The Bucs are back, baby! As they moved to 8-7 on the year with their 4th straight victory, beating the Jaguars 30-12. So many contributors had standout days for Tampa Bay but here are your MOST impressive in week 16.

QB Baker Mayfield

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Mayfield wasn’t perfect like the week prior. He had a couple of turnover-worthy plays. But that didn’t hold him back from running the offense at a high level. 26-35 for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield made all of the right reads throughout the day and some impressive throws. His second touchdown to Evans was a perfect pass between two defenders.

Mayfield’s best assets on the day was his ability to read the defense and find the open receiver (there were a lot of them) and his penchant for avoiding sacks from a surprisingly leaky offensive line to extend plays and avoid negatives.

HC Todd Bowles

Bowles has made some low-key improvements in how he manages in-game in recent weeks. Don’t worry if you haven’t noticed. I’ve got you.

Since week 9 only Mike McCarthy has been as Todd as Todd Bowles on going for it on 4th down when they should.

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Bowles has lost the Bucs multiple games in the past two years with conservative game-management but around midseason there has been a change. And that continued in this game. Leading off the 2nd quarter up 3-0 and at the Jacksonville 18 the Bucs faced a 4th and two. Traditional Bowles would opt for the points and run out his kicking team to take a six-point lead. But the new and improved Todd Bowles said “Let it rip,” and Rachaad White was able to run for four yards and a first down. They would later score a touchdown to go up two scores 10-0 and never look back.

Then in the 4th quarter, up 30-6 with 11:40 left in the game and on the Jaguars 26, Bowles said “Screw the field goal! Let’s go for it again!” This time the result wasn’t as positive, but the process was still right and aggressive.

WR Mike Evans

Evans didn’t get truly involved in the Bucs’ second drive. But once he got rolling, he got ROLLING. Evans had seven catches on eight targets for 86 yards and two touchdowns. The first touchdown was a beautiful return route where he left the cornerback grabbing for his jersey as Evans created plenty of separation for Mayfield to find him in the near corner of the end zone. On the second Evans went up in the air between two defenders to haul in a seed from Mayfield.

Baker to Evans again!

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Evans was creating even though he was not as open as other receivers throughout the day. His average yards of separation, per Next Gen Stats, was only 2.04 yards where the league runs around 2.95 average.

ILB Devin White?!?!

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: USA Today

White took the criticism levied upon him over the past week and absolutely balled out in this game. Three tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a big interception early in the game. That interception was in Bucs territory on a third and 15. Tampa Bay has struggled stopping offenses on third and long this season, so getting this turnover and returning it to near midfield was big.

It would lead to the Bucs second score of the game. White was especially effective in his most famous role. He was fast and explosive as an add-on blitzer, getting to the quarterback twice. His second QB-takedown was negated on a bullshit roughing the passer call. The league has had embarrassing refereeing all year so add this to the list. White looked faster and healthier than he has in weeks. It’s a good sign going forward.

ILB Lavonte David

How many 34-year-old linebackers do you know who are still playing high-level, assignment-sound football while still mixing in splash plays? I know one. And if you are reading this article, you do as well. Lavonte is still brilliant, athletic, instinctive and downright fun. All of that was on display as he registered eight tackles and this sack.

DROPPED 😤

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David led the way in run defense as well, helping the Bucs vaunted unit to holding Jaguars running back Travis Etienne to 12 yards on just six carries. The Jaguars had a total of 37 yards rushing on 13 carries with quarterback Trevor Lawrence leading the way with 29 yards on four scrambles.

S Antoine Winfield Jr.

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

Is there any player in all of football having a better season than Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Coming into the game Winfield was burnishing All-Pro credentials with 107 tackles, four for a loss, four sacks, five forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, and two interceptions. Winfield Jr. only bolstered that case with three tackles, a sack and an interception. His pick in the second quarter stopped a Jacksonville two-minute drive where the Jaguars were trying to get back into the game and set up a Bucs touchdown that put Tampa Bay up 20-0 with just 45 seconds left in the half.

The sack followed that Bucs touchdown and killed yet another Jaguars attempt to score at the end of the first half. Winfield was everywhere at all times. He has legitimately risen to the BEST safety in football. It’s not a conversation anymore. It’s Winfield in a class of his own. Then Jessie Bates III. Then everyone else. Winfield would leave the game in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion and that needs to be monitored going forward as he is the Swiss army knife that holds up both the floor and the ceiling of the defense.

Bucs Pass Rush

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby and ILB Devin White and Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When Bowles’ blitz scheme hits, well it HITS. And today it hammered. Lawrence was under siege by the Bucs defensive line, aided by the linebackers and defensive backs all day.  Tampa Bay had four sacks and at least 20 pressures (will have to check this on Monday when data is available). Yaya Diaby, Logan Hall, Vita Vea, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Calijah Kancey, Greg Gaines, and Shaq Barrett all had multiple pressures on the day. David, White and Winfield will get most of the statistical credit as their blitzes hit, but the line did a ton of damage on their own.

Diaby was the real star of the day with 1.5 sacks including an awesome twist on a T/E stunt, two quarterback hits, a force fumble, a fumble recovery, and five tackles. The third-round pick continues to show out with key splash plays. The pass rush was instrumental not only in creating negative plays through sacks, but in keeping Lawrence uncomfortable. That discomfort forced the young Jaguars passer to throw two interceptions. Barrett also had a solid game as a rusher averaging 3.75 yards of separation from the quarterback showing he was consistently getting pressure. The box score shows only two tackles but Barrett had a nice game overall.