Week 14 Recap: Bucs vs. Colts

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins a wild game at home against the Indianapolis Colts. This is the Bucs’ third win in a row. However, with Minnesota beating Detroit, the last playoff hopes have vanished for the Buccaneers.

After Disastrous Start, Bucs Offense Plays Well

Jameis Winston started off the game with a bad interception on his first pass play. On the very next drive, Dare Ogunbowale lost a fumble for the Bucs’ second turnover in as many drives.

Winston had another two-interception on the day. On the other hand, he reached a new personal record in passing yards with 456. Beyond that, he scored four touchdowns and ran for another one. He did all that with Mike Evans out for almost the entire game and with a broken thumb in the second half.

All in all, it was a day of ups and downs, of excellence and mediocrity. In other words, it was a reflection of what Jameis Winston’s NFL career has been so far.

Undoubtedly, what stands out with Winston is his uncanny ability to bounce back from mistakes, as he makes incredible plays right after getting picked off on a regular basis.

Running Game Nothing To Write Home About

Once again, the Bucs were not able to run the ball efficiently. Even against a defense that struggles against the run, the Buccaneers only rushed for 75 yards on 28 attempts. That is an average of fewer than 2.7 yards, which is simply not good.

Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich need to find a way to implement the running game better in order to diversify this offense more. Having to pass the ball for 45 times or more per game is not a recipe for success in the long run.

Defense Hit And Miss

The Buccaneers’ defense was faced with a team that likes to run the ball. The Bucs made life tough in that department. Marlon Mack rushed for only 38 yards on 13 carries and the Colts only ran for 60 yards in total.

The pass defense did not play as well, however. The secondary failed to pick off Jacoby Brissett and the pass rush only sacked him once. Brissett passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns.

Fortunately, the defense was able to hold the lead and stop the Colts on their final drive.

Next up is another road game against the Lions in Detroit.

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