Page 25 - Florida Sentinel 12-6-19

Sports
Deshaun Watson
Red-Hot Buccaneers Open As Favorites In Week 14 Against Indianapolis Colts
JAMEIS WINSTON AND JACOBY BRISSETT
Bucs LB Devin White: 'I'm A Big Boy Now'
DEVIN WHITE (45)
The Tampa Bay Bucca- neers’ win over the Jack- sonville Jaguars on Sunday could very well be labeled as the coming out party for rookie linebacker Devin White.
The fifth overall pick in April’s draft had perhaps his best game of the season, kick- ing things off in the first quar- ter by intercepting quarterback Nick Foles on Jacksonville’s opening drive and then scooping up a fum- ble and taking it to the house on the Jags’ next possession.
White was a beast all day long, even body-slamming former LSU teammate and current Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette. After the game, White spoke about his big day and going up against the imposing back.
“I was just trying to let him know I’m in the league, I’m a big boy now. I’m not the same freshman from LSU. My game done rose to another level... It’s my time, I guess. It’s time for me to show the world what I can do, and it’s time for me to keep building on it.”
Wins AFC Offensive
The Tampa Bay Bucca- neers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now.
After starting the season just 3-7, including a five- game road stretch where they went just 1-4, the Bucs have won their past two games by outscoring their opponents 63-33.
While their offense has usually been the focus given the number of playmakers they have, it was the defense who stole the show in the team’s Week 13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, namely, rookie linebacker Devin White.
White made history for the Bucs as he became the first rookie in franchise his- tory to have an interception, fumble recovery and defen-
sive touchdown in the same game. If that wasn’t impres- sive enough, he did it all in the first quarter, helping the team jump out to an early 15- 0 lead.
With the defense begin- ning to click, and Jameis Winston playing solid foot- ball the past two weeks, the Bucs find themselves as early -3.5 point favorites at home to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14. Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett will be starting for the Colts.
Indy is coming off a home loss to the Titans in Week 13, and their postseason hopes are beginning to slip away. Tampa Bay would love noth- ing more than to add to the Colts’ woes by handing them another loss.
Josh Allen And Lamar Jackson Will Make NFL
Player Of The Week
Deshaun Watson threw some touchdowns, which we’re used to. Catching one pushed him over the top.
The Texans quarterback was named AFC offensive player of the week for his per- formance in Sunday night’s win over the Patriots.
He threw for three scores, but his reception from DeAn- dre Hopkins on a trick play was the defining moment as they pulled away from New England.
That win kept them a game ahead of the surging Ti-
DESHAUN WATSON
tans in the AFC South, and Watson’s continued sharp play could keep them there. Houston plays the Denver Broncos Sunday at 1 p.m.
History For This Stat Sunday
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson are the two most successful signal callers from the 2018 draft class despite being the third and fifth quar- terbacks selected.
Their teams are a com- bined 19-5 on the season and both players are likely headed to the playoffs.
On Sunday at New Era Field, Allen and Jackson make NFL history when their teams battle for AFC su- premacy. The two quarter- backs have rushed for a combined 1,407 yards this season, which is the most combined rushing yards by two quarterbacks ever in the same game.
Jackson is 23 yards away from going over 1,000 on the season and 63 away from breaking the all time single season rushing record by a
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (right) faces off against Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (left) on Sunday.
quarterback, held by Michael Vick (1,039). Balti- more is the most dominant rushing team in the league and it’s not even close. The Ravens are averaging 207.8 yards per game rushing this season and the next closest team is the San Francisco 49ers with just 148 per game. The Ravens’ 18 rushing touchdowns are the most in the NFL this year and Jack- son has seven of them.
PAGE 14-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019