Jameis Winston cruises as Buccaneers take care of 49ers

Jameis Winston was under total control as he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a rout of the San Francisco 49ers.

During the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recent stretch ugly defensive performances and turnovers crushed any chances of victory. Tampa Bay solved both of those issues against the San Francisco 49ers, and it propelled them to a 27-9 win.

Jameis Winston was in total control. Completing 29 of 38 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns.

The key for Winston was no turnovers. The talented quarterback looked sharp and didn’t force the action on Sunday. If Winston can keep possession of the football like he did this week, the Bucs are due for more wins.

For the first time all season, the Buccaneers defense showed up. With the 49ers driving, cornerback Ryan Smith intercepted Nick Mullens in the end zone to give Tampa Bay its first takeaway in eight games. It sealed the game. The defense provided the critical stop for the first time in months.

The Buccaneers felt greedy against the 49ers third-string quarterback, as Isaiah Johnson picked off Mullens later in the quarter.

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Vita Vea also had his best game as a Buccaneer. The first round pick finally made his presence felt with two tackles for loss and a sack. The rookie defensive tackle may finally be back from an injury-riddled start to the campaign.

Many questioned why the Buccaneers selected him in the first round. He showed exactly why he was touted so highly on Sunday. He bull rushed through his matchup and found his way into the backfield consistently.

To open up the fourth quarter, Winston tossed the ball across his body to find Adam Humphries wide open for a touchdown. The score vaulted the Buccaneers to a 27-9 lead and would secure their first victory since October 21.

The offense founds its groove out of the locker room following halftime. Charging down the field on a six-play 75-yard drive culminating in a Peyton Barber touchdown. The Bucs grew their lead, 20-9 and had all of the momentum.

To open the second half, Tampa Bay held firm at the goal line with two stops at the one-yard line. The defense put together the definition of a bend, but don’t break effort, and it forced San Francisco to settle for a field goal.

The Buccaneers were busy making history on Sunday. Wideout Mike Evans became the third player in NFL history to reach 1,00 receiving yards in each of his first five seasons. Jason Pierre-Paul also became the first Buc to reach double-digit sacks in a season since 2005.

Tampa Bay’s defense dominated the 49ers in the first half. Aside from a methodical touchdown drive, 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens completed just 4 of 10 passes for 45 yards.

Matt Breida was able to break loose for 89 yards from scrimmage in the first 30 minutes, but it was a win for the Buccaneers defense. Allowing six points in two quarters seemed like a miracle at the time. Plus, the defense would just three more points for the entire game.

Winston avoided turning the ball over, but he missed on many throws down the field in the first half. DeSean Jackson also couldn’t connect with Winston. Jackson received nine targets, but only came down with three catches for 29 yards. The lack of chemistry between the two continued.

He left plenty on the table, but it was a massive step in the right direction.

With Winston back on track, the Bucs will look to upset the rival Carolina Panthers next week.