Buccaneers: Week 16 game changers against Carolina
By Bailey Adams
Kwon Alexander
The Buccaneer defense is ravaged by injuries. Gerald McCoy, Lavonte David and Vernon Hargreaves were already missing heading into the Atlanta game. Coming out of it, Adarius Glanton, Justin Evans, Robert Ayers and Ryan Smith all have injuries of varying degrees. Kwon Alexander, though, is still producing at the same level regardless of who he has around them. He led the team with thirteen tackles (all solo) against the Falcons. As usual, he was all over the field making plays.
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Against a team like Carolina, Alexander will be extremely important. Whether it’s stopping Jonathan Stewart on the ground, keeping an eye on running back/slot receiver Christian McCaffrey or spying on Cam Newton, the Bucs will need a big day from their middle linebacker. Kwon’s passion for the game is evident week in and week out. It’s obvious that a 4-10 record isn’t going to keep him from finishing out the season with 100 percent effort. Despite the fact that he is missing key talent around him, he is still thriving.
Tampa Bay’s defense is in the middle of a terrible season. Alexander isn’t a reason for that. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate on Tuesday night, a well-deserved honor. The LSU product has the second-most tackles on the team with 78, three passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Those numbers are good, but they don’t tell the whole story. Alexander passes the eye test each and every week. He’ll need to do so again this week for the defense to have a chance.