# 2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

The 2015 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 40th in the National Football League (NFL), and their second and final season under head coach Lovie Smith. The offseason was marked by the draft selection of All-American Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston first overall in the 2015 NFL draft. The team wore a patch to commemorate the club's 40th season.
After their Week 8 overtime win at the Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers had already improved on their record from 2014 (2–14). Entering the month of December, Tampa Bay had just swept division rival Atlanta, avenging an ugly 56–14 defeat on TNF a year earlier. The team found themselves mathematically in the hunt for a playoff berth with a 6–6 record. Despite showing improvement, the Buccaneers lost their final four games of the season. They finished 6–10 and last in the NFC South for the fifth straight year.
Despite missing the playoffs, Doug Martin finished second in the league in rushing yards (just 82 yards shy of Adrian Peterson), and the franchise had their first ever season finishing in the top five in total offense. Winston, who started all 16 games, was voted the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. On the defense side, the Buccaneers made improvements, ranking in the top ten in total yards and points allowed.
On January 6, 2016, Lovie Smith was fired after two seasons as head coach.

## 2015 draft class

2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 1 | Jameis Winston | QB | Florida State |
| 2 | 34 | Donovan Smith | OT | Penn State |
| 2 | 61 | Ali Marpet | G | Hobart |
| 4 | 124 | Kwon Alexander | LB | LSU |
| 5 | 162 | Kenny Bell | WR | Nebraska |
| 6 | 184 | Kaelin Clay | WR | Utah |
| 7 | 231 | Joey Iosefa | FB | Hawaii |
Notes
* The Buccaneers acquired additional selections in the fourth- and sixth-rounds (Nos. 109 and 184 overall, respectively) in a trade that sent safety Mark Barron to the St. Louis Rams.
* The Buccaneers traded their original fourth- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 101 and 178 overall, respectively) and tight end Tim Wright to the New England Patriots in exchange for guard Logan Mankins and the Patriots' fifth-round selection (No. 168 overall).
* The Buccaneers acquired an additional fifth-round selection (No. 162 overall) in a trade that sent guard/center Jeremy Zuttah to the Baltimore Ravens.
* The Buccaneers traded their original fifth-round selection (No. 137 overall), along with a 2014 seventh-round selection to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for the Bills' 2014 fifth-round selection during the third day of the 2014 NFL draft.
* The Buccaneers acquired an additional seventh-round selection (No. 231 overall) and in addition with defensive end George Johnson from the Detroit Lions in exchange for the fifth-round selection (No. 168 overall) that was acquired from the Patriots.

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 15 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 16–26 | 0–1 | TCF Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 24 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 25–11 | 1–1 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 29 | Cleveland Browns | L 7–31 | 1–2 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 3 | at Miami Dolphins | W 22–17 | 2–2 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |

