Cornerback Jamel Dean couldn’t have received a more meaningful present on his 29th birthday Wednesday at One Buccaneer Place – news that he had received the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award for his stellar effort in last Sunday’s 30-19 victory over the 49ers.
Dean recorded the first sack of his seven-year career with Tampa Bay and made a key interception late in the game, in addition to amassing four tackles (one for a loss), a pass defensed and a quarterback hit. He became the first cornerback to log an interception, sack and fumbled forced in a game since Week 7 of the 2024 season – and was the first NFC defender at any position to do it this season.
Of all that, it was Dean’s blitzing, first-quarter sack of San Francisco quarterback Mac Jones – one of six by the defense – that caught head coach Todd Bowles’ attention.
“That was Dean's first sack that I have seen in my career and that was probably the best play … next to Mike Evans getting 1,000 yards last year that I have ever seen,” Bowles said playfully after the game. “That goes down in history for me.”
On Wednesday, as the Bucs prepared for their Monday night road game against the Detroit Lions, Dean reflected on his big week and the NFC honor announced in front of his teammates.
“Well, on the blitz play, I realized I just had one guy to beat, so I was just trying to hurry (and) get to his hip in there …,” Dean recounted. “And once I realized that Mac Jones didn’t get the ball out in time, I was like, ‘Oh, this is my opportunity.’ ”
His interception was even more of a clutch play, because Jones was marching the offense into Bucs’ territory with just under six minutes to play, trailing 27-19. On fourth and 5 from Tampa Bay’s 36, Jones launched a pass down the left sideline to the Bucs’ 14 and Dean made the pick that kept San Francisco at bay in a critical moment.
“We were in a zone coverage," he said. "It was fourth-and-five, so I was thinking (a short) sticks (route) first and then once that ball did not come out for the stick route, then I just kept sinking. I guess I [sunk] at the right time [because] as soon as I started sinking, that is when he pulled the trigger.”
Dean was ready for Jones’ pass toward wide receiver Jauan Jennings, reaching up and catching the ball cleanly with both hands as he backpedaled. Dean said he’s been practicing snagging passes with his hands and the work paid off.
“I think the main thing was catching the ball on the move,” he said. “It helps me track the ball better.”
Dean’s performance was only one facet of an aggressive defensive showing by the Bucs, and couldn’t have come at a better time given the string of injuries to the secondary. A week earlier, linebacker Lavonte David sealed the team’s victory over Seattle with a late interception. They’ll need to continue that opportunistic play against a potent Lions offense, led by quarterback Jared Goff, with an equally dangerous ground and passing game. Detroit has been averaging 22.7 points per game – seventh in the NFL.
“They are dialing it up pretty [well] on the offensive side of the ball," Dean said. "I know we have to be really disciplined when we go against them because they have a lot of eye candy. They also have weapons all across the board.”
But Dean is happy to be part of a unit clearly on the rise this season.
“We’re trending in the right direction to be the best defense in the league,” he said. “And as the season goes along, the better the defense gets. It allows for better field position for our offense. That is probably our biggest emphasis.”
The Mayfield Factor: Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon continues to his receiving unit rise to occasion no matter how battered they are this season. But the one constant, he says, is quarterback Baker Mayfield.
"Baker gives you an opportunity to win every game that you step out there," he said Wednesday to the media. "What you see from him is just his confidence that he exudes and all the guys around him. Regardless of who is out there, he is holding those guys to the same standard that he holds himself to. That is what has been a really good thing right now. That shows the person that he is, the player that he is, the leader that he is, the franchise guy that he is, I could go on-and-on-and-on with what he means to us. The biggest thing is just the confidence that he shows and everybody out there on the field with him [like], 'Hey, you do your job, I am going to do mine and let's go out there and see what happens.'"
Meanwhile, pass-protecting Mayfield can be a challenge given his mobility, says run game Coordinator and offensive line coach Kevin Carberry:
“You have to strain in pass protection because Baker is going to keep plays alive and move his feet. We’ve got to strain through the down, keep moving our feet in protection, and find ways to stay fit. Every inch matters – if you can just bump a guy past one way or the other and then stay in the pocket…Like I said, he’ll find a sweet spot in the pocket to either make a throw or scramble. Everybody – not just the line – respects his competitive nature, his demeanor, the way he is with the team. Our O-line room is a great group of guys, and they get along with Baker. It’s not just the quarterback – it’s all the guys on our team who get along well – but, certainly, there’s a natural gel between Baker and the offensive line in those regard.”