Category: Latest Team News

Buccaneers beat Colts, but still eliminated from the playoffs

Despite a big comeback win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were eliminated from playoff contention.

In what became a shootout in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers were able to comeback from a 35-21 deficit in the third quarter and secure a 38-35 win behind Jameis Winston’s 456 yards, 5 touchdown (4 passing, 1 rushing) and yes, 3 interceptions.

Despite getting the win, to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bucs needed the Detroit Lions to beat the Minnesota Vikings today, which, unfortunately, didn’t happen.

It’s tough to be eliminated from the playoffs, let alone following a win. This late in the season if you’re not a division leader, that’s the name of the game. Don’t expect the Bucs to let off the gas though, with the second youngest roster in the league, this is very much needed experience for the team going forward. The playoffs may be out of the picture for this season, but there is a lot to build on towards next season.

With the Colts scoring 35 points, it would appear that the Bucs defense was gashed, which really wasn’t the case. Jacoby Brissett was held to 256 passing yards and two touchdowns, while the defense only allowed the Colts to generate 66 yards on the ground.

The Bucs will travel to Detroit next week to take on the Lions in an effort to earn their fourth-straight win and hopefully finish this 2019 on a high note.

[lawrence-related id=25950,25926,25921,25912]

QB Jameis Winston questionable to return with right hand injury

QB Jameis Winston left today’s game with a right hand injury. He is questionable to return. QB Ryan Griffin makes his NFL debut. – Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) December 8, 2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston, who …

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw two first-half interceptions, one of which was returned 80 yards for a score, was seen on the sideline to begin the second half. While most fans would believe the benching is due to his poor play, he did also have two touchdown passes and 277 passing yards in the first half, so a hand injury certainly seems like the reason he’s on the sideline.

The Bucs are hoping Ryan Griffin can give this team a spark and mount a comeback against the Colts. Most of all, they are just hoping he can protect the ball.

Remember, the team signed former first-round pick Blaine Gabbert this offseason to backup Winston, but an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in the preseason landed him on IR. You’ve got to believe the Bucs would’ve turned to Gabbert at some point this season given how Winston has struggled at times.

For now, though, they’ll have to rely on Griffin until Winston can return.

[lawrence-related id=25926,25921,25912,25906]

These stats about Jameis Winston and interceptions should seal his fate with the Bucs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston threw an interception on his first pass attempt against the Colts, and it’s a common issue.

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: Jameis Winston threw an interception.

All right, that’s not exactly a stunner for fans to hear. In fact, it really isn’t an NFL Sunday until Winston throws a pick.

Today’s interception came on just the second play of the game and Winston’s first pass attempt. Colts linebacker Darius Leonard snagged the ball and three plays later Indy quarterback Jacoby Brissett capitalized by throwing a 46-yard touchdown pass to receiver Marcus Johnson.

The pick was Winston’s 21st of the season, which leads the NFL and is also a career-high for the fifth year quarterback. His penchant for throwing interceptions at such an alarming rate has many fans calling for his job, and the Bucs will ultimately have to decide when the season ends if it’s worth bringing him back, if only for one more year.

But, these stats regarding Winston and his interception problem could very well seal his fate with the Bucs.

Take a look.

Three times this season Winston has been picked off on the first pass of the game! That’s unheard of. Even if you said it was the third time in his career he’s been picked off on his first pass attempt, that would still feel like one too many.

At this point, Winston is what he is, which is to say a mediocre quarterback who can put up big numbers, but can’t cut back on the turnovers. He’s Jay Cutler 2.0, and you can’t really argue that.

The Bucs always seem to be playing catch-up because of Winston’s turnovers. The team has talent on offense, but needs a quarterback who can manage the game and protect the ball.

Winston, unfortunately, is not that guy. Time to move on.

[lawrence-related id=25906,25898,25892,25885]

Vegas stats expert Matt Youmans likes the underdog Colts over the Bucs

See why Matt Youmans of the Vegas Stats & Information Network likes the Colts to upend the red-hot Buccaneers in Week 14.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-1 over their past four games and are hitting their stride in the second half of the season.

The Bucs welcome the 6-6 Indianapolis Colts to town in Week 14, who have lost four of their last five games and are fighting to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. These are two teams trending in opposite directions, so it should come as no surprise that Tampa Bay is favored at home.

But, one expert thinks you should put money on the Colts (+3), given Tampa Bay’s recent history against the spread (ATS).

See what Matt Youmans of the Vegas Stats & Information Network had to say.

“At 6-6, the Colts are still in the playoff hunt, but a loss here would basically bury them six feet under. Adam Vinatieri’s kicking woes have probably cost the Colts at least two wins. Vinatieri has a knee injury and might not go this week, and that’s not bad news because it should force coach Frank Reich to be more aggressive and stop opting for field goals. If quarterback Jacoby Brissett can bounce back from a poor performance against the Titans, the Colts should show they are the better team in this spot. After a 5-2 start, the Colts are 1-4 in their past five games with three of the losses by four points or fewer. Jameis Winston and the Bucs are 0-4 ATS at home this season.”

