FAB 5. SR’s BUC SHOTS
• One of the unsung heroes in Sunday’s 36-10 win over Chicago was Tampa Bay cornerback Josh Robinson, who has become one of the best gunners in the NFL this season playing opposite special teams captain Russell Shepard. With Shepard out the last two games due to a hip injury, Robinson stepped up his level of play and made a huge tackle on Bears punt returner Eddie Royal for a 2-yard loss at the Chicago 2-yard line. Three plays later on third-and-9, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was sacked by defensive end Robert Ayers and fumbled through the end zone for a safety.

“Yeah, we feel like we have two of the best gunners, one of the best tandems there is,” Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said. “We actually gave Josh Robinson the game ball for special teams for the Chicago game and it’s pretty apropos because [Tyreek] Hill, [Kansas City’s] return man is the top return guy in the AFC in punt returns. He’s dangerous both as a punt returner and a kick returner.

“Our entire punt team has been fantastic all year, the way ‘Depo’ [long snapper Andrew DePaola] is snapping it, [punter] Bryan [Anger] is kicking it, the way we’re protecting it and our gunners cover it, but we’re going to have to cover with everybody this week. These guys like to double the gunners and even though our gunners have done well against double teams, it puts more pressure on your inside guys.”

Robinson leads the Bucs in special teams tackles with six.

• Another senior defensive end to keep an eye on for the 2017 NFL Draft is Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis, who has nine sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery on the year. The 6-foot-4, 254-pound left end runs a 4.67 in the 40-yard dash and has 23.5 career sacks, including 9.5 last year in a breakout junior season in which Willis also forced four fumbles. Willis currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ fifth best pass rusher in college football, and he is likely a second- or third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

• PewterReport.com is thrilled to announce an exclusive partnership with Jennifer Zales, Tampa Bay Luxury Homes. As the Tampa Bay area’s premier luxury real estate agent, Zales will be the Official Real Estate Agent of PewterReport.com.

Zales also proudly serves as the Official Real Estate Agent of the Tampa Bay Rays and is an Official Partner of the Buccaneers Radio Network. On behalf of PewterReport.com I welcome Jennifer Zales, Tampa Bay Luxury Homes to the website and thank her for her company’s partnership:

“I’ve gotten to know Jennifer over the past couple of months and she’s everything you would want and expect in an experienced real estate agent. She’s extremely friendly and outgoing, she’s hard-working and knowledgeable, and she’s passionate about Tampa Bay area sports, especially the Buccaneers and the Rays. She understands the unique needs of working with athletes and within their organizations.

“On behalf of our company, we are excited about Jennifer’s decision to partner with us and become PewterReport.com’s official and exclusive real estate agent. We encourage our readers, Bucs fans and Bucs players to visit Jennifer’s great TampaBayLuxuryHomes.com website and call on her for your luxury real estate needs.”

• Tampa Bay wide receiver Vincent Jackson was placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL injury after Tampa Bay’s 20-17 win over Carolina in Week 5, but a report on SportingNews.com says that Jackson’s injury wasn’t that severe. What I can tell you is that Jackson only suffered a partial tear of his ACL, and that was a six-week injury.

However, Jackson, who is in his 12th season, was placed on IR because he’s 33 years old and the team wasn’t confident that he would recover sufficiently enough to return later in the season. I saw Jackson in the press box prior to the Oakland game and he was walking without a brace or a limp and told me that the injury did not require surgery. All signs are pointing to Jackson’s career ending after this season, though. It is doubtful the Bucs would even sign him to a one-year in 2017.

• Bucs offensive coordinator Todd Monken loves Jameis Winston’s competitiveness, and of all of Winston’s amazing plays in Sunday’s 36-10 win over Chicago, here’s the one that really stood out to him.

“The interception we had, guess who made the tackle? That guy,” said Monken, talking about Winston and him forcing a fumble on the play. “So, that says everything you want about him trying to make every play and how competitive he is. And yet, comes back to the sideline, is the first guy to tell Cecil [Shorts III], ‘Hey, I’m going to make a better throw next time.’ He’s not talking about, ‘Hey, what –,” no, he’s talking about, ‘I’ll do it better. How do I do better?’ It starts with him, that’s what makes him who he is.”

• If you enjoy reading my SR’s Fab 5 column each week, I encourage you to check out my other columns throughout the week. I pick the best and most interesting comments from each week’s SR’s Fab 5 and react to those on Wednesdays in my SR’s Fab 5 Reaction column.

I also author a weekly post-game column called 2-Point Conversion in which I make two big statements, pose two probing questions and make two bold predictions. This week I also wrote a column about Mike Evans’ decision not to stand for the National Anthem and how we should forgive Evans if his actions offended you that received over 80 comments.

Thanks for all the great feedback, and be sure to leave your comments on this week’s SR’s Fab 5 for use in next week’s SR’s Fab 5 Reaction.