Channeling Lavonte David Sparked Strong Bucs Defense
August 24th, 2026
Would have been proud.
Somewhere, former Bucs great Lavonte David was smiling.
David is gone, of course. Saturday night was the first time the Bucs appeared in The Licht House without David since 2011. lt felt weird.
But anyone who watched/listened to David talk football in any of his long interviews or sitdowns on podcasts, David loved to talk about “mindset.” It seemed like his favorite word.
Well, to hear Zyon McCollum after the game discuss how the Bucs’ starting defense played strong against the vaunted Justin Fields and the Chiefs, it was as if David was on the sidelines coaching them.
“We put pressure on ourselves going into the game, whether it’s a preseason game or the Super Bowl, we want everything to be the same, so having that intensity and being able to go out and execute is a good feeling,” McCollum said.
You know, mindset.
The starting defense was only on the field for two series but pitched a three-and-out on both possessions.
“It makes us know that we are in the right spot going into Jacksonville.”
Well, Jacksonville’s offense (and the Jets’, for that matter) is a step or two above the Jets and the Pat Mahomes-less Chiefs. So it will be interesting if the Bucs’ starting defense, if they play Friday, can match that level of intensity.
In other words, mindset.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:48 pm
Starting units on both sides of the ball need to play in the next game.
Ain’t going to happen but they need to work together during real game time
August 24th, 2026 at 2:53 pm
D-fense!!! looks good, rest everyone for Jax. Go Bucs!
August 24th, 2026 at 2:54 pm
I’d be shocked if any starters play – teams have been using the third preseason game like they used to use the fourth preseason game.
However I’d love to see Baker get out there and have Zac actually gameplan out a series — because what we saw on Saturday was pretty putrid. But I assume the turtle will go into his shell and have Browning start the game, then might even have Ballzsack finish it out in order to try to hide Daniels.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
Please don’t let any staters practice in jville lo
August 24th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
Screw conventional strategy
IMO it’s extremely important for the starting units on both sides of the ball get REAL live game speed and contact before the first game.
There is no substitute !
It’s great for the teams to have nearly two weeks in between the last preseason game and the first game of the regular season
August 24th, 2026 at 3:12 pm
IMO the starters won’t play again until week one of the season. Nowadays many teams use the joint practices as a substitute for preseason games. That’s where we might get a glimpse of what this team is capable of. Won’t be long now…19 more days!! That’s when the cards start being dealt
August 24th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Roster cuts are less than a week away, it’d be wise to get a long look at fringe talent opposed to exposing your starting talent to unnecessary contact. Also, gives guys like Egbuka, Morrison & Wirfs time to heal up as much as possible in order to be ready for week 1.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
SB~LV 🏈 Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
Screw conventional strategy
IMO it’s extremely important for the starting units on both sides of the ball get REAL live game speed and contact before the first game.
There is no substitute !
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I agree – and the stats on injuries back this up. The most clear case of this was 2020, when the plague was going on and they had no games at all, during the first 7 weeks of the season, they had a record number of injuries. Asking players to go from 0 to 100, with no warm-up period, leads to many more injuries – in particular stuff like hamstrings and other soft tissue injuries. With teams not being allowed to even practice that much, to also rob them of game snaps is just dumb, and no one did it until just a few years ago. In that time have injuries fallen at all? The answer is no, they haven’t, in fact they’ve been going up.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:39 pm
Rodney, the first series was what it was because of the tackle situation. At first I wondered the same thing, why all these stupid screens. But then when you saw the dual turnstiles it made sense. In that case though, I wondered why they put him out there at all.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:42 pm
Sit the starters. Theses dude have been playing football their whole lives. Let only back up’s play and flesh out the depth chart. Start the season healthy.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Jacksonville is going to be a pissing match between Bowles Vs Coen. Should be entertaining to see which phase has the most impact.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:54 pm
Rod. You’re not thinking straight. Get with it, man, the season is here. “Might have Balszac finish it out in order to try to hide Daniels”.
So an udfa is going to play his first 2 games, come in trailing both games, lead 5 scoring drives, no turnovers, and win them both? And you think every personnel man in the NFL doesn’t already know the scoop on him?
This young QB coach needs to be his roommate and get him ready for opening day. Besides staying healthy, our priority had to be a solid backup quarterback.
See how Browning steps up against Daniels this week, but Daniels has to be on the roster. If he turns out to be a good one, and we let him go, the front office would have a bunch of questions to answer- a whole bunch.
August 24th, 2026 at 4:06 pm
Steven007 Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 3:39 pm
Rodney, the first series was what it was because of the tackle situation. At first I wondered the same thing, why all these stupid screens. But then when you saw the dual turnstiles it made sense. In that case though, I wondered why they put him out there at all.
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Well the Bucs came out and ran the ball 4 times in a row to start, and were moving it. But I’m not too worried about what we saw since it was cluster – and hard to take much from it. That’s why I’m saying I’d like to see Zac actually act as if this was a real game, script out and opening, and let Baker have a chance to move the ball and get some snaps. I don’t care if it’s vs the Jags 1st or 2nd or even 3rd team, just go out there and look good, leave the fans feeling good heading into the season.
But I’m sure the turtle Bowles will just go into his shell, because he’s always more worried about what can go wrong vs what can go right.
August 24th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
Kenton Smith – I think it’s CBS has a rookie QB report from the preseason, and there’s a bunch of rookies who have had preformed well, and put up much bigger numbers. Yes, I do think, in fact, that the team is trying to hide Daniels – which is why they didn’t play him vs the Jets starters, and threw Ballzsack out there instead. If Daniels went out, and did well, vs the Jets starters, he absolutely would be on everyone’s radar, but just racking up some nice performances vs 3rd and 4th teamers – teams aren’t going to spend a roster spot on an UDFA in that situation – it’ very doubtful, anyways.
