Safety Tykee Smith couldn't have picked a much better time to snag his first interception of the season.
Down by five in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer defense was backed up against its own goal line, with New England threatening to extend its lead to double digits and put the game away.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye rolled to his right and threw for receiver Mack Hollins in the back corner of the end zone, but Smith lunged in front of the pass and secured it while falling to the ground.
"Tykee's been talking about it all week, and how he's got to get himself an interception," said Bucs linebacker Lavonte David. "It happened in practice this week, and when it happens in practice, it happens in the game. It was a big moment when he got it. I'm proud of him."
The interception gave the ball back to the Bucs with over five minutes left and a chance to take the lead, although the offense couldn't capitalize, and the Bucs fell 28-23.
"He made a heck of a play to give us a chance," said Head Coach Todd Bowles, "but nothing came of it."
Smith's impact went beyond the interception, the third of his career. The second-year safety recorded eight tackles on Sunday, including one earlier in the same drive when he chased down running back TreVeyon Henderson on a toss play for a four-yard loss.
Following Sunday's game, Smith has 74 total tackles on the year, the most of any safety in the league and tied for the 18th most overall. His 42 solo tackles are tied with All-Pro Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith for the 10th most in the league. Smith leads the Bucs in both categories as well.
Smith almost came away with a sack Sunday too – late in the third quarter, he fought through a block to hit a scrambling Maye just as he released the ball and force an incompletion.
Sunday was the latest strong performance for Smith, who's enjoyed a breakout sophomore season in his first year as a full-time starter at safety. After starting six games as a rookie in a slot corner role, Smith has claimed the starting job alongside Antoine Winfield Jr. to form one of the best safety tandems in the league.
A two-time national champion at the University of Georgia, Smith has recorded at least six tackles in every game this year, including double-digit efforts against the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions. His impact goes beyond his tackling ability – the former third-round pick has also registered nine pass breakups and a pair of sacks on the year.
Since the start of last season, Smith is one of just two safeties in the league with at least 100 tackles, 15 passes defended, two sacks and two interceptions.
