'Big Brother 28' spoilers: Will Rick Devens' chaotic HOH backfire on him? (BB28)

WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT BIG BROTHER 28!Big Brother 28 week 2 Head of Household (HOH) Rick Devens is a Survivor legend known for his unpredictable gameplay, but his chaotic Big Brother HOH could backfire on him. Devens, a 42-year-old director of communications originally from Blacksburg, VA, but currently living in Macon, GA, is best known for competing in Survivor: Edge of Extinction (season 38), during which he placed 4th, and Survivor: In the Hands of the Fans (season 50), during which he placed 7th. He was unleashed into Big Brother 28 as part of a twist, along with two other reality TV icons: Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares and Big Brother 26 star Angela Murray.

During Big Brother 28 week 2, Devens won the HOH competition, even though he was trying to throw it to Haley Thogmartin. At first, he was playing it safe, but then Angela encouraged him to shake up the game. After a 3 a.m. meeting with all of his alliance members, the mega alliance Toolshed was formed, consisting of Devens, Dee, Angela, Haley, Kamu Kirk, Chuk Anyanwu, Drew Campbell, and Barrett Pfeiffer. Devens then decided to backdoor Rome Seymour, the charismatic leader of the other side of the house and one half of the season's day 2 showmance along with Lyric Medeiros. Rome was seen as Toolshed's biggest threat. However, Devens' actions during his HOH reign have left many fans wondering if his wild gameplay will ultimately cost him his game.

Big Brother 28's Devens Caused Chaos At The Nomination Ceremony

In order to execute his backdoor plan, Devens had to nominate three pawns for eviction. He chose Rome's showmance, Lyric, Jason De Puy, and Melody Morris, all of whom are not in his alliance. At the nomination ceremony, Devens exposed Rome's allegiances, informing the entire house that his priorities were himself, Lyric, and Jason, and that he was willing to sacrifice Melody and LaTrice Verrett to keep himself and his true allies safe. He completely betrayed Rome after Rome had given him this information. In addition, LaTrice was devastated by this revelation and cried hysterically after the nomination ceremony.

In addition, Devens said that his three nominees didn't talk serious strategy with him until after he won HOH, to which Jason replied that it wasn't true. Jason then called Devens a big liar and told Angela that it was actually her HOH. Jason and Angela then got into a heated argument, but they eventually made up. However, the damage done by Devens at the nomination ceremony could come back to bite him if the houseguests begin to realize that he's the common denominator in their broken relationships.

At the end of the nomination ceremony, Devens quickly tried to repair the damage he'd done by ensuring Rome's allies that he hadn't said anything bad about them personally, but Devens had still stirred the pot in a way that hurt people. He could've told LaTrice about Rome privately, instead of announcing it in front of the entire house. Devens seemed to genuinely feel bad about it, and he's not a bad guy, but he should be more thoughtful in the future, especially when emotions are involved. He could've unnecessarily made enemies because of his reckless behavior at the nomination ceremony.

Devens had previously made a similar mistake when he informed Angela and Drew from his and Dee's Crossovers alliance (with Angela, Drew and Barrett) about their Red Corner alliance (with Kamu, Haley, and Chuk). Dee told him that he shouldn't have done that, and she was right to be upset with him about it. Loose lips sink ships, especially in the Big Brother house, and Devens' fatal flaw in the game could be his inability to keep his mouth shut.

It's Not Really Possible To Backdoor Houseguests In Big Brother Anymore

While initially keeping Rome off of the chopping block was smart on Devens' part because then Rome wasn't guaranteed to play in the Power of Veto competition, it was still a risky move. If Rome did get picked and won, he could've kept himself safe and removed Lyric from the chopping block. Making it known that he wanted to backdoor Rome from the beginning could've been a huge mistake if that happened.

In addition, in the new era of Big Brother, it's not really possible to backdoor someone in the true sense of the word because of the BB Block Buster competition. In the old days, Rome would've been named the replacement nominee with no chance to save himself in a competition, but now he has the opportunity to do so in the BB Block Buster. Rome won one of the first competitions of the season, which ensured his safety in week 1, so it's already clear that he performs well under pressure. He has an excellent chance of winning the BB Block Buster and avoiding being backdoored. Rome might then try to take revenge on Devens, whereas if Devens had kept the plan a secret, Rome might never have found out.

