Early Thoughts (Week 8): Tampa Bay Buccaneers Making Strides
A funny thing has happened in the NFC South over the last few weeks.
Both the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing a whole lot better than earlier in the season.
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While some may not be that surprised by the turnaround made by Sean Payton’s suddenly-hot club (who survived a 52-49 shootout with the New York Giants on Sunday), the Bucs may be a different story altogether.
Nov 1, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) is hit by Atlanta Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn (99) but prevents the tackle from Clayborn in the first quarter of their game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s go all the way back to Week 1 and the much-anticipated meeting between the first and second overall picks in the 2015 NFL draft in Buccaneers signal-caller Jameis Winston and Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The game was in Tampa but it may as well have been in Oregon. In a contest that somewhat resembled last year’s college playoff game between the Ducks and Florida State Seminoles, Mariota excelled and Winston looked like…well, number two.
But since falling to the Titans 42-14 back in September, the Bucs are a .500 football team that have made leaps and bounds ever since. What sticks out the most about the team’s recent play is the fact that two of their three wins have come against the Saints and now the Atlanta Falcons, both divisional rivals and both victories on the road.
Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times recaps another harrowing afternoon for Lovie Smith’s club. Only this time they managed to secure a 23-20 overtime win after blowing a 20-3 third-quarter advantage. One week ago, the Buccaneers squandered a 24-0 second-quarter lead on their way to a 31-30 loss at Washington.
There are plenty of accolades to thrown the team’s way. After forcing only nine turnovers in their first six games, the Bucs came up with four Atlanta takeaways. That helped offset 496 yards of offense by Dan Quinn’s club, who got 397 yards passing and two scores from quarterback Matt Ryan but the veteran signal-caller was also picked off once and lost a fumble. Tampa’s pass rush got to Ryan only once in terms of a sack and the team’s pass rush remains a question mark.
But kudos to a pair of Buccaneers that have come a long way this season.
Nov 1, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith talks with strong safety Chris Conte (23) before their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
The first is fourth-year running back Doug Martin, who has now rushed for 612 yards and three scores and caught 15 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown in 2015. After a brilliant rookie campaign in which he amassed 1,926 yards from scrimmage and 13 scores, injuries limited Martin to a combined 17 games from 2013-14 and he totaled only 1,080 yards from scrimmage and three scores. It’s been a nice bounce back year for the former Boise State standout.
The other standout has been quarterback Jameis Winston. During the team’s 1-3 start, the 2013 Heisman Trophy Winner hit on only 54.9 percent of his throw for 965 yards and six touchdowns. Winston also ran 16 times for 53 yards and a score. But he also committed eight turnovers in those four outings, including seven interceptions, fumbled on three occasions (1 lost) and was sacked nine times.
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Fast forward to the last three weeks, two of those Tampa wins. Winston has played turnover-free football while hitting on 64.9 percent of his passes (50-of-77) for 683 yards and four touchdowns. Add in 38 yards on the ground and a score (the latter coming in Sunday’s win over the Falcons) and the talented youngster certainly appears to be getting the hang of things.
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So do the Buccaneers, who have now won one more game than all of last season and thanks to those wins at Atlanta and at New Orleans promise to be a thorn in the side of the rest of their divisional neighbors this year.