### Regular season

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 13 | Tennessee Titans | L 14–42 | 0–1 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | at New Orleans Saints | W 26–19 | 1–1 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | at Houston Texans | L 9–19 | 1–2 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | Carolina Panthers | L 23–37 | 1–3 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 11 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 38–31 | 2–3 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 7 | October 25 | at Washington Redskins | L 30–31 | 2–4 | FedExField | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 23–20 (OT) | 3–4 | Georgia Dome | Recap |
| 9 | November 8 | New York Giants | L 18–32 | 3–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | Dallas Cowboys | W 10–6 | 4–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 45–17 | 5–5 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
| 12 | November 29 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 12–25 | 5–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | Atlanta Falcons | W 23–19 | 6–6 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 13 | New Orleans Saints | L 17–24 | 6–7 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 17 | at St. Louis Rams | L 23–31 | 6–8 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | Chicago Bears | L 21–26 | 6–9 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 3 | at Carolina Panthers | L 10–38 | 6–10 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Titans | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: September 13
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 84 °F (28.9 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 63,945
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker and Chris Fischer
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TEN 13:10 – Kendall Wright 52 yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Ryan Succop kick) TEN 7–0
TEN 11:48 – Coty Sensabaugh 26 yard interception return (Ryan Succop kick) TEN 14–0
TEN 6:49 – Bishop Sankey 12 yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Ryan Succop kick) TEN 21–0
Second quarter
TB 14:54 – Austin Seferian-Jenkins 5 yard pass from Jameis Winston (Kyle Brindza kick) TEN 21–7
TEN 3:47 – Harry Douglas 4 yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Ryan Succop kick) TEN 28–7
TEN 0:48 – Delanie Walker 1 yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Ryan Succop kick) TEN 35–7
Third quarter
TEN 8:02 – Bishop Sankey 1 yard run (Ryan Succop kick) TEN 42–7
Fourth quarter
TB 9:18 – Austin Seferian-Jenkins 41 yard pass from Jameis Winston (Kyle Brindza kick) TEN 42–14
Top passers
TEN – Marcus Mariota 13/15, 209 yards, 4 TDs
TB – Jameis Winston 16/33, 210 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Top rushers
TEN – Bishop Sankey 12 carries, 74 yards, 1 TD
TB – Doug Martin 11 carries, 52 yards
Top receivers
TEN – Kendall Wright 4 receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD
TB – Austin Seferian-Jenkins 5 receptions, 110 yards, 2 TDs
Top tacklers
TEN – Zach Brown 7 tackles
TB – Chris Conte 5 tackles :
Opening day was a matchup between the No. 1 overall and the No. 2 overall selections in the 2015 NFL draft. Jameis Winston started at quarterback for Tampa Bay, and Marcus Mariota started at quarterback for Tennessee. Mariota snagged the headlines for the day, passing for 209 yards and four touchdowns as the Titans routed the Buccaneers 42–14. Winston's Buccaneer debut was mostly forgetful, as his first pass attempt in the NFL was a "pick 6" interception.

#### Week 2: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 26 |
| Saints | 0 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 19 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: September 20
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,006
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Preview, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
TB –
NO –
Top rushers
TB –
NO –
Top receivers
TB –
NO –
Top tacklers
TB –
NO – :
Tampa Bay rebounded after their week 1 loss, and defeated the New Orleans Saints for the first time since October 2011. Jameis Winston threw a touchdown pass and ran for a touchdown, as Tampa Bay jumped out to a 23–7 lead. The Saints rallied, and had two chances for a game-tying touchdown in the final 8 seconds. Drew Brees final throw was knocked down at the endline, and the Buccaneers snapped a 7-game losing streak dating back to the 2014 season.

#### Week 3: at Houston Texans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Texans | 7 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 19 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 27
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 71,718
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Holly Sonders
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
TB –
HOU –
Top rushers
TB –
HOU –
Top receivers
TB –
HOU –
Top tacklers
TB –
HOU – :
Buccaneers kicker Kyle Brindza missed three field goals and missed an extra point, as Tampa Bay fell at Houston by the score of 19–9. Jameis Winston threw for 261 yards, one touchdown pass, and one interception in the loss. Brindza did make a 58-yard field goal in the second quarter, which was the second-longest field goal in franchise history. Midway through the third quarter Vincent Jackson appeared to catch a 23-yard touchdown pass from Winston, but it was overturned after review, when it was determined that he did not get both feet down.

#### Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 10 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 37 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: October 4
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 74 °F (23.3 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 57,468
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
CAR –
TB –
Top rushers
CAR –
TB –
Top receivers
CAR –
TB –
Top tacklers
CAR –
TB – :
Cam Newton threw for 124 yards and two touchdown passes, as Carolina beat Tampa Bay by the score of 37–23. Jameis Winston threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, but threw four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and lost a fumbled snap in the defeat. After his struggles the previous week, Buccaneers kicker Kyle Brindza missed two field goals and an extra point, and was cut by the club on Monday morning.

