Lavonte David says he isn’t interested in excuses. Just in execution.
David, usually a pro bowl-caliber type of linebacker, has struggled with missed tackles and dropped interceptions this season. He hasn’t made his normal impact on the Bucs’ defense.
How does he fix it?
“Holding myself accountable,” David said. “Knowing guys depend on me to make plays and make those plays. I have to be harder on myself. I’m already hard on myself. I have to be even harder on myself knowing that’s not the guy I am.”
Gerald McCoy said he recognizes what he and David mean to the defense.
“With us being two of the best players on the team, obviously we have to carry our own weight,” McCoy said. “If you get voted as a captain then not just your teammates, but the organization is counting on you to play at a certain level.”
It won’t be easy, McCoy said, with Dallas’ offensive line.
“The best. Yes, you can quote me on that,” McCoy said. “It’s the best offensive line in the league. They work so well together. Individually they are all talented, but what makes them so good is how tight-knit of a group they are. If one guy gets beat he’s never beat because there is always somebody helping him. That’s always a great thing for a running back or a quarterback – to have an offensive line of that caliber. For us this week there is definitely a sense of urgency.
“But you have to look at it as an opportunity and experience. I’m sure people who play in the NBA one day when they retire, whether you may be in the Hall of Fame or an All-Star, whatever it is, you’re going to say, ‘I played against Kobe Bryant. I played against LeBron James or whoever it may be.’ This is one of those offensive lines that comes across in a generation where you are like, ‘Man, I got to play against that group of guys.’ I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier stopped short of criticizing David.
“I don’t know if you can find a quote where I said he has to play better. I think Lavonte is doing some good things. What’s happening [is] we have another guy at the inside linebacker position who’s making some of those plays that we haven’t always had made at the mike linebacker position, at least not in my short time here. Some of those plays that Lavonte would have been asked to make in the past or has made in the past he hasn’t been making those plays, but for the most part, the plays that are designed for him to make, he’s making those plays.
There are some tackles he needs to make. We had the one dropped interception, but by and large he has not been a disappointment, he’s done some good things. We always would like to see more splash plays from all of our players and the standard that he and Gerald [McCoy] are held to a higher one than the other players, but I’m not disappointed in his play. I’m just really pleased with what we’re getting from our other ‘backers – in particular our Mike – that kind of takes some of those plays that he would ordinarily be making, he doesn’t have to make now.
Of course, Frazier’s approach doesn’t have an answer for missed tackles, however. For half a season, David hasn’t had the same impact.
