OFFENSIVE LINE: B+
Let’s just get the bad out of the way for the Buccaneers’ offensive line. Cameron Brate had a touchdown reception – which would have been Winston’s third of the game – erased by a penalty called on Demar Dotson.
While the penalty alone doesn’t squash momentum, it came in a period of play where the Bucs’ line just couldn’t get things together as they had three key penalties in a short span of the game.
Gosder Cherilus was flagged for a false start – his second of the game – one iteration before Ali Marpet was flagged for hands to the face after a very good run by Doug Martin as he was trying to help bleed the clock and move the ball.
On to the good now: No Sacks.
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I got it, the Seahawks had no Michael Bennett and no Earl Thomas among a few others, but they still had Cliff Avril and the second ranked defense when it comes to sacking the quarterback.
Quite simply, the Buccaneers were able to use play call and smart line play to stifle one of the best NFL pass rushes around.
For the second straight game this offensive line faced one of the NFL’s top sack artists as Avril came in tied with Dee Ford and Buffalo’s Lorenzo Alexander for the lead in sacks.
For the second straight game, the leader in sacks left without another notch on his belt and will have to wait one more week to try and expand their lead.