Skip to main content
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Advertising

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Game Awards: Buccaneers vs. Jaguars

Who got this week's Game Ball?

**

Pictures from the Buccaneers' Preseason Week 2 matchup with the Jaguars.

Game Ball:For the second straight week,QB Jameis Winston** was in complete control while the first-team units were battling. Winston led the Bucs on an 11-play, 83-yard drive on the visitors' first possession, ending in Doug Martin's two-yard TD run. Each of Tampa Bay's first three drives ended in scores and Winston was coldly efficient, completing 21 of 29 passes for 196 yards in the first half. The Buccaneers were five-of-nine on third downs before halftime, racking up 240 yards to Jacksonville's 59. Most importantly, Winston spread the ball around to his vast array of targets, completing important passes to Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Adam Hayward, O.J. Howard, Cam Brate, Chris Godwin and Doug Martin.

**

Play of the Game:You could pick just about any snap on the Bucs' opening drive, which began with four straight successful Doug Martin touches. Winston also completed third-down passes to Cam Brate and Adam Humphries to keep it moving. But the one thing Head Coach Dirk Koetter wanted from his offense this week, after an up-and-down preseason opener, was to finish drives. That happened when the Bucs handed it toDoug Martin**, who took a handoff straight ahead and then bounced it wide to the left and out-ran the pursuit for the game's first points. Tampa Bay never trailed. "It felt real good to get into the end zone," said Martin. "I haven't been in there for a while so it was good to score. Even though the crowd isn't our home crowd, I saw some Bucs fans there and I waived to them so it was a good feeling."

**

Turning Point:** In some respects, there wasn't a turning point, as Tampa Bay scored on each of its first three drives and never trailed. However, Jacksonville had the ball first and was able to start the game with a quick first down. On the ensuing first down, linebacker Lavonte David knifed through the line and dropped running back T.J. Yeldon for a loss of one. The Jaguars punted three plays later and never got their starting offense on track, producing just 59 first-half yards. David finished with four tackles, two for a loss, plus a sack and a pass defensed.

It Was Over When: First-year safety Isaiah Johnson batted away a short "Hail Mary" pass as time expired. The Buccaneers' third-string defense had held on three downs from its own two-yard line, including a key pass-breakup by rookie cornerback Maurice Fleming, but they still had to free-kick it back to the Jaguars after taking an intentional safety. Johnson's PBU clinched the victory for the Buccaneers, although even a fluky last-second loss in the preseason wouldn't have diminished what Tampa Bay's first-teamers accomplished before halftime.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.
win monthly prizes, download the app and turn on push alerts to score

Download the Buccaneers app and turn on push alerts for your chance to win

Latest Headlines

Advertising