Quarterback
Jameis Winston threw for a career high 405 yards against the Rams, his second straight game versus them in which he surpassed 300 yards passing. Winston started a bit slow but was mostly on target and had his accuracy on point. He was throwing players open and buying extra time with his legs in the face of pressure and overall it was a classic gunslinging game from the young quarterback.
Winston’s first touchdown was a short three yard pass to Cameron Brate on a series that saw Brate catch a clutch 20 yard pass on thrd and long to keep drive alive. On the next drive Winston threw his lone interception of the day coming much the same way as one last week, a tipped pass off the hands of Charles Sims and into the gloves of former Buccaneer Mark Barron.
It was a tough way end to an average half of football from Winston, and it carried over into the third quarter where the Bucs went scoreless and missed a field goal. The fourth quarter was a different story.
Winston caught fire and delivered clutch strike after clutch strike, but wasn’t perfect as he was strip-sacked for a touchdown. Jameis and the Bucs marched down and scored on a one yard pass to Cameron Brate, and then marched down once again on their next series and scored on a Mike Evans catch.
After a long rain delay the Bucs’ defense stopped the Rams on 3rd and 11 and gave Winston one last shot to score a touchdown and win. Winston made some big throws and nearly got into the endzone, but shockingly held on to the ball on the final play and the Bucs lost.
It wasn’t Winston’s best game but the young quarterback was very good and on most days would have come out with a victory.