5 Thoughts
- Suggested lead for the next Buc game "The Tampa Bay Bucs won/were embarrassed Sunday as Jameis Winston starred/imploded in a 400-yard/four interception game that was the finest/worst of his career. Winston now leads the NFL in passing yardage/turnovers, leading fans to wonder if he will get an extension/be run out of town by dawn amid cries that he is the most talented/the most frustrating quarterback this league has ever seen."
2. The Bucs are going to miss Mike Evans, the best wide receiver this team ever had. No, give him the damn ball.
3. Where do the Bucs get their TV analysts? A temp agency?
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4. Ronald Jones II is headed for a 1,000-yard season. It's just going to take him 25 games to get there.
5. Donovan Smith gets roasted by the fans and blistered by defensive ends. But he had a cool day with his personal resiliency, fighting off injuries to return to play.
5 Comments
(From Bruce Arians' Monday Press Conference)
(On his overall reflections): "I love the fact that our team doesn’t get down during a game. We throw a pick-six two minutes to go in the half and we just go right back out and go score a touchdown. And then get it back to a one-score game. We get a turnover, we turn it back over, we stop them, we force a kick, get great pressure on the kicker. We should’ve blocked a kick earlier in the game, we came free and went right past the ball and I think that was still in the kid’s mind. The resiliency of the team, the we’re not quitting, the fact that we are now mathematically eliminated from the playoffs is not going to change anything. We’re going to come, we’re going to work. We’re going to try to win four-in-a-row, five-in-a-row, and then six-in-a-row.”
(On the interceptions of Jameis Winston): "Again, some of it's decisions, some of ir's throws, some of it’s (on) the receiver. In looking back at this one, Mike (Evans) was pressed. He was little short on his route and Darius Leonard is a very tall linebacker and you just have to be more aware trying to throw it over a guy like that, and not throw it too high to the corner. He trusts Mike and I trust Mike, so I don’t blame that part of it, but that’s what it is. The second one was totally different. The first one was zone coverage, the second one was an all-out blitz and we don’t pick up the guy coming up the middle. Jameis would think he’s hot then just throwing the ball into the slant. Darius [Leonard] pulled out and got underneath it. We block it properly, he’s going to throw it to Cam [Brate] down the middle, wide open for the touchdown.”
(On the confidence a come-from-behind win can bring): “I actually like this win better for that reason. It shows the growth of this football team. It’s easy to be front runners and win when everything is going your way. Hardly anything was going our way during this one, but we hung in there and found a way to win. I like that at this stage of where we’re at in the season. I like that win a whole lot more.”
(On a win helping to change the culture):“Oh I think this will be a huge one for us. When we finished that season [in Arizona] beating Seattle, who were division champs, it led into a hell of an offseason. For us to possibly win four-in-a-row, then five-in-a-row against a real good Houston team, and then it’s going to be a struggle in Detroit this week with the number of injuries we’ve got, but that’s building blocks. The culture is set because the other guys aren’t accepting it anymore. They don’t accept losing anymore. That’s kind of what the guys stood up and said in the locker room. I didn’t have to say much, we ain’t accepting this [stuff] anymore. You know it’s getting across.”
(On receiver Breshad Perriman): "He had such a great spring, had a great camp, lit it up against the Dolphins [in the preseason] – it’s just going to be opportunities. Tom Moore said a long time [ago], he had [Lynn] Swann, [John] Stallworth and Frank Lewis, I think it was. [Moore said], ‘One of you, come Monday, is going to have your lip poked out because you ain’t getting the ball enough.’ That’s just the life of being a three, four or five receiver. One and two are getting theirs. Who gets the other ones – somebody is probably going to have their lip poked out. [Perriman] has never done that. He just comes to work ready for his chance. The last two weeks, it’s been there.”
5 of the Best Takes
This was another typically crazy game for Jameis Winston, who had a healthy mix of both big-time throws and turnover-worthy plays. Winston finished the day with four touchdowns and three interceptions, symbolic both of his day today and his season as a whole.