#### Week 5: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jaguars | 0 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 38 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: October 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 84 °F (28.9 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 58,490
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Connor Barth 35-yard field goal, Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:44.
Second quarter
JAX – Allen Hurns 12-yard pass from Blake Bortles (Jason Myers kick), Jaguars 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:10.
TB – Connor Barth 45-yard field goal, Jaguars 7–6. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 3:41.
TB – Doug Martin 10-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick), Buccaneers 13–7. Drive: 3 plays, 17 yards, 1:33.
TB – Doug Martin 1-yard run (Connor Barth kick), Buccaneers 20–7. Drive: 6 plays, 41 yards, 3:26.
JAX – Allen Robinson 13-yard pass from Blake Bortles (Jason Myers kick), Buccaneers 20–14. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 1:50.
Third quarter
JAX – Jason Myers 31-yard field goal, Buccaneers 20–17. Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards, 4:57.
JAX – T. J. Yeldon 5-yard pass from Blake Bortles (Jason Myers kick), Jaguars 24–20. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 3:22.
TB – Connor Barth 47-yard field goal, Jaguars 24–23. Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 2:28.
TB – Jacquies Smith 3-yard fumble return (Jameis Winston to Vincent Jackson pass succeeded), Buccaneers 31–24.
Fourth quarter
TB – Doug Martin 1-yard run (Connor Barth kick), Buccaneers 38–24. Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 5:01.
JAX – Allen Robinson 5-yard pass from Blake Bortles (Jason Myers kick), Buccaneers 38–31. Drive: 7 plays, 86 yards, 1:45.
Top passers
JAX – Blake Bortles – 23/33, 303 yards, 4 TD, INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 13/19, 209 yards, TD
Top rushers
JAX – T. J. Yeldon – 11 rushes, 32 yards
TB – Doug Martin – 24 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
JAX – Allen Robinson – 7 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TD
TB – Doug Martin – 3 receptions, 35 yards, TD
Top tacklers
JAX – Telvin Smith – 13 tackles, 1 assist
TB – Lavonte David – 8 tackles, 1 assist, 1 sack :
Tampa Bay snapped an 11-game home losing streak that dated back to December 2013, defeating Jacksonville by the score of 38–31. Doug Martin rushed for 123 yards, two touchdowns, and had one receiving touchdown. Connor Barth returned to the club as kicker, going 3-for-3 on field goals, and 3-for-3 on extra points.

#### Week 7: at Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 10 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 30 |
| Redskins | 0 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 31 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: October 25
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 64 °F (17.8 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 72,912
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
TB –
WAS –
Top rushers
TB –
WAS –
Top receivers
TB –
WAS –
Top tacklers
TB –
WAS – :
Tampa Bay blew a 24–0 lead to the Redskins . Kirk Cousins threw a game-winning 6-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Reed with 24 seconds left in regulation.

#### Week 8: at Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Falcons | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: November 1
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 70,524
* Referee: Ron Torbert
* TV announcers (Fox): Justin Kutcher, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
TB –
ATL –
Top rushers
TB –
ATL –
Top receivers
TB –
ATL –
Top tacklers
TB –
ATL – :
Atlanta turned the ball over four times, twice inside the red zone. Tampa Bay jumped out to a 17-point lead, with 20 points scored off of turnovers. However, Matt Ryan threw a game-tying touchdown pass to Julio Jones with 17 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. The Buccaneers won the coin toss in overtime, and scored a field goal on their first possession. The Tampa Bay defense held Atlanta to a turnover on downs, securing a 23–20 victory.

#### Week 9: vs. New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 10 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 32 |
| Buccaneers | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: November 8
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 80 °F (26.7 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 64,351
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
NYG –
TB –
Top rushers
NYG –
TB –
Top receivers
NYG –
TB –
Top tacklers
NYG –
TB – :
Jameis Winston scrambled for a 10-yard touchdown run with 9:25 remaining, but the potential game-tying two point conversion attempt failed. The Giants subsequently kicked two field goals to go back up by 8 points. The Buccaneers attempted a hook and lateral play as time expired, but Trevin Wade of the Giants recovered the loose ball and ran it in for a touchdown the other way.

