As the Bucs’ bye week arrives, Tampa Bay currently sits at 7-5 and holds the sixth seed in the NFC’s playoff picture.
While the bye week is a time for players to recover and get healthy, it’s also a week that allows coaches and fans to look back at the season so far as they prepare for the home stretch heading into (hopefully) playoff football.
With that, I’ve compiled the Bucs’ top 10 plays from their first 12 weeks.
No. 10: Shaq Barrett, Safety
With the Bucs up 13 points in the third quarter, a punt from Bradley Pinion left the Broncos to start their drive from the shadow of their own goalpost at the 8-yard line.
Two incomplete passes from quarterback Jeff Driskel and a holding penalty on Denver guard Graham Glasgow put the Broncos at third-and-13 from their own five-yard line when Barrett came free up the middle and got to Driskel for the safety.
No. 9: Leonard Fournette, 46-Yard Touchdown
After Tampa Bay had built an early 21-0 lead Carolina in Week 3, a late field goal brought the game within seven points just after the two minute warning.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski then secured the Panthers’ onside kick attempt and on the first play of the Bucs’ ensuing drive, with 1:56 remaining, Fournette broke free up the middle for a 46-yard touchdown run to give the Bucs a 31-17 lead, sealing the victory for Tampa Bay.
No. 8: Tom Brady/Rob Gronkowski, 12-Yard Touchdown
With a 21-10 lead over Green Bay in Week 6, Tampa Bay was facing a third-and-6 from the Packers’ 12-yard line when Brady found his long-time teammate Rob Gronkowski for their first touchdown connection with the Bucs.
Gronkowski gets one-on-one coverage on the outside, runs a fade route to the corner of the end zone and Brady delivers a perfect back shoulder pass for the score.
Below is an alternate angle of the touchdown reception.
No. 7: Tom Brady/Chris Godwin, 44-Yard Reception
Trailing 27-10 in the third quarter, and looking to mount a comeback, Tampa Bay was backed up to third-and-15 when Brady unloaded a perfect deep ball to Godwin while standing in the pocket and taking a huge hit from two rushers.
On the back end of the play, Godwin splits the three-deep safety coverage down the seam and lays out to haul in the pass.
Below is an alternate angle of the interception.
No. 6: Tom Brady/Scotty Miller, 33-Yard Touchdown
After building a 14-10 lead over the Raiders by the second quarter in Week 7, the Bucs were pinned back at their own 12-yard line with just over two minutes remaining in the first half to drive the length of the field and add to their lead heading into the locker room.
On second-and-10 from the 33-yard line, Brady loaded up and fired down the sideline for Miller and connected with his second-year speedster on arguably the best throw and catch we’ve seen from Tampa Bay this season.
Below is an alternate angle of the touchdown reception.
No. 5: Carlton Davis, Interception
With a 3-0 lead over Chicago in Week 5, the Bears had driven into Tampa Bay territory looking to answer back.
From the 36-yard line, quarterback Nick Foles fires down the right sideline for Allen Robinson but Carlton Davis had other plans, breaking up the pass and ultimately coming away with a big interception off of the deflection.
Below is an alternate angle of the interception.
No. 4: Mike Evans, Touchdown
Trailing 7-0 at the beginning of the second quarter against the Rams, the Bucs were facing third-and-1 from the Los Angeles 9-yard line.
Godwin motions out of the bunch formation and Brady hits Evans on a short out route to the sticks. Evans completes the pass at the 9-yard line, meets two defenders at the 8 and muscles his way to the goal line for a touchdown.
No. 3: Mike Edwards, Interception
After a hamstring injury sidelined cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting against the Broncos in Week 3, rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was shifted to nickel and second-year defensive back Mike Edwards took over the free safety position across from Jordan Whitehead.
Down by 18 with less than four minutes remaining, third-string quarterback Brett Rypien moved Denver down the field and into Tampa Bay’s red zone on 7-of-7 passing. But on fourth-and-1 from the 13-yard line Edwards hauled in an amazing first career interception on a pass intended for receiver Jerry Jeudy.
Below is an alternate angle of the interception.
No. 2: Jamel Dean, Pick Six
After two quick drives from Green Bay in Week 6, the Packers had quickly built a 10-point lead and needed a big stop from their defense, lest they allow the game to get a bit out of hand quickly.
After two consecutive incompletions from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to start the drive, Rodgers fired toward Davante Adams on an out route at the sticks and Dean, sitting as the outside cornerback in quarters coverage, jumped the route and took it to the house for six points. This play would kick off a 38-point run from Tampa Bay en route to their biggest win of the season over the previously undefeated Packers.
No. 1: Ronald Jones, 98-Yard Touchdown Run
With the Bucs leading the Panthers 20-17 in the third quarter in Week 10, Tampa Bay forced Carolina to punt from their own 49-yard line. Returner Antonio Brown let the ball bounce at the 10 and it was downed by the Panthers at the 2-yard line.
In relatively normal “inside the five” offense, Tampa Bay deployed 13 personnel with three tight ends on the field. Godwin’s pre-snap motion pulls linebacker Tahir Whitehead from the playside A-gap to the backside B-gap, allowing left guard Ryan Jensen to get a seal block in the second level.
Jones makes two beautiful cuts to navigate through the trenches, breaks a tackle and outruns the rest of the field for a 98-yard touchdown run.
Honorable Mentions
Pat O’Connor, Blocked Punt
Mike Evans, 23-Yard Touchdown
Below is an alternate angle of the touchdown.
Tom Brady/Scotty Miller, 47-Yard Reception
Below is an alternate angle of the reception.
Antione Winfield Jr., Pass Breakup
Mike Edwards, Interception
(Negated by penalty)
Below is an alternate angle of the interception.