The Bucs beat the Panthers 21-18 on Sunday evening, getting to 5-7 and setting up a pivotal matchup against the Falcons next week with the NFC South lead on the line. It wasn’t an easy day for Tampa Bay, but the team got the job done thanks in large part to usual heroes like Mike Evans (seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (one sack, one interception).
However, the Bucs also had two unlikely heroes in their win over Carolina at Raymond James Stadium: inside linebacker J.J. Russell and safety Ryan Neal. Tampa Bay’s defense began the day with Russell and K.J. Britt as its only two healthy linebackers. Lavonte David (groin) and Devin White (foot) missed the game due to injuries, while rookie SirVocea Dennis was also held out due to an illness.
Making it through a game with only two healthy inside linebackers was always going to be a challenge, and things got even more difficult when Britt left the game with a back injury.
That left the Bucs in a tough spot, as Todd Bowles had to roll exclusively with a dime package due to only having one inside linebacker. That was Russell, of course, but Neal — a safety — had to essentially play the role of an inside linebacker for three full quarters.
“Oh it was due to injury, I didn’t have any more linebackers,” Bowles said after the game. “[Neal] was the next man up – it would’ve been a corner right after that playing linebacker. So we tried to cover him up some and give him some things that he knew, that he was familiar with and knew how to play and we went with it.”
J.J. Russell, Ryan Neal Both Took On Big Roles In Bucs’ Win
A lot was asked of both J.J. Russell and Ryan Neal, and both did an admirable job in a must-win game. Think about it: Russell is Tampa Bay’s No. 5 inside linebacker. He was on the practice squad only a few weeks ago.
Neal, on the other hand, is a safety who has struggled this season for the Bucs. Both the No. 5 linebacker and a struggling safety were tasked with playing key roles in the middle of Bowles’ defense, something that would’ve been hard to believe if we hadn’t all seen it with our own eyes.
Russell was the team’s second-leading tackler, finishing with seven (six solo) in addition to his first career sack. Neal had four tackles, including a tackle for loss on a third down inside the 5-yard line. That forced the Panthers into an early field goal try, limiting them to three points instead of seven.
“J.J. did a heck of a job, he even got a sack just coming up,” Bowles said. “He gets very little reps and to come in and play like he played today… And Ryan came in early for K.J. Ryan played linebacker all of one day of practice, so that was huge for him and he did some of those things in Seattle and we saw it. He had a walk-through and he had a couple reps and he went in there and he played a hell of a game. He got a game ball as well as Mike [Evans].”
Even Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield was impressed with the way Russell and Neal were able to step up when the defense badly needed them.
“Yeah, between J.J. and Ryan Neal stepping up in a huge way. That’s the mental preparation that – those guys are two true pros,” Mayfield said. “You don’t get a whole lot of reps with the guys that they have in front of them. And obviously, Ryan’s not even a linebacker. He came in and learned it on the fly and played great. So, hats off to those guys for being mentally prepared, knowing what to do and coming in and stopping a good rushing attack.”
Tampa Bay will certainly hope to have more of its regular inside linebackers available in Week 14 against Atlanta. Bowles said Dennis, who was sick this week, should be good to go. He was non-committal about David and White, but they have all week to hopefully make their way back from their injuries. As for Britt, who left the game on Sunday, Bowles didn’t have an immediate update.
So it remains to be seen who the Bucs will have available at linebacker next week. But for now, J.J. Russell and Ryan Neal deserve their props for stepping up in Sunday’s win.
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