Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Wednesday 20 december 2017
Freeman runs for 126 yards, Falcons hold off Bucs 24-21

By FRED GOODALL closes the regular season
AP Sports Writer at home against the Pan-
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Devon- thers. Jameis Winston threw
ta Freeman pounded for 299 yards and three TDs
away all night until he fi- for the Bucs (4-10), includ-
nally found a way into the ing a 16-yarder to Adam
open field, helping the At- Humphries that trimmed
lanta Falcons remain in the Atlanta’s lead to three
thick of the tight NFC South points with 3:51 remaining.
race. Winston, who also threw
With sidekick Tevin Cole- TD passes of 30 yards to
man out with a concussion O.J. Howard and 42 yards
and Matt Ryan not particu- to Mike Evans, got the ball
larly sharp throwing the ball back with a minute left
, Freeman rushed for 126 and nearly sent the game
yards and a touchdown to into overtime. The third-
key a 24-21 victory over the year pro, a college team-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers on mate of Freeman’s at Flori-
Monday night. The fourth- da State, completed three
year pro scored on a 32- straight passes to move
yard run midway through the ball from his 29 to the
the fourth quarter, darting Atlanta 36. Patrick Murray
through a hole on the right came on to try a 54-yard
side before cutting back field goal to tie it, but the
to elude the only defender kick sailed wide right as
with a shot at tackling him time expired.
and restore a 10-point lead Winston finished 27 of 35
for the Falcons (9-5), who passing with no intercep-
barely hung on to win for tions. He was sacked twice.
the fifth time in six games. “Jameis played a heck of a
“We had a sense this would game. He probably played
be a big night for him. We his best game this season,”
talked about that before coach Dirk Koetter said.
the game,” Falcons coach “Took care of the football,
Dan Quinn said. “We was accurate, threw the
thought he would have his deep ball with accuracy,
opportunities. If he could checked it down, did a
get to the next level and good job leading our foot-
to a linebacker or safety or ball team.”
corner, make sure he had a The Bucs have lost nine of
plan how he wanted to fin- 11 following a 2-1 start, tak-
ish.” Freeman also caught ing a step back after finish-
five passes for a team-high ing 9-7 a year ago in their
68 yards and had a first-half first season under Koetter.
fumble recovered in the RING OF HONOR
end zone by teammate Former Bucs coach Jon
Levine Toilolo for a touch- Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) breaks away from Tampa Bay Buccaneers Gruden, who’s spent the
down. Ryan threw an early defenders on a 32-yard touchdown run during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, past nine seasons as ESPN’s
TD pass to Justin Hardy and Dec. 18, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. game analyst on Monday
finished 17 of 31 passing Associated Press Night Football, was induct-
for 212 yards and no inter- Atlanta within one game with two to play. If the play- NFC wild-card. ed into the Ring of Honor at
ceptions. The victory kept of New Orleans and Caro- offs started now, the Fal- Atlanta plays at New Or- Raymond James Stadium
lina in the division standings cons would be the second leans next Sunday, then during a halftime ceremo-
ny. Gruden was acquired
Marion Bartoli from the Oakland Raiders
in exchange for two first-
round draft picks, two sec-
ond-round draft pick and
Continued from Page 18 place or take practice ry over Sabine Lisicki in the her right shoulder and ex- $8 million before leading
swings between points. final, closing the match plained: “Literally, I can’t
Bartoli was coached by Her first big breakthrough with an ace. even lift my arm every the 2002 Bucs to the club’s
only Super Bowl champi-
her father, a doctor, and came in 2007, reaching A year later, Bartoli be- morning.”
they came up with other the Wimbledon final be- came the first woman in That, she said, was why onship in his first season in
Tampa Bay.
unique elements. fore losing to Venus Wil- 17 years who declined to she harbored “definitely
She would cross her arms liams. try to defend her Wimble- no regrets at all” about Gruden was fired after the
2008 season and moved
before serving, never Then came the magi- don title. walking away from tennis
bouncing the ball before cal two-week run to the At a news conference back then. into the broadcast booth
the following season. The
a toss. She would stand championship there six before the 2014 tourna- She since moved on to
well inside the baseline years later. ment, Bartoli tugged at other pursuits, including Bucs haven’t made the
playoffs since 2007 and
to receive an opponent’s Bartoli never dropped a the collar of her white TV commentary, launch-
serve. set and capped her fort- top to reveal strips of blue ing a shoe line and de- don’t have a postseason
win since their Super Bowl
And she would hop in night with a 6-1, 6-4 victo- tape providing support for signing jewelry.q
run 15 years ago.q