DETROIT-- Injured right thumb & all, quarterback Jameis Winston made history by throwing for 458 yards as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) beat the Detroit Lions 38-17. Winston became the first player in NFL history to throw for over 450 yards in consecutive games in the team's fourth straight win overall.
Detroit (3-10-1) won the game's opening toss & elected to kickoff. And on their first play from scrimmage Tampa Bay picked up a first down when Winston hit running back Ronald Jones out of the backfied for a 26 yard catch & run. But after back to back plays where offensive tackle Josh Wells, who was starting for injured left tackle Donovan Smith, picked up penalties, Winston had his first pass of the game intercepted by linebacker Jahlani Tavai. The interception was Winston's fifth thrown during the team's first possession of the game this season.
The Lions were not able to take advantage of the good field position because of the turnover. And when the Buccaneers got the ball back, Winston led an eight play touchdown drive for the game's first points. Winston threw for 70 yards on the 79 yard drive that ended when he hooked up with wide receiver Breshad Perriman on a post pattern for a 34 yard touchdown play.
The Lions got a first down because a penalty on their next drive but nothing more. And after a punt that was mishandled by wide receiver Justin Watson, who was returning punts for only the second time in his career, the Buccaneers were backed up at their own goal line. But that just meant their next drive would cover all of 99 yards. On a third down conversion inside his own 10 yard line, Winston hit wide receiver Scotty Miller for an 11 yard gain. Then two plays later the Buccaneers had a 14-0 lead. On the first play, wide receiver Chris Godwin got into the action when he grabbed a pass & went up the right sidelines for a 51 yard catch. Then Miller ran past the Lions secondary to snatch a 33 yard pass from Winston for the wide receiver's first career touchdown.
The Buccaneers forced a three & out by the Lions. And although their next drive stalled once they got into Lions' territory, the Buccaneers went 67 yards on their next drive. The drive ended on a third & 15 play when Winston, who threw for 308 yards in the first half, connected with Perriman for their second touchdown in the first half, this one for 25 yards.
Trailing 21-0, the Lions strung together their lone scoring drive in the first half. The drive included Lions quarterback David Blough using the short passing game to move the ball into Buccaneers' territory. But Blough was unable to convert a third & 11 play, which forced the Lions to bring out kicker Matt Prater, who split the uprights from 44 yards away.
In the first half, the Buccaneers gained 336 yards & registered 15 first downs. And they added to their lead in the third quarter after turning an interception by safety Andrew Adams into three more points when kicker Matt Gay drilled a 46 yard field goal.
With the score 24-3, the Lions scored on back to back drives, with both touchdowns scored by running back Wes Hills, who was recently promoted from the practice squad & was playing in his first career NFL game. But even after the Buccaneers failed to add to their lead when Gay hit the left upright on a field goal attempt from 54 yards away, the LIons missed their opportunity for a huge comeback after Blough was intercepted by cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting & the rookie who played his played his college football at Central Michigan, sprinted down the left sideline for a 70 yard pick six touchdown.
The Lions next drive ended with a turnover on downs after an incompletion by Blough on a fourth down attempt. And after getting the ball back, the Buccaneers closed the scoring out when Winston connected with Perriman for a 25 yard touchdown pass play, their third touchdown connection of the game. Winston, who finished with four passing touchdowns, eclipsed his career high after setting it last week with 456 yards against the Indianapolis Colts. And although he was missing one of his biggest weapons, wide receiver Mike Evans who missed the game with a pulled right hamstring, Winston hit 11 different receivers with his 28 completions.
Tampa Bay has a short week because they host the Houston Texans (9-5) at Raymond James Stadium this Saturday at 1pm. And the biggest concerns for the team will be the health of two starters, wide receiver Chris Godwin & safety Jordan Whitehead, along with wide receiver Scotty Miller. All three left the game with hamstring injuries.