Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 15 Winners and Losers
By Brian DeFeo
Loser: Quarterback Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston started this really slow.
He led them on an opening drive field goal but almost half of the yards came on a pass interference and running plays. The next drive the ball just slipped out of his hand setting the Cowboys up for an easy touchdown drive. That seemed to take the air out of the Bucs in the first half because they were almost doubled in time of possession. He had a really stupid personal foul penalty for head butting a defensive lineman. In the heat of the moment you like the aggressive nature from Jameis, but he cost the Bucs great field position and they had to settle for a field goal.
Winston ended the half with a Hail Mary interception but was turnover prone all night. Winston came out hot in the second half scoring touchdowns on back to back drives with touchdowns and took the first lead of the game. However in the fourth quarter he came crashing back to Earth. Winston threw two fourth quarter interceptions one was early in the fourth setting up a Cowboy field goal to take the lead and never gave it away. The Bucs actually had a shot at the end of the game but Winston fumbled once which killed a lot of clock and was picked off again clinching the game for Dallas. The Bucs defense wasn’t as good as it’s been the past five weeks but they allowed the Bucs to have a shot at the end of the game and Winston and the offense only gained one total yard on its last two drives.
The Bucs are now on the outside of the playoff race with the Redskins taking a half game lead due to the tie earlier in the year. The Redskins play Monday night and if they lose the Buccaneers are back in the final spot but they don’t control their own fate as of right now. The Cowboys are a top team in the league but the Bucs were given the opportunity to make a splash in front of a national audience tonight and they failed. They are still having their best season in 15 years but if they want to make the playoffs this season winning the big games are the ones that really make a difference.