Tampa Bay does have a way of dropping games they should win, but based on how well they’ve looked the past two weeks, I think the Buccaneers are finally figuring things out — even if it is too little too late.

I think the Buccaneers will handle the Colts on Sunday and avoid finishing 5-11 for the third-straight season. And, yes, the Bucs will cover.

[lawrence-related id=25848,25833,25827,25819]

Gregg Rosenthal calls the Bucs ‘The Team You Don’t Want To Face In December’

Find out why Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com thinks the Bucs are headed for a win in Week 14 against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Buccaneers are 5-7 heading into Sunday’s Week 14 showdown with the Indianapolis Colts. But after going 3-1 over their past four games, Tampa Bay may be one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now.

Which is bad news for the 6-6 Colts, who are fighting to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Bucs have been competing on both sides of the ball lately, something you couldn’t say about them earlier in the year.

As the season draws to a close and teams look to solidify their postseason ranking, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com says Tampa Bay is the one team you don’t want to face in December. But, that may not sound as complimentary as you think.

Take a look.

“The Bucs look so good for stretches that it makes me angry they’ve lost seven games. The defense is peaking with Jason Pierre-Paul, Shaq Barrett and Devin White playing dominant ball, while the offense is looking more balanced lately, with O.J. Howard and Breshad Perriman making an impact. In short: They are The Team You Don’t Want To Face In December for the umpteenth straight season of the Jameis Winston era. This is the time of year the Bucs quarterback convinces all of Tampa that next year will be The Year. The hobbling Colts, their flaws showing after overachieving all year, are catching the Bucs at the wrong time.”

Talk about a backhanded compliment. Still, Rosenthal predicts the Bucs will beat the Colts 31-24. And, he isn’t wrong about Winston. The quarterback always seems to string together a few strong performances to end the season, giving fans and the team hope for the future.

However, things will be a bit different this time around, as the Bucs are under no obligation to bring him back in 2020 since he’s playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. But, there are some who believe Winston will be back in 2020, if only for one more year.

[lawrence-related id=25833,25827,25819,25811]

Bill Barnwell predicts Jameis Winston returns to the Bucs in 2020, but there’s a catch

Find out why Bill Barnwell of ESPN believes Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston could very well end up back with the team in 2020.

With four games left to go in the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem no closer to making a decision on quarterback Jameis Winston’s future now than they did before the season started.

Even head coach Bruce Arians dodged a question about Winston’s future yesterday, and at this point, it’s anyone’s guess whether or not the former Heisman Trophy winner suits up for the Bucs beyond this season.

With a sizable free agent quarterback market in 2020, Winston could find himself among a number of big names looking for a new team. But, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN, Winston could very well end up back in Tampa Bay next season, but with a catch.

“The Bucs could wait to see whether they find that [downfield passing attack] quarterback in the draft, but the 67-year-old Arians didn’t join Tampa to start a rebuild, and the Bucs would run the risk of ending up without a veteran starter or a quarterback of the future. Given the tepid market Winston would likely see if he did hit free agency, my guess is that the two sides come to terms on a multiyear deal to keep him around for 2020 with no guaranteed money afterward.“

That right there would be the most likely scenario should the Bucs decide to bring him back. A one-year prove it deal (again) would give them a better idea of how to proceed going forward. If they choose to move on after 2020, they can part ways with him without taking a huge financial hit.

As I wrote yesterday, if you want to make the case for bringing Winston back for one more year, look no further than former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer, in his first year playing under Arians, threw 24 touchdowns and a career-high 22 interceptions. But, in his second full season playing under Arians, he threw for a career-high in both passing yards (4,671) and touchdowns (35), while leading the Cards to a 13-3 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. Even better, he threw just 11 interceptions that year, the fewest in a season where he played at least 10 games.

Maybe giving Winston one more year to learn under Arians isn’t such a bad idea after all.

[lawrence-related id=25811,25801,25787,25779]

Here’s one reason why Shaq Barrett wants to be in Tampa next year

See why Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaq Barrett would love to return to the Bucs next season.

Even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn’t have anticipated the type of season linebacker Shaq Barrett has put together when they signed him to a one-year deal in the offseason.

The former Denver Bronco and Super Bowl 50 champion has been a revelation for the Bucs defense this season. He leads the league in sacks with 14.5, including a four-sack performance in Week 3 against the New York Giants.

Barrett just turned 27 in mid-November, so you can be sure that teams will be lining up this offseason to vie for his services. But, if you’re a Bucs fan and worried about Barrett taking his talents elsewhere, you might be happy to hear that he’d prefer to stay in Tampa Bay. And, his reason is a good one.

Take a look.

Seriously, who doesn’t hate moving? It’s a pain for everyone involved, and let’s be honest, living in Florida year-round isn’t exactly a negative, especially if you’re making bank (no state income tax!).