#### Week 10: vs. Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: November 15
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 79 °F (26.1 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 64,133
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 42-yard field goal, 4:00. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 28 yards, 6:20.
Second quarter
TB – Connor Barth 52-yard field goal, 14:56. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 46 yards, 4:04.
DAL – Dan Bailey 53-yard field goal, 10:41. Cowboys 6–3. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 4:17.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
TB – Jameis Winston 1-yard run (Connor Barth kick), 0:59. Buccaneers 10–6. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 3:06.
Top passers
DAL – Matt Cassel – 19/29, 186 yards, INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 22/39, 264 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
DAL – Darren McFadden – 17 rushes, 32 yards
TB – Doug Martin – 18 rushes, 63 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Dez Bryant – 5 receptions, 45 yards
TB – Mike Evans – 8 receptions, 126 yards
Top tacklers
DAL –
TB – :
Dallas and Tampa Bay were limited to field goals for the first 59 minutes of the game. Trailing 6–3 with just over one minute left, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston scrambled for a 4-yard run to the endzone, but lost the ball as he was up-ended just short of the goal line. Dallas recovered the fumble, but was penalized for defensive holding by Jeff Heath. On the next play, Winston ran a naked bootleg for a 1-yard touchdown and a 10–6 Tampa Bay lead with 59 seconds remaining in regulation. With 28 seconds left, Matt Cassel's pass intended for Dez Bryant was intercepted by Bradley McDougald in the endzone to secure the victory. Bryant lobbied for pass interference due to contact by McDougald, but it was not called. It was Tampa Bay's first victory against Dallas since 2003, and the Cowboys' 7th straight loss (all without Tony Romo).

#### Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 45 |
| Eagles | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Date: November 22
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 48 °F (8.9 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 69,596
* Referee: Brad Allen
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Josh Huff 39-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Caleb Sturgis kick), 11:44. Eagles 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 86 yards, 2:26.
TB – Mike Evans 4-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick), 2:54. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:55.
Second quarter
TB – Vincent Jackson 13-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick), 15:00. Buccaneers 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 59 yards, 2:09.
TB – Russell Shepard 4-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick), 8:10. Buccaneers 21–7. Drive: 4 plays, 85 yards, 2:03.
PHI – Darren Sproles 35-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Caleb Sturgis kick), 6:12. Buccaneers 21–14. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:02.
TB – Charles Sims 14-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick), 1:11. Buccaneers 28–14. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 4:59.
Third quarter
TB – Cameron Brate 8-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick), 5:16. Buccaneers 35–14. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 9:47.
Fourth quarter
TB – Connor Barth 28-yard field goal, 12:05. Buccaneers 38–14. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 5:11.
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 43-yard field goal, 5:14. Buccaneers 38–17. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 3:57.
TB – Lavonte David 20-yard interception return (Connor Barth kick), 4:21. Buccaneers 45–17.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 19/29, 246 yards, 5 TD
PHI – Mark Sanchez – 26/41, 261 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 27 rushes, 235 yards
PHI – DeMarco Murray – 13 rushes, 64 yards
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 4 receptions, 63 yards, TD
PHI – Brent Celek – 7 receptions, 79 yards
Top tacklers
TB –
PHI – :
Doug Martin rushed for 235 yards, and Jameis Winston threw five touchdown passes (tying an NFL rookie record), as Tampa Bay routed the Eagles by a score of 45–17. The combined 283 rushing yards was a franchise record for the Buccaneers, and the 521 total offensive yards was the second-highest regular season total in team history.

#### Week 12: at Indianapolis Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Colts | 3 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 25 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
* Date: November 29
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 37 °F (2.8 °C), partly cloudy — retractable roof open
* Game attendance: 65,696
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Matt Millen and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
TB –
IND –
Top rushers
TB –
IND –
Top receivers
TB –
IND –
Top tacklers
TB –
IND – :
Matt Hasselbeck threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns passes to T. Y. Hilton as the Colts defeated Tampa Bay 25–12.

