QB executing a late drive
Winston did it the past two weeks in wins over Indianapolis and Detroit.
“Anytime you start a sentence with, `In the history of the NFL,’ it’s big,” Arians said. “And for Jameis I’m really, really happy for us and for him to be able to put his name in the record books.”
What’s working: The Bucs started quickly against the Lions — building an early 21-0 lead — and finished strong, scoring on defense and offense after Detroit rallied within 24-17. That’s a stark contrast to the first half of the season when they struggled to hold second-half leads.
What needs help: Winston’s big numbers, particularly the past two games, continue to overshadow the lack of a consistent running game. The Bucs rushed for just 49 yards on 29 attempts, with leading rusher Ronald Jones II averaging 2.1 per carry while gaining 23 yards on 11 attempts. Backup Peyton Barber was even less productive, averaging 1.7 and finishing with 17 yards on 10 carries.
Stock up: OLB Shaquil Barrett, who has tied Hall of Famer Warren Sapp’s franchise single-season sacks record, is headed for a big payday after signing a one-year $4 million contract with Tampa Bay in free agency last winter. He leads the NFL with 16.5 sacks in his first-year as a full-time starter after having 14 combined with Denver over the first five seasons of his career.
Stock down: With the Bucs (7-7) riding a four-game winning streak, there’s no clear-cut candidate, though safety Mike Edwards might qualify after twice knocking Sean Murphy-Bunting down as his fellow rookie celebrated returning an interception 70 yards for a touchdown that ended Detroit’s comeback bid.
“I was trying to like, find somewhere to find some fun,” Murphy-Bunting said. “He just kept nagging at me. He was like that annoying kid, likeH, `ey, hey, hey. Hey!’ He kind of messed it up. It was still fun, though. It was so exciting to see the reaction of everybody.”