-- Pro Football Focus
The right side of the Bucs' offensive line had a solid day. Earl Watford and Demar Dotson were both excellent in pass protection and helped give Winston enough time to take shots down the field.
-- Pro Football Focus
Although he did let up a touchdown, Carlton Davis had a solid day in coverage for the Buccaneers. He was always around the ball and made some good pass breakups in coverage to make up for the allowed score.
-- Pro Football Focus
The Buccaneers were strong at the point of attack against the Colts, as the interior defensive line made it tough for the Colts to do much on the ground. That group was led by Ndamukong Suh and William Gholston.
-- Pro Football Focus
Tampa Bay isn't giving up on Jameis Winston or its season.
The suddenly red-hot Buccaneers (6-7) will miss the playoffs for the 12th straight year despite rallying Sunday to beat the Indianapolis Colts 38-35 for their third consecutive victory and fourth in five games.
Winston continued to state his case for keeping the starting quarterback job beyond 2019, overcoming another turnover-marred performance by throwing for 456 yards and four touchdowns including the-winner with 3:51 remaining.
And, he did it despite playing the second half with what coach Bruce Arians described as a "little bitty fracture" in his right thumb.
-- Associated Press
Game Balls
Offense: The question isn't whether Jameis Winston deserves a game ball. It's whether he'll throw it to the right team. Winston made a comeback with an injured thumb, without his Pro Bowl receiver, with a career-yardage day, with his fourth-touchdown pass on Sunday. It was such a good day it almost -- almost -- made you forget about his bad plays.
Defense: Shaq Barrett had seven tackles, half a sack, hit the quarterback three times and was a nuisance all afternoon.
Special teams. Bradley Pinion averaged 45.5 yards on two punts. Before the game, hit bounced a practice punt off the head off Colts' lineman Quenton Nelson.
Grades
Quarterback: As good as Winston was he doesn't get an A on a day he had three picks. Grade: B.
Running back: Ronald Jones had good effort. Just not much yardage. Grade: C.
Wide receivers: Good day, considering most of it was without Evans. Grade: B+.
Offensive line: They battled, but 2.7 yards per rush isn't enough. Grade: C.
Defensive line: They gave up 3.0 yard per rush. Grade: C+.
Linebacker: Not a great day for the backers. Grade: B-.
Secondary: Too many big plays by a nondescript unit. Grade: B-.
Kicking. They weren't asked to do much. Grade: B.
Unsung Heroes
- Quarterback Ryan Griffin threw the first four passes of his career, completing two for 18 yards.
2. Justin Watson had one catch coming into the game. He caught five for 59 yards.
3. Dare Ogunbowale also caught five passes for 48 yards.
4. Carlton Davis broke up three passes.
5. Jerome Whitehead had nine tackles.
Winston Stats
Yardage 2
Touchdowns 2 (tie)
Interceptions 1
1st Downs 1
Rating 47th
Random Stats
Sacks Shaq Barrett 1 15
Receiving Yds Chris Godwin 2 1,212
Mike Evans 3 1,157
Rushing Ronald Jones 39 518
Field Goals Matt Gay 6 23
Most Single Game Passing Yards (Bucs)
1. Doug Williams (at MIN, 11/16/80) 486
2. Vinny Testaverde (at IND, 10/16/88) 469
3. Jameis Winston (vs. IND, 12/8/19) 456
4. Josh Freeman (vs. NO, 10/21/12) 420
5. Ryan Fitzpatrick (at NO, 9/9/18) 417
Most Single-Season Passing Yards (Bucs)
1. Jameis Winston (2019) 4,115
2. Jameis Winston (2016) 4,090
3. Josh Freeman (2012) 4,065
4. Jameis Winston (2015) 4,042
5. Brad Johnson (2003) 3,811
Most Passing Yards through Five Season (NFL History)
Rank Player (Team, Seasons) Passing Yards
1. Peyton Manning (IND, 1998-2002) 20,618
2. Dan Marino (MIA, 1983-87) 19,422
3. Andrew Luck (IND, 2012-16) 19,078
4. Matt Ryan (ATL, 2008-12) 18,957
5. Jameis Winston (TB, 2015-19) 18,743