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NFL Notebook, Week 4: Quarterback roulette, worst teams, weekly awards

By Zach Cohen

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks on the field during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks on the field during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 29: Chris Godwin #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates his run with O.J. Howard #80 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) /

No Way, Tampa Bay

If you had told me that the Buccaneers would outscore the Rams in Los Angeles, I’d have told you to stop playing Madden.

The Rams were nearly nine-point favorites while taking on the visiting Buccaneers. Remember that the Bucs were beaten by the Giants at home last week, which was crazy enough in itself. Hence, this was clearly a pivotal game for Tampa Bay.

They traveled to Los Angeles having won just a single game, and quarterback Jameis Winston had not been looking too hot. There was speculation that the Bucs would not re-sign Winston in this upcoming offseason, and for good reason.

Sure, Winston has put up big numbers before, yet he still remains turnover prone. Even after tossing four touchdowns and an interception against the Rams, Winston has 63 interceptions in his career. Combined with 97 passing touchdowns, Winston has on average the sixth-highest touchdown-to-interception rate through the last five years.

Enough smack talk about Winston, though. The point I’m trying to make is that, despite the team’s extensive recent history of mediocrity, Tampa Bay’s action-packed win over Los Angeles was a huge surprise. Will things start to turn around for Winston and the Bucs, or was this merely an outlier? Sunday’s match at New Orleans should provide some clarity.

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