Buccaneers hand 49ers sixth straight loss
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[October 24, 2016]
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The Tampa
Bay Buccaneers were running out of healthy running backs just four
games into the season. Starter Doug Martin injured a hamstring in
Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, and backup Charles Sims hurt a
knee in Week 4 against Denver and landed on injured reserve.
So the Buccaneers (3-3) turned to Plan C, and Jacquizz Rodgers has
carried the Bucs to back-to-back victories.
Rodgers rushed for a career-high 154 yards on 26 carries Sunday in a
34-17 comeback victory against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's
Stadium. That surpassed his previous career high of 101 yards on 30
carries set during a 17-14 victory against Carolina on Oct. 10.
"I've been waiting on this moment," said Rodgers, who has never
rushed for more than 362 in any of his first five NFL seasons. "For
me, I just try to get better and better every week. I try to top my
performance from the previous week."
Rodgers was cut by the Chicago Bears just days before their season
opener and signed with Tampa Bay before Week 2.
The Bucs rushed for 249 yards Sunday, as rookie Peyton Barber added
84 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. They exploited a 49ers run
defense ranked last in the NFL.
"It was no secret," Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said. "The 49ers have
been giving up a lot of yards rushing, and we were foolish if we
didn't try to run the ball."
The Bucs had plenty of success passing the ball, too. Jameis Winston
completed 21 of 30 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Wide
receiver Mike Evans caught eight passes for 96 yards and two
touchdowns for the Bucs, who were without injured wide receiver
Vincent Jackson (knee). Wideout Russell Shepard caught five passes
for 77 yards and a score.
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Quarterback Colin Kaepernick started his second straight game and
threw for 143 yards and one touchdown for the 49ers (1-6), who lost
their sixth straight game. Kaepernick rushed for a team-high 84
yards on nine carries. He completed 16 of 34 passes, was intercepted
once and lost a fumble.
"I thought it was up and down," 49ers coach Chip Kelly said of
Kaepernick's performance. "He obviously kept some things alive and
some drives alive with his legs."
The 49ers built a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but Tampa Bay stormed
back to take a 17-14 edge by halftime and kept extending its lead in
the third quarter.
The Bucs made it 20-14 on Roberto Aguayo's 37-yard field goal with
10:57 left in the third quarter, five plays after recovering a
fumbled punt by 49ers rookie Aaron Burbridge. Jeremy Kerley had
signaled for a fair catch, but Burbridge ran into him and fumbled.
The Bucs capitalized on another turnover to increase their lead to
27-14 on Winston's 5-yard pass to Evans with 6:24 remaining in the
third quarter. Bucs cornerback Jude Adjei-Brimah forced a Kaepernick
fumble with a blind-side sack, and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy
recovered at the 49ers' 27. Six plays later, Winston found Evans in
the back of the end zone.
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![](../images/102416pics/sports71.jpg)
49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) runs with the football
against Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker Kwon Alexander (58)
during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle
Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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"We got out of sync," Kaepernick said. "Once again, it was a
situation where early in the game we got in a rhythm, and we lost
that."
San Francisco cut the Bucs' lead to 27-17 with 8:08 left to play on
Phil Dawson's 28-yard field goal, but Barber scored on a 44-yard run
with 4:42 remaining.
"We've seen it all week if we do the things we know we can do
they'll be lanes open and opportunity," Bucs offensive tackle Demar
Dotson said. "It was there."
San Francisco opened the game with a five-play, 75-yard touchdown
drive with Mike Davis scoring on a 4-yard run. Davis started in
place of Carlos Hyde, who was inactive with a shoulder injury.
One play after 49ers linebacker Gerald Hodges intercepted a Winston
pass, Kaepernick scrambled to his left and fired a 17-yard touchdown
pass to running back Shaun Draughn, putting the 49ers ahead 14-0
with eight seconds left in the first quarter.
Tampa Bay answered with an 11-play, 94-yard touchdown drive capped
by Winston's 4-yard pass to Evans with 10:14 left in the half. The
Bucs cut San Francisco's lead to 14-10 on Aguayo's 38-yard field
goal, set up by safety Bradley McDougald's interception and Rodgers'
45 yard run.
Winston threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Sheppard with 48 seconds
left in the first half.
"I believe when we do what we're supposed to do, we're a tough team
to beat," Winston said. "This is the NFL, so week in and week out
you got to show up. But we have a great team, and I really believe
in our team."
NOTES: Buccaneers rookie DE DaVonte Lambert started in place of
injured DE Robert Ayers Jr. (ankle). ... Buccaneers DT Akeem Spence
started in place of injured DT Clinton McDonald (hamstring). ...
49ers starting DE Arik Armstead left the game midway through the
third quarter with a shoulder injury and did not return. ... 49ers
starting OLB Aaron Lynch (ankle) and backup CB Rashard Robinson
(knee) were injured late in the third quarter and did not return.
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