#### Week 13: vs. Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 19 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 23 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: December 6
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 79 °F (26.1 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 58,221
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
ATL –
TB –
Top rushers
ATL –
TB –
Top receivers
ATL –
TB –
Top tacklers
ATL –
TB – :
Tampa Bay swept Atlanta for the first time since 2007. Jameis Winston threw for 227 yards, one touchdown pass, and one rushing touchdown. Winston connected on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans with 1:39 remaining for the game-winning score. One play later, Lavonte David sealed the win with an interception of Matt Ryan on the first play of the Falcons' final drive.

#### Week 14: vs. New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: December 13
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 81 °F (27.2 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 62,138
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
NO –
TB –
Top rushers
NO –
TB –
Top receivers
NO –
TB –
Top tacklers
NO –
TB – :
Drew Brees threw for 312 yards and two touchdown passes, as New Orleans defeated Tampa Bay 24–17. The Saints jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the second quarter, and led 17–10 at halftime. Tampa Bay made the score 24–17 after Jameis Winston threw a touchdown pass to Adam Humphries with just under 9 minutes left in regulation. Trailing by 7, the Buccaneers got the ball back with 5:22 to go, but went 3-and-out. The Saints were then able to run out the clock to secure the win.

#### Week 15: at St. Louis Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 23 |
| Rams | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
* Date: December 17
* Game time: 8:25 p.m. EST/7:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 51,295
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (NFLN): Ian Eagle, Trent Green and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
STL 11:54 – Tavon Austin 17 yard pass from Case Keenum (Greg Zuerlein kick) STL 7–0
TB 4:52 – Connor Barth 53 yard field goal STL 7–3
STL 3:15 – Kenny Britt 60 yard pass from Case Keenum (Greg Zeurlein kick) STL 14–3
Second quarter
STL 2:09 – Todd Gurley 3 yard run (Greg Zeurlein kick) STL 21–3
Third quarter
TB 9:16 – Connor Barth 32 yard field goal STL 21–6
STL 5:35 – Tavon Austin 21 yard run (Greg Zeurlein kick) STL 28–6
Fourth quarter
TB 13:05 – Luke Stocker 3 yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick) STL 28–13
STL 10:39 – Greg Zeurlein 19 yard field goal STL 31–13
TB 7:31 – Connor Barth 24 yard field goal STL 31–16
TB 1:34 – Austin Seferian-Jenkins 9 yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick) STL 31–23
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston 29/50, 363 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
STL – Case Keenum 14/17, 234 yards, 2 TDs
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin 18 carries, 91 yards
STL – Todd Gurley 21 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans 9 receptions, 157 yards
STL – Kenny Britt 2 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD
Top tacklers
TB – William Gholston 11 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
STL – Trumaine Johnson 9 tackles, 1 INT :
Case Keenum threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns for the St. Louis Rams on Thursday Night Football. The Rams jumped out to a 28–6 lead after three quarters. Jameis Winston rallied the Buccaneers with a career-high 363 yards passing, and threw two touchdown passes to trim the deficit to 31–23 with 1:34 left in regulation. An onside kick attempt failed, and the Rams ran out the clock to secure the victory. This would become the final home game for the Rams in St. Louis, as the team relocated back to Los Angeles for the 2016 season.

