Maybe It’s Time To Give SirVocea Dennis A Lighter Plate
September 9th, 2025
Plate too full?
SirVocea Dennis hadn’t played in a full game of real football in nearly a full year, September 2024. So it stands to reason a hiccup or two was coming.
There was more. Bad hiccups. Bad enough that at one time on Sunday, Bucs coach Todd Bowles pulled him off the field and chewed on him a little.
Shortly thereafter, Dennis returned and he made some plays.
It was bad enough that team-first guy Lavonte David had some choice words for Dennis. David would never say those things if he didn’t think they needed to be said.
Yesterday in his day-after presser, Bowles was asked about Dennis’ roller coaster day.
“I mean, it’s the first game out,” Bowles said of Dennis’ long layoff. “He’s got a lot on his plate. He does a lot of things for us. We expect him to carry those out.
“Obviously, he got a little anxious on those, but he’ll calm down the next couple weeks.”
Well, we all know the Bucs are short-handed, especially on offense. So the Bucs need all healthy parties to be playing top-shelf football.
So if Dennis played erratically because he had a full plate, then how about taking some things off his plate so he doesn’t choke himself?
One responsibility Dennis has this season is that he’s wearing the green dot. That means he’s getting play-calls from Bowles and then has to relay the commands to the defense.
David has handled this task in the past. Why not let David take over play-calls? It never slowed him down before.
Help Dennis out — if you still believe in him. Let him carry a lighter plate. Once he demonstrates he can handle a steak with two sides, then you can add another baked potato and perhaps a slice of red velvet cake.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:10 am
Robinson took advantage of him. SVD can’t cover the middle. Fine against the run but really struggles against the pass. The guy is a 5th round pick and due to his injury history and lack of playing time, not too much more than a rookie. Jury is still out but the Bucs can’t afford to let him have another game like the one against the Falcons. Too much hype versus the reality at this point.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Dennis is not the first inside linebacker to get green dot. I believe Kwan and the galloping horseman also had it. Maybe he thinks they will learn from it.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:21 am
He will be fine, he learned a GREAT lesson about playing your responsibility before chasing the play .
September 9th, 2025 at 7:22 am
David hates the green dot. He prefers to spend the moments before the snap analyzing the 11 men opposite him.
KJ was too slow to cover Robinson, I don’t THINK SV has the shortcoming, just needs to fix some things in his head
September 9th, 2025 at 7:31 am
He was good in coverage before the injury and our defense was solid before we lost him. He’ll be fine, just give him 3-4 games.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:34 am
SVD needs a few more meals at the kids table. He earned the criticism.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Game 1. Give it some time. He’s got a great mentor in LVD. He’s got great coaching. If he’s everything Bowles and Licht expect him to be, he’ll be fine. Just needs a little more experience under his belt. However, no doubt we’ll be taking a ILB high in next year’s draft.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:36 am
One game doesn’t make a season. If he stays healthy, he will learn and grow. Besides, anyone else you throw in there is going to be equally as bad.
September 9th, 2025 at 7:53 am
Take stuff off the plate?! What does that even mean?? This isnt a buffet Joe
September 9th, 2025 at 7:54 am
To echo what’s been said here, I think he’ll be fine with time. We just need to survive the learning curve. Stole one on Sunday. Should get better from here.
September 9th, 2025 at 8:00 am
Red velvet cake is for kids. When you learn to appreciate a good carrot cake, then you are a man, my son.
