White grabs spotlight on the field, not off this time
TAMPA — When he got into the game Sunday, Devin White — whose absence from last week’s win over the Packers led to a week of controversy — made sure everyone knew he was there.
The inside linebacker caused havoc with an interception and combined sack in the Bucs’ 30-12 Christmas Eve win over the Jaguars at Raymond James Stadium.
“I just want to help and be Devin White: go out there and make plays, get to the ball, find the ball,” said White, who returned after missing three games with a foot injury. “So I’m just excited that they held it down while I was out. But I’m even more excited to be back out there making those plays with them. And to celebrate when they make those plays.”
Early in the game, the Bucs were celebrating White.
He did not start, but he announced his return on the first defensive series. He snuck in front of Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington and intercepted Trevor Lawrence’s pass. He returned it 10 yards to the Tampa Bay 44, and the Bucs converted the possession into their first touchdown of the day.
“It’s just all credit to the defense. Everything happened right at the right time,” White said. “You know, Coach (Larry) Foote, we studied that formation and I kind of had a feeling it was coming. We did it from a split look, so, like I was blitzing, but I was able to disguise it and get in the coverage and just make a great play.”
White later combined with YaYa Diaby
on a sack, forcing a fumble that Diaby recovered at the Jacksonville 37.
“We knew we could come out here and be very aggressive,” White said.
“We’re playing good ball right now. So it was just trying to keep it up. I think
Coach (Todd) Bowles is putting us in an excellent position to be successful and, man, we really locked in. Because we know what’s at stake. We don’t want to just be a Cinderella team. We want to be a team that can make some noise (in the playoffs).”
White certainly made some noise this past week, even though he hadn’t played in the previous three games.
The 25-year-old, who began the year by demanding a trade because he didn’t get a contract extension, was the center of controversy in the days leading up to the game.
Despite being a full participant in practice the Friday before the Packers game, White was declared inactive 90 minutes before kickoff. The Tampa Bay Times and NFL Network both reported that White, who was in Green Bay with the team, told Bowles he “could not go” after he was informed K.J. Britt would start and he would rotate in. White and Bowles later denied that was the reason White sat out.
Bowles addressed the issue Monday and then said he was done with it. By Sunday, he was long over it.
“Me and Devin are very close,” Bowles said. “We talked about everything. His practices were normal. He looked ready to go, he was fresh in the practices running around. He made the plays in the game that he made in practice.”
White said none of talk surrounding his status for the Packers game was a distraction to him this week.
He said it was the first time he had felt 100% and did not require heavy taping, or a spatting, over his cleat to run around on the field.
“It was a great week for me,” White said with a smile. “I had great preparation all week. I went to work just like I always do. I felt good. I felt better. I didn’t play with no spat. I didn’t play with none of the extra stuff I’ve been playing with. I was able to go out there and just be myself with full confidence in myself in my body.
“And obviously, my team backed me up. There’s a lot of communication going on for me to play fast for those guys to play fast and, you know, you see what we do when we play fast and communicate.”