With that said, I’d keep Daniels as the #2, and cut Browning, since I’m pretty certain no one would sign Browning – then you could put him on the PS, so he’d still be available if needed, while removing any risk that someone did pick up Daniels.
August 24th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
I actually agree with Munch the Oracle on this one. Put Browning on practice squad or better yet, cut him and get a better QB at the final cutdowns and put all 3 on the roster.
Browning = Ballsack = JTS type CB = Bus Driver
August 24th, 2026 at 5:20 pm
I just hope he is a little less heavy handed with the “exotic” blitzes
August 24th, 2026 at 6:11 pm
Zyon McCollum preaching mindset rings hollow.
Guess he wasn’t bored for the 9 plays on Saturday.
August 24th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
Channeling Lavonte David in his prime yes! Just like Derrick Brooks he played at least one year too many. The Bucs still paid both of them even though their skills had diminished to the point of quitting. Even Evans was paid for last year even though the odds of him being hurt were great. Godwin was also rewarded for his years of service. This team isn’t cheap, but there is a half dozen or more contracts coming up that need to be addressed.
August 24th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Ash Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 5:20 pm
I just hope he is a little less heavy handed with the “exotic” blitzes
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Yeah, the road to success is paved with super soft passive zone defense. Good call.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:07 pm
sit the starters!!! were almost to the regular season with no major injuries yet c’mon bucs! these guys don’t need practice as much as they need to be healthy and rested and ready for the stinking bengals number one receiver room !!! btw who would you rather have? baker or burrow?
August 24th, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Would love to are Lavonte David come back and suit up in pewter & red one last season. It’s not too late for him.
Additionally, we need a backup up at safety right?? I read Jordan Whitehead is back and healthy again. Maybe Jason brings Jordan and Lavonte back??
August 24th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
Joey Porter is up for grabs it makes no sense that Licht wouldn’t make a trade for him
August 24th, 2026 at 7:36 pm
I think fans wanting the starters to play this week are just being selfish. And want them to play just so the game is more entertaining. You act like Cincinnati is going to start there players this week news flash there not playing there starters like everyone else in the league. Bengals didn’t play there starters last week either. So they will be in the same boat as us ironing out the wrinkles during the game. Just like us. Would I love to see the starters for my own selfish pleasure hell yeah. Would I rather be smart about it and have everyone as healthy as possible week 1.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:39 pm
Domingo it makes a lot of cents about 35 million a year to trade for him plus the first or 2nd round pick it would take to get porter. Never happening. We would have to kiss mauch, diaby and a couple more veterans good bye next year just to afford him and be down a starter we would draft with the pick given up to get him. Not even a chance if they only wanted a 4th for him. He is holding out because he wants to be the highest paid at his position.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:46 pm
Channeling LVD???? Eye roll please……..a loafing LVD and bored Zyon is the EXACT reason we needed the new triplets of Bain, Trotter, and Scott. Hoping Diaby can be salvaged from the suck with Nacho, A’Shawn, and Bain showing that aggressiveness can be a desired attribute for gentlemen that fit within the Bucs definition of whatever ‘I Am That Man’ means in 2026.
Still waiting on that T-shirt, but hoping that organizational change is a +++++
August 24th, 2026 at 9:45 pm
It needs to be said. We read about the Bucs from the best fan website in all of sports, JoeBucsFan.com
This is the best deal going. Get fired up!
GO BUCS!
August 24th, 2026 at 10:10 pm
Jmarkbuc Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 6:11 pm
Zyon McCollum preaching mindset rings hollow.
Guess he wasn’t bored for the 9 plays on Saturday.
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The way some of you guys take a single nothing comment from a press conference, highlighted by the Joe’s, and turn it in to troll diss shade “slogan” is ridiculous.
Damn near cult like
August 24th, 2026 at 11:37 pm
Starting defense looked good. Offense did not, but they didn’t really do anything but handed off a handful of times and Bucky looked pretty damn good.
The standouts in that game were almost all of the OLB/edge rushers, Garnes at CB (he has definitely made the team), and Jalen Daniels. He should absolutely be the backup. Wish Jake Browning well, but he’s garbage. Horrible signing.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:43 pm
DOMINGO
How exactly? Give up draft picks for one year and then what? The dude wants 30 to 35 million per year. He’d be a great addition, but the Bucs are looking good with Zyon, Parrish, & Scott at the nickel. I understand depth is a major concern but the rookie Garnes looks good & hopefully Morrison can get healthy.
I’d love to add someone like Porter, but I can’t imagine they can afford him.
Besides, number one priority right now is signing Baker to a four year deal
August 24th, 2026 at 11:49 pm
For those saying, the starters should rest to get healthy… If you’re banged up, yes but otherwise, I absolutely despise how little they practice, how little they hit in the off-season, and how teams don’t play their starters for an entire half like they used to. They go into opening day and watch five guys pull up with injuries because they haven’t been practicing, hitting, or playing at full speed for extended periods of time in preseason games. Can’t stand it.
Joe always screams how worthless the preseason games are. I think it’s horrible that they don’t have 4 anymore. The season should have stayed at 16 games, the first week and the fourth week of preseason are all about roster moves. The first half of week two and three in the preseason should be for the starters and backups to get a lot of reps before being thrown to the wolves in week one.
I would much rather have that than this elimination of practice, and hitting, and preseason games in the off-season, while they expand the regular season to 18 games. Basically half the teams are going to have major stars missing for crucial games, your backup QBs are going to be playing more and more…
Tackling is already bad enough it’s going to get worse.
The product is getting worse due to all this, not to mention the number of college kids who come out early and are thrown in starting roles, especially at QB, when they have no business starting their first year