September 9th, 2025 at 8:20 am
The problem with giving him a lighter plate is that we really cannot give him a lighter plate. Think of it this way Joe, why else would Dennis have the green dot other than the fact that LVD is most likely going to retire this year, or at least he told them he would. It is better he takes on that responsibility this year now than next year with no LVD to help him. Plus, I think this is a good trial by fire to get him ready for our Superbowl run
September 9th, 2025 at 8:28 am
What about Bullock? give him a few reps, he looks molded after Bosa with a bit of John Lynch. Reminds me of Landman from the Rams
September 9th, 2025 at 8:33 am
That’s ridiculous to say after 1 game. No scratch that it’s ridiculous to say after 3 years. He didn’t have a problem last year and he’ll be fine this year like he was in the second half of this game
September 9th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Trying to squeeze out a Pro Bowler with a 5th round pick….rare
September 9th, 2025 at 8:38 am
It was his first game in 2 years
September 9th, 2025 at 8:44 am
Not concerned… Game 1. If we are still having this conversation in week 3 after facing the high-powered J-E-T-S, then there may be an issue
September 9th, 2025 at 8:45 am
Sounds like some are already making excuses for SVD assuming the starting MLB role. He can’t cover? That’s what launched KJ Britt. Having the green dot puts too much on his plate? Mifght be wrong here, but historically MLB is where the green dot goes in almost all cases because, oh ya, he’s in the middle of everything.
I’m admittedly not a huge SVD fan (middle of the defense is kinda important, and especially in a passing league since QBs nowadays seem to thrive on short passes). We’ve got to do a better job defensing those.
September 9th, 2025 at 8:49 am
He was trying to make a play and left his responsibility. He has the speed to cover most backs. He will be fine. If its not chocolate, its not cake!!
September 9th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Who had the green dot when SVD got yanked and reprimanded by Bowles for those few plays?
September 9th, 2025 at 8:54 am
Another head scratcher from this coaching staff! They make some really bizarre decisions. I guess the good news is that the players seem to have bought into those decisions??
September 9th, 2025 at 9:21 am
he’ll improve next game…
GO BUCS!!!!
September 9th, 2025 at 9:40 am
Thats what happens when this site and all the people on it ride the hype train
September 9th, 2025 at 9:55 am
Bob in Valrico
That’s frightening.
September 9th, 2025 at 10:22 am
It actually is.
September 9th, 2025 at 10:25 am
Watching Voss last year, I thought he was only adequate with the one splash play against Detroit. Britt and Russel were terrible and made Voss look good by comparison. This offseason, Bowels was hyping Voss so much that I started buying it. I hope Voss recovers this week, if he doesn’t then take away the dot. You can bet that HOU will attack him.
September 9th, 2025 at 10:33 am
Not one LB in the game can cover Robinson 1on1. It was foolish to allow it.
Allowing him to get the catch and post a big gainer is not the problem, it’s the horrendous angle he took instead of using the sideline to box him in and buy time while waiting for help. If he would have done that it would have prevented the score, temporarily at least.
I bet he can improve on that with more game snaps.
September 9th, 2025 at 10:35 am
There are probably less than 3 NFL linebackers that can cover Robinson 1v1 out in space- that’s a tall ask from the coaching staff for a player playing his first live snaps in almost a year, right?
Yeah he made too many mistakes but it’s only September, he’ll get better, and hopefully the coaches won’t ask him to do that against saquon in a few weeks because I’m not excited by that at all… More support is needed against top tier RBs, that seems pretty obvious
September 9th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Ahh, yes, Joe, you are right. If they are thinking too much, give them less to think about. But that’s not the Todd way.
Instead Voss will just start dropping deeper off the line to take better angles on the back to limit him to a 30 yard gain instead of a 55 yard touchdown. That was Vomitous.
September 9th, 2025 at 10:54 am
My only issue with Dennis is what I perceive to be mental lapses, like that play where Robinson released to the flat and Dennis came blitzing only to realize HIS responsibility (a LB always covers backs out of the backfield) had just snuck by him.
If he mentally KNEW his assignment, he would have pulled up his blitz MUCH sooner to cover the back. It’s like he said, “SACK! Oh crap I went too far, the RB didn’t chip me and released.”
I really don’t blame Dennis much for the Robinson TD on the 3rd play of the game – Dennis was in an impossible position and even though he took a bad angle, that play was brilliant in design by the Falcons.
