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Patience pays off as Bucs’ Lavonte David gets 2 picks, score
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The Tampa Tribune, published 23 November 2015
First, LB Lavonte David did some soul-searching. Then, he went back to work and did some film study. What he found in both cases was a player who was trying too hard to do too much, not allowing the game to come naturally to him. “Right now, I’m just being patient and trying to capitalize off that,” David said.
David is capitalizing, all right. After recording only his second sack of the season in a 10-6 win over the Cowboys on Nov. 15, David recorded his first two interceptions of the season Sunday against the Eagles.
The first came at the end of the first half and allowed the Bucs to thwart an Eagles rally. The second he returned 20 yards for a touchdown that capped the 45-17 victory.
“As I studied myself, I realized I just had to trust all my teammates and trust that they’re going to do what they’re supposed to do,” David said. “That’s basically been the difference. It was all just a matter of me trying to do too much, as usual.”
Defense settles in against up-tempo attack
The Bucs defense expected to be challenged by the Eagles’ up-tempo, no-huddle offense. But after a rough first series in which Philadelphia drove 86 yards for a touchdown, capped by Mark Sanchez’s 39-yard scoring pass to WR Josh Huff, Tampa Bay’s defense got the hang of it.
And, after Tampa Bay built a 35-14 lead in the third quarter, the defense did not allow another Philadelphia touchdown — in contrast to the 24-0 lead Tampa Bay blew earlier this season in a loss at Washington.
“We didn’t play well defensively that first series,” Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. “Our guys have come back from adversity throughout the year. We’ve figured out how to keep a 24-point lead, so we’re making progress with that also.”
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