5 winners (and 3 big losers) from Buccaneers 23-20 win over Falcons

Tampa Bay Buccaneers football made its return in more than one way on Sunday in Atlanta. A new season is officially upon us but it was made abundantly clear that the some of the same old problems still exist.

It was a wire-to-wire photo finish for the Bucs, one that required more luck than skill. But a win is a win, and for the third straight season that's how Tampa Bay's season starts; this time a 23-20 nail-biter over Atlanta.

The win not only gets the Bucs out to a 1-0 start but gives them a critical divisional win out of the gate. It also snaps a losing streak the team had fallen into against the Falcons, a team that swept Tampa Bay last season and put hopes of winning a division title on life support.

Just like how luck prevailed then, it came through again for Tampa Bay on Sunday. It wasn't a pretty win by any means, and there were more than a few winners and losers to sift through as the dust from Week 1 settles.

Biggest winners and losers from Buccaneers 23-20 win over Falcons

Loser: Buccaneers clutch-time defense

New season, same old frustrations with the Buccaneers defense folding like a cheap poker table under pressure.

So many times last season, the Bucs defense collapsed under the weight of a clutch moment, almost always coming up empty when it came to stopping an opposing offense. You don't even need to look far from where Sunday's drama unfolded, as we're not that far removed from the Thursday Night Football meltdown last October.

In that game the Bucs failed to clamp down on defense and allowed Kirk Cousins to march the length of the field and force overtime. This time Todd Bowles' defense allowed Michael Penix Jr. to do it, giving him a siguature moment in a rivalry game.

It's frankly embarrassing that we're still forced to deal with the same old issues. Thankfully things worked out differently this time but it was a missed kick by Youghoe Koo, not any sigificant stop by the Buccaneers defense that deserves to be celebrated.

Winner: Antoine Winfield Jr., S

Well, that's not entirely true. As has been the case for most of his career, Antoine Winfield Jr. gave the Buccaneers a big play they didn't deserve.

On that last drive of the game, Winfield came flying out of nowhere to stop what would have been a go-ahead touchdown with almost no time left. This isn't the first time we've seen him turn in these sorts of heroics, but it'll never get old seeing it.

Thank goodness for Antoine Winfield Jr., who continues to be perhaps the most clutch and important player on the roster.

Loser: SirVocea Dennis, LB

It was a rough first half for a player the Bucs are relying on to take a huge step forward this season. The lack of linebacker depth means SirVocea Dennis needs to step up, but he hardly did out of the gate.

Dennis was on the wrong side of a handful of plays in the first quarter, including a massive touchdown catch-and-run by Bijan Robinson. Things got so bad that he was benched after a blown assignment, which was exactly the opposite of what Tampa Bay needed out of a player so much hope rests upon.

Winner: SirVocea Dennis, LB

Wait, what?

That's right, despite a rough start to the game, Dennis was able to adjust and find a groove in the second half. He came down with a great stop that helped keep points off the board int he third quarter and was a big part of a surprisingly effective pass rush in the fourth quarter.

He might have blown an assignment early, but whatever Todd Bowles said to him on the sideline worked. He went from being benched to being all over the defense for all of the right reasons late.

Winner: Bucky Irving, RB

Perhaps no Buccaneers player had more hype around him coming into the season than Bucky Irving. He was a hot fantasy football pick and was just about everyone's pick to have a big season in what should be a high-powered offense.

He didn't put up huge numbers but he was featured heavily and often by Josh Grizzard. It sets the stage for heavy usage

Winner: Emeka Egbuka, WR

It took just one game for Emeka Egbuka to justify the Buccaneers using the No. 19 overall pick on him. There was already a ton of buzz around Egbuka heading into the season, and he fully lived up to the hype with a four-catch, 67-yard game that saw him score his first career touchdown.

With Chris Godwin sidelined until November and Jalen McMillan unlikely to play at all this season, the Bucs need Egbuka more than they realized. Making matters even better is the fact that while Mike Evans didn't go off, he still ate, meaning the Bucs wide receiver room is off to a great start despite the unfortunate obstacles thrown its way.

His second touchdown of the day was the best, putting the Bucs over the top and ultimately serving as the game-winning score.

It's not his fault that the defense faltered or that Chase McLaughlin suddenly couldn't make a kick. He had two insanely clutch touchdowns and it's an early sign that he's going to be exactly the playmaker Tampa Bay drafted him to be.

Winner: Buccaneers run defense

This was a bit of an issue last season, but the Bucs clamped down hard on Bijan Robinson in Week 1. Most of the damage done by the Falcons top back was done through the air -- which isn't ideal but Tampa Bay's defense made him one-dimensional.

That one dimension was still deadly, but the fact that the run defense was able to take him out of the game in the second half was huge. With serious questions around the secondary, it's comforting to know that at least one level of the defense is something fans won't have to worry about.

Loser: Chase McLaughlin, K

Last year Chase McLauhglin was automatic and one of the most reliable kickers in the league. Twice he let the Bucs down, missing first a field goal and then an extra point -- both of which would have combined to put the game just out of Atlanta's reach.

Leaving four points on the field is never a good thing, but the fact that McLaughlin flinched twice is something to keep an eye on. The Bucs dealt with a questionable kicking situation last season which ended with Jake Camarda crashing out, and McLaughlin's leg is even more valuable.

Maybe this was just a one week fluke, but the last thing the Bucs need is for something like the kicking game to suddenly become something to worry about.

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