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BY IRA KAUFMAN
I don’t know about a “culture change” at One Buc Place, but I sure as heck see a scoreboard change.
On a day they were officially eliminated from the postseason, the Bucs gave every indication to their fans that the times they are a-changin. A defense burdened by giveaways stiffened in the second half and Jameis Winston directed a 542-yard assault against an Indianapolis team desperate for a win.
Winston kept coming and coming, despite throwing a pick-6 and two other interceptions. When the final seconds ticked off, Tampa Bay had closed to within one game of the magical .500 mark, matching the Colts at 6-7.
The Bucs were not supposed to win this game. Who says? NFL history, that’s who.
They were penalized 6 times for 104 times and lost the turnover battle 4-1. That’s a losing formula, especially against a decent opponent fighting for its playoff life.
But Tampa Bay found a way to eke out a close victory at home after dominating Atlanta and Jacksonville on the road. The Bucs trailed virtually the entire game, which began with a pair of Tampa Bay giveaways at midfield.
Here’s how the Bucs beat the Colts by the same 38-35 margin that marked the final score of the miracle Indianapolis comeback in the 2003 Monday night meltdown at Raymond James Stadium on Tony Dungy’s birthday: (more…)