had who had the same mind set. Went by the name of Geraldini?
September 15th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
2nite will be a good tell for the season….will Bowles keep it close?? Ot too close.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:06 pm
Agree on he was probably trying to avoid the flag – but like that’s also playing not-to-lose. Like Ronde said it’s 4th down and if its a flag, its a flag. And you get the added benefit of maybe roughing the qb up a little and getting more in his head.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:06 pm
We got the players….it is now on COACHING. and game planning.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
I still don’t understand if he was untouched why that wasn’t a fumble.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:15 pm
No secret the Bucs need to draft a MLB next year. I’m guessing they draft 2.
Doubt he falls to us but Anthony Hill Jr, Texas is our guy.
He’s a beast and he checks all of Licht’s boxes.
September 15th, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Looks like one of those plays when you’re trying to avoid hitting your own player. And that’s NOT what you want to do in that situation. LOL
I’ll give him a few chances to get in to game playing mode. He can’t have many more of these. He needs to look more like David and less like White (circa 2023).
September 15th, 2025 at 3:49 pm
they had two roughing penalties on that same drive against then he was trying not to give them a free first down but yeah it looked bad… he still looks better than Britt in coverage
September 15th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
Ronde can flap his HOF jaws all he wants. That video shows if SVD had slid over a little more to his left, he would have nailed Penix. He was also in the vicinity of hitting the QB in the facemask. Guess what Ronde? You forget how the Bucs D got handled by the zebs on that one? H3ll, they would invent a penalty on the Bucs if the play was effective, and stopped the opposing QB. Even if the faskmask wasn’t touched! Falcons would have scored. A HOF DB knows this just like I do so call it!