Antoine Winfield Seemed To Channel John Lynch
December 3rd, 2023
Season-changing pick?
Man, for Joe, tonight’s Bucs win over the Stinking Panthers had similarities to a Bucs playoff win in 1999.
The Bucs back then hosted Washington in a division-round game. Like tonight, that game was also a late-afternoon start that turned dark in the second half.
And like in that playoff game, the Bucs offense in the first half was so dreadful they should have played in the dark as to eliminate witnesses and public embarrassment.
And like that playoff game, tonight’s game had a critical interception by a stud safety along the sidelines.
Future Hall of Famer John Lynch picked off a Washington quarterback Brad Johnson pass along the right sidelines, just got his feet in bounds, and fiercely spiked the ball in front of the offense as a message they needed to get off their ass now or the season was lost.
Tonight, the Bucs were clinging to a 21-18 lead with 3:31 left and Carolina with the ball on their own 40. Fourth-and-one and Stinking Panthers rookie Bryce Young was in shotgun (!). He tried to get the ball to Adam Thielen down the right sideline.
Winfield, playing at an All-Pro level this season, raced in and picked off the ball and had the presence of mind to get his two feet down just before he ran out of bounds.
The only thing missing from the Lynch interception 24 years prior was the Gronk spike.
Winfield was almost hacked off about it. He thought he didn’t have enough picks.
“I missed two picks, I should have had three,” Winfield said. “The game was on the line. I knew a play had to be made.”
And the play was made.
If the Bucs lost, Joe would have been sure a coaching move was coming in six weeks. For a team with the talent the Bucs have to lose to a truly lousy Stinking Panthers team (1-11), Joe doesn’t know how Todd Bowles and his staff could have survived that.
While Lynch’s 1999 pick sparked the Bucs offense and nearly propelled them to a Super Bowl berth, this spike of Winfield’s may not have been that important. But it may have saved jobs.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:29 pm
I Hope it didn’t save jobs.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:30 pm
On that fourth down play, it would’ve been much smarter to just knock the wall down.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:31 pm
On that fourth down play, it would’ve been smarter to just knock the ball down.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:32 pm
Jesus, Joe, Bowles is gone. What part of this do you not get through your thick skull?
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:32 pm
Just like when Nawleans head coach was fired after Bucs won their 1st game ever! I want the Bucs to win more than I want Bowles to be fired but no matter what he’s got to go. He coaches not to lose. He chose Fakerboi because he didn’t want to lose his job.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:34 pm
I’m usually upbeat but today looked like one bad team barely beating another bad team. I don’t see us beating Atlanta next week and with that loss for all intents and purposes the season is over. What I saw was Winfield delaying the inevitable by a week.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:38 pm
Joe says
“And like that playoff game, the Bucs offense in the first half tonight was so dreadful they should have played in the dark as to prevent any witnesses and public embarrassment.”
This deserves Most Underrated Comment Award 🤣
Que John McKay meme “I’m all for the execution of our offense”
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:39 pm
I’ve been watching NFL football for 70 years and have never seen a team play a game without there 4 top linebackers and best cornerback. Yes, Carolina stinks but we had safeties playing linebacker.
December 3rd, 2023 at 9:44 pm
Joe doesn’t know that at this time.
(That doesn’t mean Joe thinks he has done a good job. Those are two fully separate issues.)
December 3rd, 2023 at 10:09 pm
Man it was a blessing to watch John lynch patrol the grounds and lay people out. Miss it so much. That defense was elite.
December 3rd, 2023 at 10:38 pm
Radio better not come back!! Happy for a W but man was that an ugly a$$ win against a bad team
December 3rd, 2023 at 10:55 pm
This game is another indictment of Todd as the head coach who can almost lose a game the other team didn’t even want to win.
Most embarrassing loss where the Bucs failed to cover the spread but “won.”
December 3rd, 2023 at 11:16 pm
He almost had a sack today. He’s making either 1st or 2nd team All Pro.
December 4th, 2023 at 12:13 am
This game simply clarifies that Atlanta will kill the Bucs next Sunday. Bowles would have a hard time coaching this roster to a win over Slippery Rock.
December 4th, 2023 at 6:45 am
John Lynch in todays NFL would play 3 games a year at maximum. The other games he would serve suspensions for his hits.
December 4th, 2023 at 7:06 am
Winfield is definitily one of the best 5 players in this team.
But if you have awareness and High football IQ about situational football in a 4th down play you knock the ball down. The team lost about 25 yards in field position. Yes we got the 1st down to ice the game but these 25 yards could have been costly.
I dont knock him for making the INT but the correct play would have been to deflect it down.
Go Bucs
December 4th, 2023 at 8:22 am
He knocks the ball down instead of intercepting it and we gain 25 yards
December 4th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
Our offense is capable of scoring points if we push the ball down field. I’m tired of seeing this dink and dunk crap we are more than equipped to score more points. Our starting Quarterback should have 300 passing yards per game it also opens up the run game to be more efficient. It’s like owning a Lamborghini and driving it 20 miles per hour every where you go because you are scared to wreck it.