Quarterback Jameis Winston became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for back-to-back 450-yard games in the Bucs’ 38-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, despite starting the game without Mike Evans and Donovan Smith while losing Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller along the way.
The defense did there part as well, limiting the Lions’ damage before rookie Sean Murphy-Bunting returned home to Michigan in a big way, sealing the game with a pick-six late in the fourth quarter.
Bruce Arians spoke to the media following Tampa Bay’s victory. Read the full transcript below.
(Opening statement)
“There’s always an ebb and a flow in a ball game. We kind of gave up two broken plays, got them down there, but them our defense, I thought, really rebounded well. Obviously Sean [Murphy-Bunting] get the pick-six and pretty much puts it on ice. We get another stop and then Jameis hits Breshad [Perriman]. Obviously Chris [Godwin] is down with another hamstring, Scotty [Miller] got a hamstring injury when he scored his touchdown. Can’t say enough about the guys. [Ishmael Hyman] jumped in there, caught a big first down play. [Tanner Hudson] we’ll see, he has a head injury, but he made a big play. Other than… Throw an interception, get this (expletive) over with, let’s go win the game. I thought Jameis played really, really well. He saw the hot [read], it was a little bit late and the guy made a good play on it.”
(On if Winston stacking up good performances makes a future decision about him easier)
“There’s more good than bad and that’s what we’ve been looking for the whole time. The biggest thing, for me, is that we didn’t give up any points. We turned the ball over inside the 50 this time and nothing. The defense is starting to grow up a little bit, sudden-change defense and protecting him a little better.”
(On people stepping up following injuries)
“I think, with the injuries that occured in-game, I can’t enough about the guys. Like I said, I don’t care what your jersey number is, when you have that Buccaneers logo on your helmet there is an expectation level of your play when you step out on the field whether you were on the practice squad last week or if you’ve been a backup tackle or a backup noseguard. The level of expectation doesn’t change, get out there and do something to win the game.”
(On Perriman’s performances the past few games)
“I’m surprised it took this long, I really am. I guess with Chris and Mike [Evans] having the years that they’ve had it’s hard but he had a great ball game. That last one was a great throw and catch. We had him earlier and we got hit right when we’re ready to go get him. I thought he had a long one, a 99-yarder, but yeah, I can’t say enough about him.”
(On the offensive line committing two penalties early and calming down)
“There’s always some butterflies early and I didn’t see the block in the back but they obviously saw it.”
(On what’s lead to this four-game win streak)
“Everything. The way we’re practicing, the way we’re performing on Sundays. It’ll be a big test now, we’ll see who’s left with Houston after a short week.”
(On the surge of injuries)
“We’ll be talking a lot to our sports science people about it. Maybe I’ve overworked them in practice, the receivers, because we need the reps. Our quarterback needs the reps so we run a little bit more this time of the year than I would probably like to but we need the reps.”
(On the pain level of Winston’s thumb)
“I think there’s some discomfort, I don’t know how much pain but there’s discomfort. He got used to the glove real quick and the guys did a great job of making that thing for him.”
(On Murphy-Bunting’s interception)
“That was a huge, huge play. They kept throwing to the guys that can’t catch. They finally threw one to the guy that can catch and it went to the house. I mean [Jamel] Dean’s got the easiest pick-six he’s ever going to get, it goes through his hands, Carlton [Davis] waves at one. But yeah, it was a big, big play in the game.”
(On when they knew Winston would be good to play)
“It was Friday. Watching him in Friday’s practice with the glove and the brace and the fact that he wanted to play speaks volumes about him.”
(On Shaq Barrett tying Warren Sapp’s franchise sack record)
“We had about eight more sacks out there that we let go, but [David Blough] did a great job of scrambling. That’s a huge record, I don’t think we can overlook that one at all. That’s big time.”
(On Ndamukong Suh’s sack)
“We came off of the edge and it looks like both guys missed and they finally pushed him into Suh and he got him on the ground. I thought he was going to get the ball out but he didn’t get a penalty, that’s good.”
(On what four straight wins means to him)
“It’s everything. What we’re trying to do, finish out on a very positive note. With all the guys that had to step up in this ball game, especially offensively, it means a ton.)
(On an update about Godwin’s injury)
“It doesn’t look good.”
(On Donovan Smith’s injury)
“He was close today. Ali [Marpet] bullrushed him and he couldn’t handle it so that was it.”
(On Barrett’s future)
“He ain’t going anywhere.”
(On Winston’s performance with a fractured thumb)
“I thought it was fantastic. Just give them one and let’s go play and let’s win the game. That first quarter was lights out. Every ball was on the money so I can’t say enough about it.”