Leonard Fournette rushed 17 times for 100 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the Buccaneers’ first 100-yard rusher this season, as Tampa Bay powered past Indianapolis, 38-31, Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Field. No rush was bigger than the last though as he went 28 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 20 seconds to play.
Fournette scored on runs of four and one yards and he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady as Tampa Bay fought off two 10-point deficits before edging ahead late in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Ronald Jones, II.
“I thought we did a good job of rotating those guys (Fournette and Jones) this week,” said Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians. “Ro came in and ran his ass off, so Lenny was good and fresh in the fourth.”
The potential of both running backs showed all afternoon as they powered a Buccaneers running attack that averaged 5.3 yards per carry on the ground and left Tampa Bay with a complement to Brady’s passing attack that produced just 226 yards, but tight Rob Gronkowski caught seven balls for 123 yards.
“There were a couple of times I wish he was in earlier on a couple drives,” said Arians. “We’re watching his snap count pretty good and so he was successful and he brings so much. That third down short in the flat, he runs 11 yards. That’s what Gronk does and that fired up our sideline huge.”
Grin and Barrett: Indianapolis went in at halftime with a 24-14 lead before taking the first drive of the second half to the Buccaneers’ 20-yard line.
Quarterback Carson Wentz became the latest recipient of the wrath of linebacker Shaq Barrett as he sacked Wentz and forced and recovered the fumble on the 23.
This was a turning point in the game as the Bucs converted the drive in six plays with Fournette’s 4-yard run which cut the deficit to 24-21.
“I was able to hit the ball out, looked around for it, found it. I think a couple of guys of theirs missed it and I was able to jump on it,” commented Barrett. “It was a big play for us and helped the team out a lot.”
Wentz threw two interceptions as Antoine Winfield, Jr. picked him off on the Tampa Bay five and picked up a 30-yard return. This set up Jones’ 1-yard TD run that pushed the Buccaneers ahead, 28-24.
Wentz also ended the game with the second interception as he was picked off by Pierre Desir.
The Buccaneers stopped Jonathan Taylor and the vaunted Colts running attack on Sunday as they held Taylor under 100 yards at 83 which forced Wentz into having to throw 26 consecutive times.
“I mean you are going to end up throwing it because if you’re going to run it all day, you’re not going to get much, and they did that last drive,” said Arians.