Of course, it’ll all come down to dollars and cents and whether or not the Bucs can meet his demands. But, given how much Barrett has flourished in his first season playing under Todd Bowles, it seems like a mutually beneficial relationship for both parties. Plus, having Barrett lining up alongside Devin White for years to come would make this young defense that much more imposing.

We’ll just have to wait and see…

[lawrence-related id=25801,25787,25779,25772]

Bucs LB Devin White named NFC Rookie of the Month

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White has been having a strong second half and has earned accolades for his play.

It’s good to be Devin White right now.

After a rough start to his rookie year, the former LSU product and number five overall pick in April’s draft has begun to show the league why many people had him pegged as the best linebacker in the 2019 draft class.

In Sunday’s Week 13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, White had an interception, fumble recovery and defensive touchdown all in the first quarter. Head coach Bruce Arians said that White is finally coming into his own.

And it seems the rest of the NFL is starting to buy into the White hype, as the rook has just been named NFC Rookie of the Month for his solid play over the past several weeks.

White is the cornerstone of this Buccaneers defense. He was the first linebacker taken by Tampa Bay in the first round since Derrick Brooks in 1995.

The Bucs sure know how to pick ’em.

[lawrence-related id=25787,25779,25772,25764]

Why the case for keeping Jameis Winston beyond 2019 involves Carson Palmer

See why former Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is the perfect example of why a quarterback needs time to develop under Bruce Arians.

It may be hard to believe, but Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston still has a good number of defenders out there who feel he deserves to come back after this season, despite the number of interceptions and turnovers he has that have many experts saying otherwise.

Playing on the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, Winston has done little this season to make the decision about his future any easier for the Bucs. Despite big passing numbers, he leads the league with 20 interceptions, leading many to believe that these final four games could be his last in a Bucs uniform.

But, should Winston be given one more year under Bruce Arians before the team definitively decides whether or not to cut ties with the former number one overall pick?

It might be hard to argue in his defense, but, if you are going to, you need look no further than former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer to plead your case.

Palmer, like Winston, was a number one overall pick and spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before spending two forgettable years with the Oakland Raiders. Palmer came to Arizona in 2013, Arians’ first year coaching the team, and the numbers Palmer put up in that first year playing for Arians look very Winston-like.

In 2013, Palmer threw for 24 touchdowns and 22 interceptions while leading the Cards to a 10-6 record. Those 22 interceptions were a career high for Palmer. Through 13 weeks this year, Winston has thrown for 22 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, also a career high.

But, in his second full season playing under Arians in 2015 (Palmer was limited to just six games in 2014 due to injuries, but was 6-0 in those games), the former USC star led the Cardinals to a 13-3 record while throwing for a career high in both yards (4,671) and touchdowns (35), while throwing just 11 interceptions. He led the Cards to the 2015 NFC Championship Game and was a legitimate MVP candidate.

That’s not to say Winston will have the same success as Palmer if he continues playing for Arians, but the fact that Palmer also threw the most interceptions of his career during his first year with Arians may just prove that a quarterback needs time to learn and adjust his game to suit the offensive system.

Winston has four more games to make his case to Tampa Bay. Ultimately, Arians will likely be the one who decides his future beyond 2019.

[lawrence-related id=25779,25772,25764,25752]

Bruce Arians dodges question about Jameis Winston’s future

See what Bruce Arians had to say when asked whether or not he thinks Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston should return next year.

The uncertain status of Jameis Winston has been the elephant in the room all season long for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Actually, it’s been more like an elephant sitting on your lap and refusing to get up.

Ever since the Bucs hired Bruce Arians to take over for Dirk Koetter, the biggest question has been whether or not Arians — the alleged quarterback guru who’s worked with players like Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck over the course of his NFL coaching career — could save the career of the former number one overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner, who is playing on the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.

Winston has put up big passing numbers this year, and could make a run at 5,000 yards. But, as has been the case since he came into the league in 2015, turnovers have been the biggest issue for the Bucs quarterback. So far this season, Winston’s thrown a league-high 20 interceptions, and since coming into the league he’s turned it over an NFL-high 101 times.

Today, Arians was asked point blank if he’d endorse Winston returning beyond this year if Bucs management asked for an evaluation this week.

Take a look at what he had to say.

(Per Jenna Laine of ESPN.)

“I’m gonna pass on that one… I’m gonna wait until the end of December.”

I doubt any of us expected Arians to come right out and give a definitive answer one way or the other, but it’s clear that these last four games will be the most important of Winston’s career. Even if Tampa Bay chooses to go in a different direction and let Winston leave, a strong finish to the season would be a great way to convince other quarterback-needy teams to take a chance on him, even if only on a one-year deal.

The Bucs welcome the Colts to town in Week 14 and then face off against the Lions, Texans and Falcons to finish the season. Those last three opponents rank near the bottom of the league in pass defense, so Winston will certainly get the chance to put up big numbers.

The question is, can he do so without turning it over?

[lawrence-related id=25772,25764,25752,25746]