#### Week 16: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 26 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: December 27
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 83 °F (28.3 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 63,734
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Matt Millen and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB 6:27 – Doug Martin 4 yard run (Connor Barth kick) TB 7–0
Second quarter
CHI 11:35 – Ka'Deem Carey 1 yard run (Robbie Gould kick) Tied 7–7
CHI 3:00 – Robbie Gould 26 yard field goal CHI 10–7
CHI 0:08 – Robbie Gould 27 yard field goal CHI 13–7
Third quarter
TB 11:24 – Charles Sims 50 yard pass from Jameis Winston (Connor Barth kick) TB 14–13
Fourth quarter
CHI 14:55 – Ka'Deem Carey 1 yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick) CHI 20–14
CHI 9:04 – Robbie Gould 50 yard field goal CHI 23–14
CHI 1:07 – Robbie Gould 39 yard field goal CHI 26–14
TB 0:01 – Austin Seferian-Jenkins 43 yard pass from Jameis Winston CHI 26–21
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler 20/27, 156 yards, TD
TB – Jameis Winston 15/29, 295 yards, 2 TDs, INT
Top rushers
CHI – Jeremy Langford 19 rushes, 83 yards
TB – Doug Martin 17 rushes, 49 yards, TD
Top receivers
CHI – Zach Miller 7 receptions, 69 yards
TB – Charles Sims 3 receptions, 72 yards, TD
Top tacklers
CHI – Christian Jones – 6 tackles
TB – Bradley McDougald – 12 tackles :
Jameis Winston's hail-mary pass touchdown to Austin-Seferian Jenkins is not enough as Tampa Bay fell to Chicago 26–21 in the Buccaneers’ final home game of the season, and Lovie Smith went 0–2 against his former Bears team that fired him at the end of the 2012 season.

#### Week 17: at Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Panthers | 0 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: January 3, 2016
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 54 °F (12.2 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 74,169
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
TB –
CAR –
Top rushers
TB –
CAR –
Top receivers
TB –
CAR –
Top tacklers
TB –
CAR – :
Carolina swept the season series and finished with a record of 15–1. Tampa Bay finished the season losing their final four games and slipped to 6–10. After an incomplete pass by Jameis Winston, Mike Evans exchanged heated words with the officials resulting in Evans receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls and an ejection from the game.

## Standings
### Division

NFC South :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Carolina Panthers | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 5–1 | 11–1 | 500 | 308 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 1–5 | 5–7 | 339 | 345 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 408 | 476 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 342 | 417 | L4 |

### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division Leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Carolina Panthers | South | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 5–1 | 11–1 | .441 | .438 | W1 |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 4–2 | 10–2 | .477 | .457 | L1 |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .504 | .449 | W3 |
| 4 | Washington Redskins | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .465 | .403 | W4 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Green Bay Packers | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .531 | .450 | L2 |
| 6 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .520 | .431 | W1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .480 | .453 | L1 |
| 8 | St. Louis Rams | West | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .527 | .482 | L1 |
| 9 | Detroit Lions | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .535 | .429 | W3 |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .508 | .473 | W1 |
| 11 | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .504 | .402 | W2 |
| 12 | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .500 | .396 | L3 |
| 13 | Chicago Bears | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .469 | L1 |
| 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .484 | .406 | L4 |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .539 | .463 | W1 |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 3–3 | 3–9 | .531 | .438 | L4 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Green Bay finished ahead of Seattle based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 3 4 St. Louis and Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on conference record. St. Louis finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory. Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on head-to-head sweep, while Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 3 The New York Giants and Chicago each finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory, while the Giants finished ahead of Chicago based on conference record. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||

## Awards

* Week 2: Pepsi Next Rookie of the Week — Jameis Winston
* Week 3: Pepsi Next Rookie of the Week — Kwon Alexander
* Week 5: FedEx Ground Player of the Week — Doug Martin
* Week 5: Special Teams Player of the Week — Bobby Rainey
* Week 5: Pepsi Next Rookie of the Week — Jameis Winston
* Week 11: Defensive Player of the Week — Lavonte David
* Week 11: FedEx Air Player of the Week — Jameis Winston
* Week 11: Pepsi Next Rookie of the Week — Jameis Winston
* Week 11: FedEx Ground Player of the Week — Doug Martin
* November: Offensive Rookie of the Month — Jameis Winston
* Week 13: Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of the Week — Jameis Winston