**
Pictures from the Buccaneers' Week 12 matchup with the Seahawks.
3 QB Jameis Winston
13 WR Mike Evans
76 OT Donovan Smith and #13 WR Mike Evans
3 QB Jameis Winston
13 WR Mike Evans
13 WR Mike Evans
3 QB Jameis Winston and #13 WR Mike Evans
3 QB Jameis Winston and #74 G Ali Marpet
22 RB Doug Martin
3 QB Jameis Winston
13 WR Mike Evans
22 RB Doug Martin
22 RB Doug Martin
22 RB Doug Martin
43 RB Peyton Barber
19 K Roberto Aguayo
30 S Bradley McDougald
57 DE Noah Spence, #98 DT Clinton McDonald, and #92 DE William Gholston
93 DT Gerald McCoy
13 WR Mike Evans
10 WR Cecil Shorts, #13 WR Mike Evans, and #43 RB Peyton Barber
13 WR Mike Evans
13 WR Mike Evans, #43 RB Peyton Barber, and #82 TE Brandon Myers
93 DT Gerald McCoy
30 S Bradley McDougald
57 DE Noah Spence
57 DE Noah Spence, #96 DE Ryan Russell, and #28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
57 DE Noah Spence
91 DE Robert Ayers
13 WR Mike Evans
22 RB Doug Martin
22 RB Doug Martin
92 DE William Gholston
58 LB Kwon Alexander
96 DE Ryan Russell
96 DE Ryan Russell
76 OT Donovan Smith and #13 WR Mike Evans
74 G Ali Marpet and #3 QB Jameis Winston
21 CB Alterraun Verner
21 CB Alterraun Verner
21 CB Alterraun Verner and #54 LB Lavonte David
21 CB Alterraun Verner
21 CB Alterraun Verner
89 WR Russell Shepard
89 WR Russell Shepard
3 QB Jameis Winston
51 LB Daryl Smith and #23 S Chris Conte
22 RB Doug Martin
Bucs defense
93 DT Gerald McCoy
89 WR Russell Shepard
13 WR Mike Evans
3 QB Jameis Winston and #22 RB Doug Martin
91 DE Robert Ayers and #98 DT Clinton McDonald
3 QB Jameis Winston and #43 RB Peyton Barber
84 TE Cameron Brate
58 LB Kwon Alexander and #21 CB Alterraun Verner
3 QB Jameis Winston and #76 T Donovan Smith
68 C Joe Hawley and #3 QB Jameis Winston
58 LB Kwon Alexander
24 CB Brent Grimes and #58 LB Kwon Alexander
58 LB Kwon Alexander
57 DE Noah Spence
3 QB Jameis Winston
13 WR Mike Evans
13 WR Mike Evans and #88 TE Luke Stocker
Bucs vs. Seahawks
Bucs vs. Seahawks
93 DT Gerald McCoy
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves, #30 S Bradley McDougald, and #24 CB Brent Grimes
22 RB Doug Martin
24 CB Brent Grimes and #30 S Bradley McDougald
29 DB Ryan Smith
54 LB Lavonte David
54 LB Lavonte David
54 LB Lavonte David
93 DT Gerald McCoy, #54 LB Lavonte David and #58 LB Kwon Alexander
54 LB Lavonte David
93 DT Gerald McCoy
93 DT Gerald McCoy
23 S Chris Conte, #30 S Bradley McDougald and #58 LB Kwon Alexander
30 S Bradley McDougald
54 LB Lavonte David
30 S Bradley McDougald
54 LB Lavonte David, #30 S Bradley McDougald and #93 DT Gerald McCoy
48 LS Andrew DePaola and #30 S Bradley McDougald
96 DE Ryan Russell and #58 LB Kwon Alexander
52 LB Cameron Lynch
HC Dirk Koetter
3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston and #93 DT Gerald McCoy
HC Dirk Koetter
21 CB Alterraun Verner and HC Dirk Koetter
21 CB Alterraun Verner and #54 LB Lavonte David
21 CB Alterraun Verner and #54 LB Lavonte David
21 CB Alterraun Verner
3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston
Game Ball:** You need both hands to count the deserving candidates for this award: Mike Evans, Jameis Winston, Doug Martin and Kevin Pamphile on offense (Pamphile was singled out in the postgame locker room by Head Coach Dirk Koetter). Lavonte David, Bradley McDougald, Gerald McCoy, Noah Spence and Robert Ayers on defense. Bryan Anger and Josh Robinson on special teams. But the tiebreaker comes down to emotion. Cornerback Alterraun Verner played the game two days after the death of his father as a tribute to Robert Lee Verner, and he made a huge impact in the game. Verner took on a larger role in the defense in the absence of Jude Adjei-Barimah, and late in the first half he stifled a Seahawks rally by intercepting a Russell Wilson pass at the Buccaneers' 15. On Seattle's first drive of the second half, Verner made a diving breakup of a pass intended for WR Jermaine Kearse that would have been a big gain if complete. It's impossible to quantify the impact that the team's rallying around Verner had in the Bucs' best defensive effort in years, but it's also impossible to discount it.
**
Play of the Game:** Since Seattle never scored again after Verner's interception, it would be fair to also call that the play of the game. For variety's sake, we'll go with Lavonte David's forced fumble and 53-yard return in the fourth quarter. With seven minutes left in the game, the Buccaneers were trying to hold on to a nine-point lead but the Seahawks were threatening to cut the lead to two points. On third-and-seven, Wilson checked down to tight end Jimmy Graham two yards short of the sticks. Rookie CB Vernon Hargreaves reacted quickly and hit Graham low as the tight end turned upfield. The tackle flipped Graham in the air, and as his left hand touched the ground, David's knee jarred the ball out of his right hand. Initially unaware that the ball was loose, David realized there was a fumble when he inadvertently kneeled on the pigskin. He picked it up and sprinted down the right sideline for 53 yards to the Seattle 25. Though the Bucs would turn the ball over on an interception on the ensuing drive, the entire sequence essentially put the game out of reach.
**
Turning Point:** The Buccaneers scored the game's first 14 points in the first quarter and never trailed, so if this contest had a turning point it was early. In this case, it came when the Bucs faced a third-and-12 near midfield after a false start penalty. Winston dropped back to pass and enjoyed a well-formed pocket, giving him time to locate Evans, who had drifted behind cornerback Richard Sherman. Winston lobbed a perfect pass over Sherman's leaping hands and into those of Evans for a gain of 26 to the Seattle 30. That connection kept alive a drive that would eventually cover 78 yards on 14 plays and result in seven points.
It Was Over When: McDougald read Wilson's shot to hit WR Tyler Lockett deep and came over from centerfield to intercept the pass near the sideline at the Bucs' two. The odds against a Seattle victory were already low at that point, as McDougald's pick came with just over a minute left in the game, but it kept the home team from having to defend a potential onside kick and whatever possession would come after it if the Seahawks succeeded.
