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The Bucs escaped Sunday’s Week 9 matchup with the Rams as winners, thanks in large part to a late defensive stop and Tom Brady’s 55th career game-winning drive. But after the victory, the game ball deservedly went to rookie punter Jake Camarda. Now, in addition to his game ball, he earned his first NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award, the NFL announced Wednesday.
Camarda posted a spectacular 59.5 yards per punt mark in Sunday’s win over Los Angeles, which tied the highest average for any punter with six-plus punts in a game in NFL history. Not only that, but the 2022 fourth-round pick also tied a Bucs franchise record with a 74-yard punt in the third quarter of the game.
Your NFC Special Teams Player of the Week 👏
✅ 74-yard punt ties a franchise record
✅ 59.5 average ties the highest mark by any punter with six-or-more punts in a game in NFL history pic.twitter.com/XunbAtkeJZ— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 9, 2022
Camarda is the first Buc to win the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award since Bradley Pinion earned it following a stellar Week 1 performance in 2021. He’s also the first Bucs rookie to win a weekly award since 2016, when Roberto Aguayo won the same award after connecting on all four of his field goal attempts in a road win over the Chiefs.
Camarda Was Key To Bucs Flipping The Field In Sunday’s Win
Camarda’s 74-yard punt was crucial in terms of flipping the field, especially since it came after back-to-back penalties on the punt team backed the Bucs up to their own 15-yard line. The rookie’s boot set the Rams up at their 11-yard line. It was one of Camarda’s four punts that pinned Los Angeles inside its own 20 on the day.
Bucs P Jake Camarda – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
He probably should’ve had a fifth kick downed inside the 20, as replay showed that one of his punts bounced inside the 1-yard line and stayed in only to be called a touchback. There wasn’t going to be enough conclusive evidence to overturn the call, however, so he was stuck with what was ultimately an undeserved touchback.
In addition to his excellent punting day, the former Georgia Bulldog, who’s known to be a good athlete, also tallied two special teams tackles against the Rams. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was asked Monday if he liked that his punter was sticking his nose in and making plays in punt coverage, and he wasn’t exactly in favor of it.
“No, I am not okay with it,” Bowles said. “We have to do a better job with our coverage unit sealing up the middle of the field.”
On the season, Camarda has a 48.5 yards per punt average and has had 16 of his 44 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. With more field-flipping performances like the one he had against the Rams, he’s going to make Jason Licht’s decision to draft him in the fourth round look better and better.
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