Buccaneers: Ghosts of Kickers Past

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For the second time this season, in primetime no less, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been kicked in the gut by a familiar face. A kickers’ face.

It’s been no secret that the Buccaneers have had issues finding a consistent and capable kicker. Now, two kickers that were thrown to the way side, Cairo Santos and Matt Gay, have beaten them on game winning field goals this season. Santos of the Bears knocked through a 38 yard game winner with just over a minute left. The Buccaneers lost that game 20-19. Then, Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, former Buccaneer Matt Gay put the Rams in the lead for good on a 40 yarder with just over two minutes remaining.

Two Kicks In The Gut

Both former kickers definitely relished in the win, and rightfully so. Santos called it a “super special night” to kick the game winner against his former team. Matt Gay echoed those thoughts saying, “You can’t write it…… you’re going back to the place you were last year and the place you felt like you should have been and play on prime time on Monday Night Football. There was a lot of emotion for me coming back in.”

With all the struggles in the past this team has had in the kicking game, you’d think Buccaneers fans would be used to it. They’ve drafted them, signed them as free agents, and made them the highest paid at their position. Hell, they even traded up for one by the name of Roberto.

A New Hope

After all of that, it appears the Buccaneers have found an answer in Ryan Succop. Yes, Mr. Irrelevant turns out to be the guy for the Buccaneers. The last guy taken in the 2009 NFL Draft has been nearly money for the Buccaneers in 2020. A look at his numbers below reaffirms this.

2020 Stats

FG FG% 50+ XP XP% TOT PTS
21/23 91.3 1 33/35 94.3 96

 

The Buccaneers have five more regular season games on their schedule. We better go check those rosters for former Buccaneer kickers.

Written by: Joshua Cole Allen 

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