The Bucs seem to be taking my predictions for them to lose to heart, as they dominated a team I picked to beat them for a second straight week, taking the Las Vegas Raiders down 45-20 in the Raiders’ new home.
Everyone looked really good offensively. TB12 was dropping dimes all over the field, throwing touchdowns to Scotty Miller, Chris Godwin, Gronk, and rookie Tyler Johnson, while also sneaking in for a rushing touchdown (Brady’s final statline; 33/45 for 369 yards and 4 TDs).
Speaking of those guys, Miller, Godwin and Gronk looked brilliant, with Miller getting the first 100-yard game of his career, Godwin catching all nine of his targets, and Gronk showing that explosiveness that he was known for in New England. It was great to see Godwin back in action, as he has been dealing with injuries seemingly all year, and Gronk is really settling into a groove after a productive game last week as well.
As for the running game, it was a bit off, only getting 85 yards on the ground as a team, but that might have had something to do with Brady throwing the ball so well. Stick with what works, right? Unfortunately it came at the expense of Ronald Jones’ 100-yard-rushing streak, as the former USC Trojan only ran for 34 yards and a TD (sorry, ROJO). Leonard Fournette got some touches coming back from an injury himself, as he ran for 50 yards on 11 carries and contributed with his pass catching with six receptions for 47 yards.
The defense looked a little shaky at some points, giving up some big plays through the air to Derek Carr and that underrated Raider offense, but it got the job done when it needed to. The future defensive rookie of the year, Antoine Winfield Jr., came through with a clutch pick (the first of his career) in the fourth quarter that helped set up a ROJO touchdown to seal the victory for the Bucs.
Around the NFC South, the Falcons blew yet another lead (they keep getting more and more embarrassing), losing to the Lions 23-22 on a game-winning TD by the Lions’ Matthew Stafford, and the Saints managed to squeak out a win against the Panthers, 27-24. The Bucs take on the struggling Giants (1-6, ouch, but that’s still good enough to keep them in the hunt in the absolutely horrid NFC East) on Monday Night Football next week. I don’t want to say 6-2 is secured, but things are looking good.
The Bucs keep winning. That’s all that matters. That, and Randy Arozarena continuing to put the Rays on his back to lead them to postseason victories. I still can’t believe that ending Saturday night to even up the World Series at 2-2. Maybe Tampa Bay really is turning into the new Title Town.
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This article appears in Oct 22-29, 2020.