The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened up the 2022 campaign on quite a dominant note against the Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers simply shut down the Dak Prescott-led Cowboys offense, allowing three points and a 3.8 yards per play average in the contest.
For Buccaneers linebacker Devin White, he sees that this performance from the defense can be just the start of what could end up being a historic season.
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, White was asked whether the current Buccaneers defense can go on to “eclipse” the 2002 team to be called the best defense in franchise history. Overall, White sees that the team has the personnel to accomplish this feat.
“We've got the people to do it,” White said. “All around the board, we've got a lot of playmakers like they had. We've just got to put it together – they already stamped [their place in history], so we've just got to go out there and try to do what they did, obviously. Most importantly, ups and downs do happen in a season. We've got to be able to play off anything that happens and respond.”
Tampa Bay’s defensive group in 2002 is regarded as one of the most well-rounded defenses in NFL history. The unit ended up finishing regular season play with a 12.3 points per game allowed average, which topped the league in the campaign. From the physicality that John Lynch brought to the secondary to the stout play from Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp in the front seven, not many offenses had much of an answer for the Buccaneers defense in the season.
White currently has a game-by-game focus at this early stage in the season, and for now, he is looking ahead to helping Tampa Bay pick up a victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 2.
“A win would just make us 2-0, I don't think it establishes [anything],” White said. “After this, there will be 15 more games left. Being consistent is the thing – being consistent from last week and obviously getting better. … We just want to be a better football club.”
The Buccaneers are aiming to take hold of sole possession of first place in the NFC South this week.
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