Buccaneers: Week seven winners and losers versus the Bills

2 of 3

ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 22: O.J. Howard of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on October 22, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Winners

Jameis Winston

The Buccaneers quarterback came to play this week, despite being questionable with a shoulder injury. Things started slow, and he threw several almost-interceptions to go along with two other turnovers, but Winston prevailed and put the Bucs ahead on a clutch late game drive in which he delivered a twelve yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans.

On the day Winston finished with a line of 32-44 passing for 384 yards (his fourth consecutive 300 yard passing game), and three touchdowns. Winston’s turnovers continue to be a problem but in natural Winston fashion he somehow manages to make up for it by the end of the game. The Bills defense entered this game with one of the best pass defenses in the league, and yet Winston and his sore shoulder still managed to put together a strong performance. If his defense had managed to show up we’d be talking about this as one of Winston’s better games.

O.J. Howard

Jameis Winston wouldn’t be on this list if it weren’t for his first round tight end, O.J. Howard. At long last the Buccaneers unleashed their secret weapon and made him a key part of the passing game. Howard reeled in two big catches before catching a short seven yard touchdown to bring the Bucs within a score of the Bills. Then, with ten minutes left in the game, Howard scored again on a wide open 33 yard catch to tie the game.

More from The Pewter Plank

Howard ended up with easily his strongest performance as a professional, reeling in six catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns. When Howard gets targets it’s easy to see why the Bucs were so eager to draft him; he’s enormous and yet still runs with the speed of your average receiver. I’ve never seen a tight end wide open more often than Howard has been both at Alabama and in the pros, and that should continue to be the case with defenses honing in on Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, and Cam Brate.

Patrick Murray

Do the Buccaneers finally have a kicker? Patrick Murray was once in line to be the Buccaneers kicker of the future before a knee injury took him away and put the Bucs down the path that would eventually lead them to Roberto Aguayo. Murray appears to have come full circle however and in his first game back with the Bucs he was perfect from the field, including a fifty yarder.

Murray nailed two field goals on the day, both in the first quarter; the first from fifty, the second from 25. He also all three of his extra point attempts on the day. Had Adam Humphries not fumbled early on their final drive, Pat Murray might have had a chance at winning the game on a field goal. If anything positive can be drawn from this game, it’s that the Bucs appear to have found stability at kicker.

Home/Bucs News