–Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy’s run of six straight trips to the Pro Bowl ended this year, but McCoy said Wednesday he was more disappointed in not seeing his teammates receive the national recognition that goes with being selected for the game.
“I think I’m due to miss a few,” McCoy said. “It’s not about me. I was more looking forward to seeing some of my teammates be there.”
The Bucs were shut out of the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2009, despite wide receiver Mike Evans ranking second in the NFC in receiving yards and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul logging 11.5 sacks in his first season with Tampa Bay.
After a difficult loss to the Ravens Sunday that mathematically eliminated the Bucs from playoff contention, McCoy lauded the play — and noted how underappreciated he is — of outside linebacker Lavonte David, who is averaging 7.5 tackles a game.
“I believe Mike, JPP and Lavonte had a good shot,” McCoy said. “The lack of respect that (David) gets is unreal. Mike is second in the league in receiving. JPP is right there with the best of them in getting to the quarterback. They vote how they vote and it went how it went. You can’t do anything about it.”
Evans didn’t seem surprised that he wasn’t named to the team — he is a first alternate at the receiver position — despite having a career-high 1,328 receiving yards this season, more than three players selected. Even though each of those players — Green Bay’s Davante Adams (12 touchdown receptions), Minnesota’s Adam Thielen (9) and New Orleans’ Michael Thomas (8) — each had more touchdown catches than Evans’ five.
“You have to do something spectacular to get in the conversation,” McCoy added. “All the guys who made it were deserving. There were probably a couple of snubs there but, it’s an all-star game.”
As for Pierre-Paul, his 11.5 sacks are the most by a Buccaneers player since Simeon Rice in 2005 and is tied for fourth most among defensive ends in the NFC. Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter, who leads NFC ends with 14.5 sacks and New Orleans Cam Jordan (12 sacks) were selected, as was Dallas’ DeMarcus Lawrence (nine sacks).
–The Bucs believe that middle linebacker Adarius Taylor will play in Sunday’s game in Dallas, but as of Wednesday afternoon, he was still awaiting the arrival of his first child.
“Hopefully, that baby will be coming here pretty soon,” Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said Wednesday. “Hopefully tonight. I’m going to break out my crystal ball and say tonight.”
Taylor missed the team’s 20-12 loss in Baltimore on Sunday to be with his wife, Kristen, who was due on Sunday.
“It’s a tough decision, but I just went with what I felt was right for me and my family,” Taylor said. “I just chose what I chose. I mean that was my choice. That’s what I did and that was the end of it.”
The Bucs were hopeful that Taylor would still be able to make Sunday’s game, making special arrangements for him to get to Baltimore as late as Sunday morning, but he remained in Florida.
“They supported me and my decision,” Taylor said. “They did everything to get me to be able to make the choice that I wanted to.”
Taylor’s absence left the Bucs with just four linebackers in uniform on Sunday against the Ravens. Middle linebacker Riley Bullough filled in for Taylor and made eight tackles in the most playing time he’s seen, though he dropped an easy interception in the first half.
“Riley Bullough stepped up, and made some plays for us and kudos to him,” Bucs defensive coordinator Mark Duffner said. “He didn’t have quite the same week of preparation in some respects in terms of practice reps, but he took advantage of the opportunity and gave us a heck of an effort.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 – Number of points scored in the second half of the last two games by the Bucs vs. the Saints and Ravens.
