In a quarterback duel, it was a defender who made the decisive play.
With just under a minute remaining and the game tied at 35, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David stepped in front of a pass headed for Seattle Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp.
"The ball was coming in my direction," said David. "I had to lock in and focus and make a play."
The 14-year veteran secured the ball as he went to the ground, giving the Bucs possession in field goal range. Five plays later, kicker Chase McLaughlin split the uprights as time expired and the NFC South leaders left Lumen Field with a 38-35 win and a 4-1 record.
"[Kupp] was my coverage, so I had to drop his way, and I got a good read and I got into a good spot and read the quarterback," said David. "We got a good hit on him, and I believe the ball hit somebody's helmet; I'm not sure. But when I see the ball in the air coming my way, I had to have it."
The interception was one of just 10 passes that didn't find the intended receiver on a day when quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold combined for 720 yards and six touchdowns. But David said that the offensive fireworks were all the more reason for the defense to step up in the closing seconds.
"We shot ourselves in the foot throughout the whole game," said David. "We weren't making plays. They were capitalizing on things we were doing. It was a moment to rise. Somebody had to rise, and everybody had that attitude. That's what I love about this football team. Guys know the game's not over until the game is over. Today I was able to be the one who made the play."
The 11-time team captain had an assist on the play from safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who came unblocked off the right side of the defense to get pressure on Darnold and force the errant throw. The ball glanced off the helmet of defensive lineman Logan Hall and into the arms of a lunging David.
"We were saving that blitz for a rainy day and we brought it out," said Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles. "We've been running it a lot, and we didn't run it the entire game, and everybody was waiting on it, and it finally came, and "Te" (David) made the veteran play that he made… It was a heck of a ballgame, and for our leader to step up and make that play was huge."
David's contributions Sunday went beyond the one play. Making his 203rd start for the Bucs, the University of Nebraska product tied for the team lead in tackles with nine, including five solo tackles, a tackle for loss and a third down stop.
At age 35, David isn't slowing down yet. Coming off of three straight 100-plus tackle seasons, the three-time All-Pro is already up to 34 tackles on the year, which ranks second on the team. Sunday was the third time in five games that he's reached the nine-tackle mark. David has anchored a Bucs defense that entered the week having allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards of any team in the league.
Earlier this year, he became the fourth player to ever record 40 career sacks, 30 forced fumbles and 10 interceptions.
One of the most prolific tacklers in NFL history, David entered the season with the fifth-most solo tackles of any player since the league began tracking the stat in 1994. After Sunday's game, David needs just nine solo tackles to pass Donnie Edwards for fourth all-time.