I just don’t get the sense Dennis knew what his assignments were, or if he did, his mentally processing was exceptionally slow – – not a good sign.
Hopefully, this was a one-time mental-error game and Dennis will correct some things going forward. If he doesn’t, it’s either going to be another defensive repeat of last year, or another LB gets the nod.
September 9th, 2025 at 10:56 am
He wasn’t great, but it was just first game with the green dot, asking him to cover one of the best playmakers in the game, and he bounced back in the second half. Let’s give him a few games before we run him off the field.
September 9th, 2025 at 11:03 am
Give him two keys, QB, and running back. Now days you almost have to spy every QB. They can all move enough to hurt you. Running back out of the back field should be his first priorty, second, keep an eye on the QB. That should be simple enough? I’m waiting for Bullock to get his chance. Be it at the college level, for the last two years Bullock lead a defense as MLB. Many more snaps than Dennis. Bucs should’ve had an open competition. Dennis was handed this job. Get better, or move over.
September 9th, 2025 at 11:13 am
LVD will be all over SVD this week like stink on sh1t. It’s obvious that he believes in him, and even the biggest dumbo on here respects LVD. Lavonte does not criticize fellow players in public. Retirement is soon for him. I like SVD, too. LVD has had his stinkers (hard to believe) in the past. He gets the learning curve. Time will tell. I’m more worried about the zebs cos this one will be in TX. Bucs have to bring their A game.
September 9th, 2025 at 11:17 am
@Hodad, I agree.
From what I’ve seen so far, Bullock is a DAWG. Just a football player, a linebacker. I played LB many years ago so I sense the mindset and approach.
Dennis has a lot of skill and technique and speed – but Bullock just knows to blast people and make them question coming over the middle of his area.
Going forward, I’d really like to see the Bucs start giving Bullock some reps. For now, more in the run-stuff plays, and then see if he can actually cover NFL TE’s and backs. We’ll see, but I think Dennis is too finesse whereas Bullock just hits people and is a football player.
Nice situation for the Bucs to have – if Dennis can’t get it done over 4-6 games, they have a backup who seems to have a nose for the ball.
I’ll be watching LB for the next several weeks – one of the truly weakspots on this team (outside of David of course – he is the ultimate NFL linebacker IMO).
September 9th, 2025 at 11:17 am
It was ONE game, the first, and full of sloppy play on BOTH sides of the ball from BOTH teams!
No need to make absolute pronouncements or throw the baby out with the bath water.
SVD/Baker/DL/Lb’s all had poor to mediocre games. Winfield was back in form!
The two DB’s are both great cover backs but they simply cannot catch a football so don’t look to them for help in the turnover dept. I think with Winfield back and the fact they cover so well the Bucs can cover up that weakness.
Many guys are not happy with their performances and that’s just fine. It’ll make them hungrier in Texas.
September 9th, 2025 at 11:33 am
LVD will be watching SVD very closely this week. Lavonte obviously thinks highly of him. He does NOT dress down a teammate in public, period. Retirement is definitely in his future. I like SVD, too, and this is one game. Let’s see what time will tell us. LVD has had his stinker games (rare, but true), too. I’m more worried about the refs. This game will be in TX, and Houston is coming off a loss. Bucs will have to bring their A game, and be ready to outwit both.
September 9th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
10 tackles 2tfl lead teamone batted ball 2 misques. VOS was better than solid.
September 9th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
I don’t think SVD is more than a backup we should be putting deion Jones out there by week 5. If we’re aiming 4 a super bowl best players need 2 be on the field.
September 9th, 2025 at 6:00 pm
I remember the game he had last year against the Lions and he made some really good plays. Even on Sunday the mistakes he made were going full speed and not being lazy. It’s way too early to tell if he can play consistently well but he has the tools to be a pretty good linebacker.