Stephon Gilmore: 'I was out to prove something' against Buccaneers

TAMPA BAY — Late Thursday night, in the Patriots locker room, Stephon Gilmore was getting dressed and the media was waiting. Meanwhile, a few feet away, teammate Duron Harmon was watching the scene play out.

“Give some love to Steph this week,” he said with a smile, motioning to the reporters waiting to talk with the occasionally beleaguered Gilmore. “All of you guys. Give some love to Steph.”


If there was anyone who earned a shoutout from his teammates following Thursday’s narrow 19-14 win over the Buccaneers, it was Gilmore. Shaking off a hideous performance against the Panthers the week before, he came out in mostly man coverage against Tampa receiver Mike Evans, and kept him in check most of the night. Evans had five catches for 49 yards Thursday against Gilmore, including two receptions for 23 yards in the second half.

After the game, Gilmore said he was told early in the week he would just have to worry about Evans. The news brought a smile to his face.

“I was happy for that. To get on a guy and follow him wherever he (went). Study just him. I pretty much knew every route. It was fun,” he said. “I think that’s what gets the best out of me, when I’m following a guy and studying that certain guy.”

Gilmore said last week that communication was an issue. There was no such problem this time around. According to Gilmore, things were simple, calls were easier. And as a result, he looked a lot different than the cornerback who appeared to struggle mightily in the loss to Carolina.

“We just lined up and played,” he shrugged when asked about the difference between last game and Thursday night.

Gilmore also confessed to a certain level of gratification.

“I was out to prove something,” after last Sunday, he confessed. “You know, you have to perform. If you don’t, people are going to talk about you.

“My teammates respect what I do,” he added. “That’s all that matters.”

His teammates couldn’t have been happier for the work that he and fellow cornerback Malcolm Butler did. With Gilmore going against Evans and Butler against DeSean Jackson, the Tampa Bay passing game was unable to get much going for the first three-plus quarters. (Jackson was held almost completely in check -- you take away one home-run ball that went for 41 yards late in the game, and he finished with four catches for 65 yards.)

“For us to have the week we had — short week, everybody was talking about the secondary, this, this, that and the other,” Harmon said. “I really believe those guys came out an competed at a high level this week. It was great to see.”

“We’ve got two guys who like that,” safety Devin McCourty said of the challenge that was laid down to Gilmore and Butler. “They like to go out there and compete against a guy. And really, for the most part, they played well all game. Those aren’t two easy guys to cover.

“I think it really helped settle the game plan down when we have (Gilmore) on Evans and (Butler) on Jackson. We know those two guys love that. They love to go out there and compete and be out there on islands one-on-one against guys. That helps the defense. We know those two guys are out there. They’re good. We know when to help, and when not to help. That’s something we can build off of.”

But in the end, it was Gilmore’s performance that drew most of the rave reviews.

“It was definitely great, because that guy works his tail off,” Harmon explained of Gilmore’s performance. “The ball just hasn’t been bouncing his way the last couple of weeks. For him to come back out there, that excited, and play with that type of energy, man, it was exciting. It’s more exciting because I just know he’s going to build off that. He’s going to continue to get better.”

“Everything isn’t always going to be all good and gravy, you know? You have to bounce back and prove yourself every week,” Gilmore added. “I think I did it this week.”