For a week, the Tampa Bay Bucs were undefeated and talking about better days.
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Many concerns that the Cards generated with last week’s loss to the Patriots were put to rest Sunday afternoon at University of Phoenix Stadium as the Cards routed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40-7 to improve to 1-1 on the season.
BUCS QB Jameis Winston had a strong Week 1 performance, registering a 122.6 passer rating with 281 yards passing and 4 TD passes to 4 different receivers.
Sunday’s interception was the second-straight game Winston has thrown a pick trying to get the ball to Jackson. They can’t make a habit of starting off slow and expecting to win. While Winston may still love baseball, the odds he ditches football or splits time between the football field and baseball diamond are virtually non-existent.
“We’re having too many instances where Jameis and Vincent, the precision isn’t there right now”, coach Dirk Koetter said.
“We should have had 50 [points], you know?”
WINSTON’S GAME: The Cardinals thrive on turnovers and Winston gave them plenty.
“The Buccaneers are a physical football team”, Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu said. Cooper got the next two.
If you needed any proof as to where Peterson stands among the NFL’s elite cornerbacks, just watch that replay. Against them, Winston hit only 27 of 52 passes for 243 yards.
Peterson popped back to his feet in the end zone and avoided Evans to pick up a solid 24 yards on the return.
Cooper, acquired in a trade with Kansas City on September 2, intercepted two of Jameis Winston’s passes, returning the second one 60 yards for a score. Rookie Brandon Williams had been the starter.
Now he must face Winston’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the second-year quarterback coming off one of his best games in a 31-24 season-opening win at Atlanta.
“The one thing he really understands is the spacing, route concepts, and he’s got a good feel and natural anticipation of playing off”.
Arians wouldn’t pronounce Cooper the starter quite yet.
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“I’ve got to go battle back”, Quinn said. “He could potentially be the starter over there”. Larry Fitzgerald seems like the ageless wonder, once again leading the Cardinals receivers, hauling in 8 passes for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns. Evans finished with six catches for 70 yards. In the receiving end, Kenny Britt posted 94 yards in six receptions while Lance Kendricks added 61 yards in four catches. However, I do think if Winston has open lanes he will take off, especially on a third down, and if Winston is short of the first down on a third down run, he could steam roll over some defenders to try to get the first, something that Garoppolo wouldn’t do.
