The Bucs’ two-game winning streak came to an end against the Colts as veteran Matt Hasselbeck led a potent Indianapolis team to victory. Tampa Bay had a 12-6 half-time lead as Jameis Winston connected with TE Cameron Brate for the second straight week but the second half was all Colts as they controlled the clock for most of the third quarter. Two late Buccaneer drives came to naught, one ending on downs at the Indianapolis 24-yard line and the other on a Winston interception just before the two minute warning. Doug Martin had another 50+ yard run on his way to just missing his fifth 100-yard game of the season but the Bucs missed their chance to move above .500 and take another step in the race for a Wild Card playoff berth.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12 Indianapolis Colts 25 Sunday 29 November 2015 at Lucas Oil Field
SCORING IND 8:13-1Q Vinatieri FG49 TB 2:50-1Q Barth FG38 IND 12:44-2Q Vinateiri FG27 TB 5:38-2Q Barth FG30 TB 1:54-2Q Brate 20 pass from Winston (kick failed) IND 10:01-3Q Vinatieri FG26 IND 7:22-3Q Hilton 19 pass from Hasselbeck (Vinateri kick) IND 1:02-3Q Vinateri FG44 IND 5:53-4Q Hilton 3 pass from Hasselbeck (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Martin 14-97, Winston 3-27, Sims 4-8. COLTS: Gore 19-24, Bradshaw 4-6, Hasselbeck 3-(-3). PASSING BUCS: Winston 36-20-245-1-1. COLTS: Hasselbeck 42-26-315-0-2. RECEIVING BUCS: Evans 5-64, Brate 5-53, Jackson 4-76, Sims 3-31, Humphries 2-20, Martin 1-1. COLTS: Moncrief 8-114, Hilton 6-95, Fleener 3-27, Bradshaw 3- 20, Allen 2-19, Gore 2-13, Johnson 1-22, Doyle 1-5. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: none. COLTS: Lowery 1-1. KICK RETURNS BUCS: none. COLTS: Bray 4-84. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Rainey 1-7. COLTS: Bray 1-20. SACKS BUCS: McCoy 1-4, Spence 1-1, Jones 1-1. COLTS: Walden 2-16, Cole 1-9, Irving 1-8, Jackson 1-0.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 76 Smith LDE 92 Gholston LG 70 Mankins DT 93 McCoy C 68 Hawley DT 97 Spence RG 62 Smith RDE 56 Smith RT 78 Cherilus MLB 58 Alexander TE 88 Stocker WLB 54 David TE 84 Brate SLB 51 Lansanah WR 13 Evans LCB 26 Moore WR 83 Jackson RCB 38 Adjei-Barimah QB 3 Winston SS 23 Conte RB 22 Martin FS 30 McDougald PLAYED 5 Schum, 10 Barth, 11 Humphries, 21 Verner, 24 Jenkins, 27 Banks, 31 Wright, 33 McFadden, 34 Sims, 43 Rainey, 46 Lane, 48 DePaola, 50 Carter, 52 George, 57 Keyes, 64 Pamphile, 69 Dotson, 77 McDaniel, 82 Myers, 89 Shepard, 90 Melton, 91 Shirley, 95 Jones. DID NOT PLAY 8 Glennon INACTIVES 4 Griffin, 17 Dye, 37 Tandy, 59 Brown, 74 Marpet, 87 Seferian- Jenkins, 94 Johnson.
COMMENTARY CREW Dick Stockton and Matt Millen
GAME REPORTS Roy Cummings reports on a disappointing day all round for the Buccaneers Martin Fennelly sees Lovie Smith’s team return to their old ways How Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times saw the game unfold ira Kaufman’s First and Ten looks in more detail at the proceedings Doug Martin moved into four-figure territory for the season Notes and anecdotes from the Buccaneer locker room Chris Conte was not impressed with the call for leaping Stephen Holder wrote for the Times for many years, now he writes for the Indy Star The official NFL gamebook Scott Smith’s detailed game report
GAME HIGHLIGHTS Click on the boxes below to view the clips Cameron Brate scores his second touchdown in as many weeks Doug Martin throws in another 50+ yard run to set up Brate’s touchdown Josh Keyes’ special teams hit was one of the biggest of the season