Row-boat celebration ‘propels’ Bucs’ defense

TAMPA — The Bucs defense finally had reason to celebrate last week against the Browns, and they didn’t waste the opportunity.

The defense’s row-boat celebration — in which players sat down lining up one behind the other and used imaginary paddles — was apparently the idea of linebacker Kwon Alexander and rookie cornerback M.J. Stewart, Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis said earlier this week.

Every member of the Bucs defense participated in the celebration after the unit stopped Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield on a fourth-and-goal play just inside the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter, one of two key fourthdown defensive stops the Bucs made against Cleveland.

Alexander wasn’t in on the celebration because he had left the game just before halftime with a season-ending knee injury.

“It was like, ‘Let’s all do it,’” said Davis, who was toward the back of the rowers. “Just kind of celebrate after big plays. It brings energy. It helps shift the momentum. That’s something we’re going to start doing a lot more of and continue to do because if it propels us forward, it helps us as a defense.” But why a row boat? “How I see it, it’s a boat and we’re rowing it, we’re the Bucs,” Davis said. “We’re Buccaneers, so at the end of the day it’s kind of clever, but it’s just something they made up and we thought it was cool. So we’re gonna go with it.”

Whether the celebration resurfaces this Sunday in Cincinnati remains to be seen, but count Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston among the fans of the row boat.

“I’m happy they’re having fun,” Winston said. “They did an amazing job this Sunday. Without them playing the game that they played, we probably don’t win that game. They need to keep having fun, and I’m excited that they are having fun playing with swag.”

Will the offense counter with a planned celebration of their own?

“I’ll tell you what, we get on this win streak and you’ll see some choreographed dancing,” Winston said.

Taylor steps up: He had only been with the Bucs a couple weeks in 2015, signed off the Carolina practice squad. One day, Taylor was playing linebacker on the scout team and tasked with giving a good simulation of the Panthers defense.

“We were playing Carolina, and everything I was telling him, ‘Hey do this, do this, do this,’ and he goes, ‘That’s not how Carolina is going to do it!’ “said Bucs coach Dirk Koetter, who was then the offensive coordinator. “I said, ‘Yeah, that’s how they’re going to do it!’”

“Now we need him to channel his inner Luke Kuechly.’’

It’s unfair to expect Taylor to play like Kuechly, the Panthers Pro Bowl middle linebacker. He already has big enough cleats to fill replacing the Bucs’ Kwon Alexander.

Considered the “heart and soul,” of the Bucs defense, Alexander suffered a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Sunday against Cleveland.

In his first season as the team’s starting strong side linebacker, Taylor will be thrust into the Alexander’s spot in Sunday’s game at Cincinnati.