Devens' Power Of Veto Decision Was A Head-Scratcher

Devens holds all of the power this week as he's not only the HOH, but he also won the Power of Veto. In order to execute his plan to backdoor Rome, he had to save one of his own nominees from the chopping block. It seemed like a no-brainer that he'd save Melody. This way, the showmance would be on the chopping block together, so Lyric couldn't campaign for or vote for Rome, and Jason would remain there as well as a backup plan if Rome won the BB Block Buster.

However, after going back and forth between saving Lyric or Melody, Devens decided to save Lyric, despite his allies trying to persuade him otherwise. Saving Lyric made no sense for Devens' game because, if Rome wins the BB Block Buster, Devens will have a powerful showmance as an enemy. Leaving Lyric on the chopping block could've ensured that one of them went home. Now, not only does Rome have the chance to save himself, but he doesn't have to compete against his girlfriend to do it.

In addition, Lyric is free to campaign for Rome and try to ensure that he has the votes to stay if he doesn't win the BB Block Buster. Devens gave them the best chance to stay in the game together, which could be a mistake for his game if Rome or Lyric wins HOH next week. When Devens spoke to Angela, telling her that he felt good about Rome being evicted, Angela informed him that she didn't think it would happen because Lyric could campaign for votes for him to stay. When Devens told Angela that Lyric said she'd vote out Rome, Angela replied that she didn't believe it. Angela has played Big Brother before, so she understands the complicated social game.

Could Devens' Actions Actually Help Him?

Although Devens' choice to save Lyric seems like a monumental mistake, perhaps he knows what he's doing. The morning of the Power of Veto ceremony, he had a conversation with Rome in which Rome told him that if he saved Lyric, then he wouldn't come after him for a week if he stayed in the house. After the nomination ceremony, Rome told Lyric and Melody that Devens did the respectful thing by taking Lyric off of the chopping block for him, which was nice of him.

In addition, when Devens told Lyric that he'd understand if it was too weird for her to vote out Rome, she replied that he did her a favor by taking her off of the chopping block so she'd vote however he wanted her to. Although this could've been a lie on Lyric's part, she later told Mallory Aurichio that she wanted to keep Rome, but she didn't want to be on the wrong side of the vote. Rome and Lyric even faked a breakup to try to throw off their fellow Big Brother 28 houseguests, but, clearly, she wants him to stay.

An unexpected twist would be if Devens, Rome, and Lyric secretly started working together. It's highly possible that Toolshed could turn on Devens. The night of the Power of Veto ceremony, Toolshed members Drew and Barrett discussed how they wouldn't want to go to the end of the game with Devens because they couldn't beat him. Although Devens doesn't know this, he might start to get the vibe that even some of his alliance members wouldn't take him to the finals with them. Therefore, having as many alliances as possible would be a smart strategy for Devens.

Extending an olive branch to Rome by saving Lyric was a good first step for Devens to avoid Rome's wrath in case he wins the BB Block Buster and stays in the game. After all, it was really Angela's idea to backdoor Rome, and, although it seems unlikely that Devens would betray her, he always has that in his back pocket, just in case.

Another factor in Devens' gameplay is the BB Time Capsule, which allows America to vote for a houseguest to play a game with the chance to either win a power or endure a punishment. Devens already has a big fan base from Survivor, so it's highly likely that he could win America's Vote this week and earn the power. If that happens, then he probably won't have to worry about anyone coming after him because he'll be able to save himself. However, there's no guarantee that he'll be chosen.

While it's possible that Devens has a genius strategy up his sleeve by saving Lyric, it simply wasn't the best move for his game. It's highly likely that Rome will win the BB Block Buster, and Devens' move will keep the showmance in the house. If this happens, he'll have two people coming after him in the future rather than one, and he'll be vulnerable because he's ineligible to play in the next HOH competition. Devens could've weakened the power couple, but, instead, he might've fueled their fire against him and made them even stronger. Whatever happens next, Devens should remember to always "expect the unexpected" in Big Brother 28.