In the offseason, during an interview Go Long, a key to the Buccaneers defense, cornerback Carlton Davis III, issued a warning. “We’re going to wreck s***,” he said. “Like, wreck s***. Interceptions. Turnovers. Plays will be made. I will say. Plays. Will. Be. Made.”
On Sunday, Davis’ projection came true, as plays were made and stuff was wrecked. It was probably not quite how Davis expected, though, because it was Texans rookie C.J. Stroud who was making the plays and Davis’ reputation that was being wrecked.
Davis, who signed a three-year, $44.5 million contract last year, got the brunt of Stroud’s brilliance in the 39-37 Texans win over the Bucs on Sunday. He was targeted seven times in the game and allowed receptions all seven times, three for touchdowns.
While Stroud was brilliant, so was rookie wide receiver Tank Dell, who was covered by Davis much of the day. He had six catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
“Carlton Davis got roasted, toasted and burned to an absolute crisp today,” said Jay Recher of WDAE in Tampa.
Another WDAE host, Aaron Jacobson, put it succinctly: “Carlton Davis was horrendous,”
SB Nation’s Pewter Report wrote on Twitter (X), “Carlton Davis III gives up another huge pass. This time the game-winning TD. Terrible game from a guy who did an awful lot of talking before the season.”
Buccaneers Defense: ‘A Lot of Confusion’
Now, Carlton Davis deserves a chunk of responsibility for the Buccaneers’ failures against Stroud and the Texans, but not all of it. Stroud was picking the Tampa D apart all over the field, hammering 10 passes to tight end Dalton Schultz, who had 130 yards receiving and a touchdown.
And beyond Davis, the entire secondary deserves blame for the way Stroud took advantage of them, including leading a 40-second, game-winning touchdown drive to close out the Buccaneers loss. Carlton Davis did not give all of that up himself.
Bucs Hall of Famer Ronde Barber pulled no punches on what he saw, speaking on the “33rd Team” podcast with former MVP Rich Gannon.
“A lot of confusion,” Barber said when asked what he was seeing with the Buccaneers secondary. “I don’t want to say they’re not coached well but when you break down all those touchdowns, you’re going to look at a secondary that does not look coached well. The touchdown to Schultz, it’s quarters coverage, Carlton Davis has a safety sitting inside of him. The long 75-yard touchdown to Noah Brown, it’s quarters coverage. The safety has to cut the inside breaking route when No. 2 disappears, and there’s nobody there.”
‘Worst Secondary in Football’
What has been most disheartening about the current run the Buccaneers are on, with four straight losses, has been the disintegration of the defense, which has now allowed 400-plus yards to four straight opponents. And for the Buccaneers secondary, Carlton Davis has been moving in the wrong direction.
According to Pro Football Focus, Davis had an excellent grade of 76.9 for the Buccaneers’ Week 4 game against New Orleans. But in the last three weeks, his grades have gone steadily downward—66.2 in Week 6, 61.4 in Week 7, 51.7 in Week 8.
Week 9’s grade is not in, but it is not going to be pretty. And Barber says the whole defense should be embarrassed.
“To give up that many yards in a Todd Bowles defense, something he takes a lot of pride in, is embarrassing,” Barber said. “To me, this was an embarrassing watch from a guy that studies a lot of Bucs film. When I go back and watch it on film on Monday or Tuesday, whenever I can stomach this, it’s probably going to hit even harder. They look like the worst secondary in football.”
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Buccaneers’ $44 Million Veteran Ripped for Being ‘Roasted & Toasted’ by Rookie