Did Taunting Enforcement Hurt The Bucs Defense?
February 10th, 2026
Joe is always chasing answers.
The Bucs defense has gotten progressively worse over the past two years.
Serious Bucs fans know the various issues. But should taunting enforcement be added to the list?
Consider what Lavonte David recently told the Why Is Draymond Green Talking About Football? podcast.
“The taunting thing for me, I played with Devin White,” David began. And we was some big talkers out there on the field. And when the taunting [rules enforcement] came about, and I remember he got flagged a couple of times, and it kind of like had us ease up a little bit. I feel like that’s just taking fun out of the game, man, trash taking and stuff like that. That’s a part of the game. It’s competition, just friendly competition.
“And we had a situation this year. We was playing Detroit and we were out there having fun, just trash talking and stuff like that, and the refs stepping in [and warning us]. I’m like, ‘C’mon man, just let us play the game. Let us be us.'”
Joe supposes it’s possible David and White couldn’t find the same level of on-field motivation if referees were telling them to shut up. David often talks about his mental state while playing, so perhaps them having to be quiet became a thing over time?
David referenced the Detroit game of the 2025 season. Those who actually watched the game know the Bucs defense did a lot of good things, including holding high-octane Detroit to a combined 4-of-15 conversion rate on third and fourth downs.
Joe feels confident saying the Bucs need a couple of new established starters on defense, guys who tackle like animals and can block out any noise.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:28 am
Use that energy to motivate your own defensive players. The Bucs need a Hardy Nickerson or a Ray Lewis leading on the field. We’ve got plenty of leaders on Offense, now go out and get a few for defense. They thought they had one in white, but turned out he was only worried about himself.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:29 am
Lol oh boy I can tell it’s the off-season with these articles you coming out with Joe.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:33 am
The whole thing of dancing after TD’s and “posing” for fake group pictures in the end zone after an interception is stupid and unoriginal. Great players like Jim Brown and Paul Warfield would just hand the ball to the nearest referee after a TD. Doing the Watusi or bugaloo doesn’t belong on football fields. Hard to believe that the NFL has allowed it to expand. There are enough commercial delays in football. It looks like these guys spend more time coreographing their dancing than they do practicing tackling.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:35 am
This team is mentally weak they lack heart
February 10th, 2026 at 10:56 am
I’m gonna say that the man who leads and designs the defense is the #1 factor and yet he still has a job
February 10th, 2026 at 10:57 am
We all know that our defense changed dramatically the moment we swapped Gerald McCoy for Suh. Mentally and physically. We desperately need a similar infusion again!
February 10th, 2026 at 11:00 am
Our #1 issue remains, still, again, our D line. Our draft and FA talk should start and stop there imo.
February 10th, 2026 at 11:24 am
This is an interesting article.
I played in a Bowl game against Simeon Rice fighting Illinois team.
I was talking so much trash “ where’s Ohio State, where’s Michigan 🤣🤣
The ref said “21 you say one more word you are out of this game” didn’t want to get kicked out the game Family & Friends. I didn’t stop playing with that same intensity.🤙🏾
February 10th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Sometimes the “rules” are kind of tough. As long as they’re applied evenly and fairly that shouldn’t be a problem. When the refs get a hard on for certain players or teams that’s another story. When you throw in the Vegas influence you’ve got WWF.
February 10th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Didnt stop seattle. I dont want to freaking hear it
February 10th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Talking does NOTHING. Your play is what shuts people up. The scoreboard shuts people up. Hitting talkers square in the mouth shuts people up and sends a message. I’m not against celebrating but a lot of this is plain un-sportsman like. Everybody saw the play you made. And stop with the 1st down signal, that idiot TE for Seattle can’t stand up with out genuflecting. I remember the great Alan Page, who should have been in the top ten of the top 30 greatest NFL players that was posted earlier, got peeved at a ref in the game cause the offensive line was blatantly holding him and wasn’t getting called and the ref basically told him too bad. It may have even had some racial overtones, but Page said to the ref, ok, alright, and proceeded to absolutely take over and WRECK that offense practically one man. Celebrate the sack and TD but like someone else said, this isn’t a recidal, and now the young ones are doing what they see the pros do, SMDH.
February 10th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
answers?…or excuses?…lol…
GO BUCS!!!
February 10th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Wow. Not allowing us to trash talk caused losses. Love u 54 but your inability to cover because you have lost a step probably had more to do with it. Legend? Yes. But seriously quit with the he excuses.
February 10th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
God this team is a bunch of beta males. How pathetic.
February 10th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
Yes, taunting enforcement, and also the phase of the moon when Mars goes into retrograde were major factors in everyone else but Todd failing in 2025.
