Page 26 - Florida Sentinel 12-3-21

Sports
Bucs Defense Make Statement With Big Road Win, Comeback Vs. Colts
Vita Vea Had Tooth Knocked Out In Middle Of Play
After struggling on the road for much of the 2021 season so far, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored a big win away from home Sunday, mounting a second-half comeback and finishing with a 38-31 win over the Indi- anapolis Colts.
Leonard Fournette led the way for Tampa Bay’s of- fense with over 100 total yards and four touchdowns, while the defense forced five takeaways against a Colts team that led the NFL in turnover margin heading into the Week 12.
Leonard Fournette scored the game-winning TD in the final minute.
VITA VEA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea is one of the most imposing players in the NFL, and not even having a tooth knocked
out can slow him down.
Vea had one of his front teeth knocked out in the mid- dle of a play during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. The 347-pound tackle took a hel- met to the mouth after his own helmet and chin strap were pushed up. Vea didn’t seem bothered and had a big bloody smile on as he showed his teammates what hap-
pened.
Bucs Lose 3 Starters To Injury In 1st Quarter Vs. Colts
Fourth Quarter Of Blowout Loss
The defending champs got big plays on both sides of the ball in key moments, mini- mized self-inflicted errors,
and took advantage of oppos- ing mistakes on their way to an 8-3 record.
Bucs Look For Season Sweep Of Falcons In Atlanta
The Tampa Bay Bucca- neers got back to even on the road in 2021 on Sunday, win- ning a 38-31 thriller in Indi- anapolis to improve to 8-3 overall.
That record has given them a comfortable three- game cushion in the NFC South standings over both the Atlanta Falcons and New Or- leans Saints, both 5-6. The Buccaneers could help their cause even more next Sunday in Atlanta with a win over the Falcons that would give them a season sweep in the series for the second year in a row.
The Buccaneers had strug- gled on the road for much of 2021 before their big win in Indy, in which they stormed back from a 24-14 halftime deficit by forcing five turnovers and pounding the ball with Leonard Four- nette (four touchdowns) and Rob Gronkowski (seven catches for 123 yards). The Falcons also won on the road in Week 12 but are 1-4 so far this season at home.
Struggling Cam Newton
Benched By Carolina Panthers In
The Tampa Bay Bucca- neers have lost a trio of starters in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Linebacker Devin White (hip), cornerback Jamel Dean (shoulder) and left guard Aaron Stinnie (knee) have all left the game, and are questionable to re- turn.
White was dealing with a quad injury earlier in the week, while Stinnie started in place of Ali Marpet, who
JAMEL DEAN
is out with an abdomen in- jury. Dean’s injury leaves an already banged-up secondary without one of their best cover men.
Cam Newton's story- book beginning to his second stint with the Panthers came to a crashing halt Sunday when he was benched in the fourth quarter of Carolina's 33-10 loss to the Miami Dol- phins.
Newton was replaced by P.J. Walker with just over 10 minutes remaining and the Panthers trailing by 20.
Coach Matt Rhule said he told Newton the switch was made because the Pan- thers (5-7) were in hurry-up mode and Walker had a bet- ter grasp of the two-minute offense.
Rhule said he doesn't ex-
CAM NEWTON
pect a quarterback change after Carolina returns from its bye.
"At the end of the day, we weren't protecting the quar- terback at all,'' he said. "It wouldn't be fair to keep Cam in there and keep getting him hit.''
Browns Coach
Asked About Making
Potential QB Change
Baker Mayfield contin- ued to struggle in the Cleve- land Browns’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, but the former first overall pick is not in danger of losing his starting job.
Mayfield completed 18 of 37 passes for 247 yards, a touchdown and no intercep- tions in Cleveland’s 16-10 loss. He lost a fumble and had sev- eral throws that were well off the mark. The Browns now head into their bye, and head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked if he will consider mak- ing a quarterback change dur- ing the week off. He did not mince words.
First it was Odell Beck- ham, Jr.’s father sharing
BAKER MAYFIELD
complaints about Baker Mayfield. Now it’s Kareem Hunt’s father.
On his Facebook page, Kareem Hunt, Sr. was crit- ical of Mayfield while the game was unfolding. Hunt, Sr. wrote that Mayfield was “limping” and “scared to throw the ball.” Hunt said the Browns know Mayfield is playing hurt.
PAGE 14-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021