The Buccaneers tried to self-destruct. The Falcons wouldn’t let them.

The Bucs scored their first touchdown against the Falcons on Sunday in spite of facing a first-and-20 following consecutive penalties for illegal shift and illegal formation. Tampa Bay entered the game as the most penalized team in the league with 127 infractions.

The back-to-back pre-snap penalties pushed the Bucs back to the Falcons’ 43-yard line. But Tampa Bay gained the first down when Jameis Winston completed a 14-yard pass to Mike Evans, Charles Sims followed with a five-yard run and Doug Martin ran for two yards to the 22-yard line.

The Buccaneers gained a first-and-goal at the six after facemask penalty on Falcons cornerback Philip Wheeler added seven yards to the end of Martin’s nine-yard run. Two plays later Winston scored when he scrambled right and lunged into the end zone from five yards out.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (left) attempts a pass next to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. during minicamp at the Atlanta Falcons Training Camp, in Flowery Branch. (Jason Getz/TNS/AJC 2024)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Featured

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seen here in a file photo from Nov. 14, 2024, is conducting a statewide audit of voter registrations targeting registrations at businesses and P.O. boxes for possible cancelation. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com