February 10th, 2026 at 1:22 pm
The stupidest penalty in the NFL is taunting… I don’t get it other than how it may be influential to a younger audience and/or youth sports. If the concern is taunting escalating into fighting, then I say fine and suspend. So what if I guy chooses to say something or motion something in front of another player, as long as it doesn’t get physical and they don’t put their hands on each other in retaliation, then just let it go. Stupid stupid penalty to enforce.
February 10th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
This past season is the worst job I have ever seen the refs do. It started out fair…but after just a few games, they completely started blowing calls.
February 10th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
I think the taunts rule is stupid…but they were flagged on a lot of other stupid things too.
February 10th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
Lack of top notch talent hurt the Bucs defense more than anything else.
813bucboi Says:
February 10th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
answers?…or excuses?…lol…
Same thing bro – just depends on which side of the argument you’re taking.
When you’re defending it’s a reason, when you’re trying to be a critic it’s an excuse.
Absolutely no difference other than which point you’re trying to prove ✌🏼
February 10th, 2026 at 2:10 pm
@Zoocomics, yeah because standing over a player making a throat slash gesture or shooting him with a make believe gun is healthy for youth TV. You win. Stupidest comment of the new year . Look at the bright side though, you have 10 months left to make a dumber one.
February 10th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
Oh no JOE you said the defense did good. Here come all the haters to try and corrected you and tell you should be fired for saying such a thing. lol. I’m just playing well kinds. Even at times this year the defense showed up and showed out 2nd half of the eagles game they held them to negative yards. That one was the most impressive. The defense since the SB has gotten softer each year. I agree Joe. Jason has got to beef up the trenches on the dline and get some depth on the oline. Basically need like 5 LBs ILB and OLB 2 of each.
February 10th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Bigboibuc well said
February 10th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
‘Joe feels confident saying the Bucs need a couple of new established starters on defense, guys who tackle like animals and can block out any noise.’
OK you’ve got me intrigued Joe with ‘a couple of NEW, ESTABLISHED starters on defense’. But you need to unwrap that a bit.
Are you talking about veterans who are 30-Plus years old? I hope not; age does take its toll. Maybe a couple of free agents in the 25-26 year-old category who played out their rookie contract in 2025? Yup, like that, but for what positions?
I’d love to see us sign a quality starting ILB free agent with great leadership skills, and then draft 2 more ILBs this year.
Would also love to see us sign a beastly veteran NT/DT to pair with Vita Vea (and eventually replace him), plus draft another beastly DT/DE (noticed in this morning news that the latest NFL.com mock draft had Bucs taking a NT/DT with our #15 pick … won’t happen with JL as our GM).
And oh ya, for us to sign a quality FA corner because I don’t believe that either McCollum or Morrison are ‘The Answer’. And maybe in addition see if Jamel Dean wants to re-sign for around $10 mil (his Market Value is only $12.5 mil).
Signing a free agent veteran OLB wouldn’t hurt my feelings either. New England’s K’Lavon Chaisson is a UFA OLB (6’3″ & 255 lbs who’s only 26 & got 7.5 sacks for Pats this past year and 5 sacks for the Raiders year before that). Looks like his Market Value is $9.0 mil.
February 10th, 2026 at 5:11 pm
Nah, the players and bowles hur their Defense. They lost 3 divisional games in a row guys. And for a lot of us, it is 3rd and 28..We still cannot get off the field to save out lives.
February 10th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
What a freaking joke.im surprise you would even print this crap.
February 10th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Riiiiiiiight.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:29 pm
Lmao at this bring an excuse.
Sober up, Joe.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:35 pm
Love LVD but if not being able to talk trash affected the play of ANY player, that is pathetic.
February 10th, 2026 at 10:35 pm
lol at this article..
February 11th, 2026 at 12:05 am
It’s a good thing Todd Bowles teaches his players to be mentally tough, to go along with stellar assignment discipline and excellent wrap-up tackling. We Bucs fans are so lucky the Glazers realized it was everyone else’s fault but Todd’s and the defense.
February 11th, 2026 at 2:53 am
Not sure I’m buying that one. Never seen or heard LVD run his mouth at an opponent. Diva would and so would some others for sure but… It drives me nuts when I see it on a play that is average at best. Act like you have been there before gentlemen! Fun is trucking an opposing player ten yards down the field. Not standing over him and running your mouth.
The only time I talked to an opposing player was to get in their head a little bit or to let them know about a cheap shot.
Go Bucs!
February 11th, 2026 at 5:32 am
It’s become obvious over the years. LVD is a heck of a player. A leader? Not so much