The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, 30-12, basically coasting to the double-digit win after going up 30-0 in the third quarter. After the game, both Head Coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Baker Mayfield almost immediately described the effort as "complementary football." That was mostly in reference to the fact that the Buccaneers forced four turnovers and scored touchdowns after each of the first three.
Four different players were responsible for those turnovers, as linebacker Devin White and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. both had interceptions while outside linebacker Yaya Diaby and cornerback Zyon McCollum forced fumbles that were recovered by Tampa Bay. It was a masterful defensive performance for the Bucs' defense, which didn't allow a snap inside its red zone until the third quarter was almost complete. Linebacker Lavonte David also had a big day with eight tackles and a sack.
On offense, quarterback Baker Mayfield stayed on his current heater, recording a 116.7 passer rating that almost (but definitely not) elicits a yawn after his perfect and historic 158.3 rating the week before in Green Bay. Another game, another two touchdown passes to Mike Evans, who is now all alone in 12th place in NFL history in scoring grabs. Rachaad White scored his eighth touchdown in the last eight games and Chris Godwin continued to move the chains on seemingly every third down.
If this was such a complementary effort, should we just give a Game Ball to the whole team and be done with it? Nope! That's not what we do here. After each Buccaneers victory, Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix and I are asked to nominate two players for the honor of receiving our (fictional) Game Ball. Those two are then included in a list of four candidates…and then the final decision is up to you. After you review the cases we make for two of those players, you will find a link at the bottom of the page to cast your ballot.
Since we can't duplicate votes and getting the first pick can be important in some weeks, we are alternating the order of our choices from win to win. I get to go first this week. So, who should get this week's Game Ball? Here are our suggestions:
Scott Smith: S Antoine Winfield Jr.
The last time I got to pick first, my heart said Winfield but I was afraid of coming off as too much of a Stan, given that I felt like was always picking the Bucs' rising-star safety. Well, this time, Winfield just wouldn't be denied.
What didn't the NFL's second Antoine Winfield do on Sunday against the Jaguars? He's a pass rusher, he's a centerfielder, he's an enforcer around the line of scrimmage, he's a loose ball magnet. Winfield finished the game with three solo tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, an interception, a pass defensed, a fumble recovery and a Nobel Prize, probably. He now leads the Buccaneers in 2023 in interceptions (3). And passes defensed (12). And forced fumbles (5). And fumble recoveries (4). He's second in tackles (110), but Lavonte David better look out.
In the second quarter, with the Bucs up 13-0 and looking to stuff the Jaguars into a very deep hole, Winfield dived to catch a pass that Trevor Lawrence threw deep down the middle and over Evan Engram's head. The offense used that extra possession just before halftime to drive for another touchdown and a 20-0 lead.
The Jaguars had a little time left in the first half after that touchdown and tried to get into scoring position, but Winfield denied that attempt. On third-and-three, the Bucs brought a big blitz up the middle and it was Winfield who got to Lawrence, dropping him for an eight-yard sack and forcing a punt.
The Jaguars finally scored late in the third quarter against a Bucs' defense that was more concerned with draining the clock, and they got the ball back early in the fourth period. C.J. Beathard, in for an injured Lawrence, completed a 13-yard pass to Engram but McCollum was able to poke the ball free. Unsurprisingly, it was Winfield who got to it first on the turf.
I'm starting to sound like a broken record but I don't care: When the Buccaneers' defense needs a big play, more often than not it's Winfield who provides it. He did so on multiple occasions Sunday against Jacksonville. Give this man his Game Ball already.
Brianna Dix: OLB Yaya Diaby
I was tempted to go with Baker Mayfield on this one, as he put up another stellar outing in Week 16, completing 26-of-35 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns to no interceptions while earning a passer rating of 116.7. He has produced a sensational resumé in December, rallying the team. Mayfield would certainly be deserving of the Game Ball – heck, even the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award - but considering the efforts by the Bucs' swarming defense against Jacksonville, I am going to turn my attention to third-round draft pick Yaya Diaby.
Against the Jaguars, Diaby finished the Week 16 matchup with five tackles (two for loss), 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hit. He became the first rookie in 2023 to record a game with at least one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. On the season, Diaby is tied for first in sacks by a rookie (6.5) and is second in tackles for loss among rookies (nine), behind teammate Calijah Kancey who has produced 10. The power rusher plays with short-area burst and is able to separate at the point of attack with a solid punch. Diaby is able to accelerate nearly instantaneously to chase down targets and that became evident on Sunday. In the second quarter, the Jaguars dialed up an end-around featuring Calvin Ridley. Diaby immediately sniffed out the play, drove downhill and dropped Ridley for a loss of 12, setting up second-and-22.
In the third quarter, Diaby made an impact with a high-effort play. He brought pressure and collapsed the pocket along with Devin White. Diaby took advantage of Trevor Lawrence's ball security issues in the pocket and forced the ball out on the pump fake. He recovered the ball at the Jacksonville 37, putting the Bucs' offense right back on the field. That play led to a Rachaad White two-yard touchdown rush. Diaby made his presence felt up and down the line of scrimmage, wreaking havoc on Christmas Eve at Raymond James Stadium. With an elite pass-rush motor, bend around the edge and quickness off the snap, he set the tone alongside Winfield Jr. This man also deserves his props for an incredible rookie campaign.
Who deserves the Game Ball for the Bucs' win over the Jaguars? Click here to cast your vote.
