# 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season

The 2016 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 41st in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Dirk Koetter. In week 13, the club won their seventh game, eclipsing their win total from 2015.
After winning on opening day, Tampa Bay sputtered through the rest of September. Starting running back Doug Martin was sidelined for eight weeks with a hamstring injury, necessitating back-up running backs taking his place in the lineup. After receiving adequate performances from Charles Sims and Antone Smith, both subsequently ended up on injured reserve, along with wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Cecil Shorts. A victory on Monday night against division rival Carolina saw Tampa Bay begin a streak in which they won seven out of their next nine games. Between weeks 10 and 14, the Buccaneers achieved their first five-game winning streak since their first Super Bowl championship season.
Losses to the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints late in the season hampered the Buccaneers' playoff hopes; heading into week 17, the team was still mathematically alive for a wild card berth, but despite defeating the Carolina Panthers, the team missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Buccaneers finished tied with the Detroit Lions for the last NFC playoff spot, but lost the tiebreaker because they had a worse record against common opponents than the Lions did. Nevertheless, the Buccaneers achieved their first winning season since the 2010 campaign, when they also narrowly missed the playoffs.

## Draft

2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 11 | Vernon Hargreaves III | CB | Florida |
| 2 | 39 | Noah Spence | DE | Eastern Kentucky University |
| 2 | 59 | Roberto Aguayo | K | Florida State |
| 4 | 108 | Ryan Smith | CB | North Carolina Central |
| 5 | 148 | Caleb Benenoch | OT | UCLA |
| 6 | 183 | Devante Bond | OLB | Oklahoma |
| 6 | 197 | Dan Vitale | TE | Northwestern |
Notes
* On April 3, 2015, the Buccaneers traded safety Dashon Goldson to the Washington Redskins, along with a seventh round pick (#232), for a sixth round pick (#197) in the 2016 NFL draft.

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 11 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 9–17 | 0–1 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 20 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | W 27–21 | 1–1 | EverBank Field | Recap |
| 3 | August 26 | Cleveland Browns | W 30–13 | 2–1 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | August 31 | Washington Redskins | L 13–20 | 2–2 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |

### Regular season

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 11 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 31–24 | 1–0 | Georgia Dome | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 7–40 | 1–1 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | Los Angeles Rams | L 32–37 | 1–2 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | Denver Broncos | L 7–27 | 1–3 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | at Carolina Panthers | W 17–14 | 2–3 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 7 | October 23 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 34–17 | 3–3 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | Oakland Raiders | L 24–30 (OT) | 3–4 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 3 | Atlanta Falcons | L 28–43 | 3–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | Chicago Bears | W 36–10 | 4–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 19–17 | 5–5 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 27 | Seattle Seahawks | W 14–5 | 6–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | at San Diego Chargers | W 28–21 | 7–5 | Qualcomm Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 11 | New Orleans Saints | W 16–11 | 8–5 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 20–26 | 8–6 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | at New Orleans Saints | L 24–31 | 8–7 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 17 | January 1 | Carolina Panthers | W 17–16 | 9–7 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |||||||

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
| Falcons | 10 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 24 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 69,382
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, David Diehl and Holly Sonders
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 43-yard field goal, 9:57. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 3:02.
ATL – Matt Bryant 34-yard field goal, 7:13. Tied 3–3. Drive: 5 plays, 59 yards, 2:44.
ATL – Mohamed Sanu 5-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 0:16. Falcons 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 18 yards, 2:20.
Second quarter
TB – Brandon Myers 4-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 10:31. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:46.
ATL – Matt Bryant 34-yard field goal, 1:50. Falcons 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 3:14.
TB – Charles Sims 23-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 0:24. Buccaneers 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 1:31.
Third quarter
TB – Austin Seferian-Jenkins 30-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 13:02. Buccaneers 24–13. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:06.
TB – Mike Evans 45-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Robert Aguayo kick), 5:21. Buccaneers 31–13. Drive: 7 plays, 92 yards, 3:16.
ATL – Julio Jones 25-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Ryan–Mohamed Sanu pass), 1:42. Buccaneers 31–21. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 3:37.
Fourth quarter
ATL – Matt Bryant 29-yard field goal, 4:59. Buccaneers 31–24. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 4:54.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 23/32, 281 yards, 4 TD, INT
ATL – Matt Ryan – 27/39, 334 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 18 rushes, 62 yards
ATL – Tevin Coleman – 8 rushes, 22 yards
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 5 receptions, 99 yards, TD
ATL – Tevin Coleman – 5 receptions, 95 yards :
Quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 281 yards and four touchdown passes, as Tampa Bay defeated Atlanta 31–24. The Buccaneers jumped out to a 31–13 lead late in the third quarter, then held off a rally by the Falcons. Atlanta got the ball back trailing by 7 with just under two minutes to go, but managed only one first down, and turned the ball over on downs to end the game.

#### Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 24 | 9 | 7 | 40 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. Arizona time
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 64,230
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 4-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 14:59. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 5:12.
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 22-yard field goal, 11:48. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 14 yards, 2:21.
ARI – Michael Floyd 1-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 1:35. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 1:36.
ARI – Jaron Brown 51-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 0:26. Cardinals 24–0. Drive: 4 plays, 84 yards, 0:45.
Third quarter
TB – Mike Evans 19-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 10:06. Cardinals 24–7. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:59.
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 40-yard field goal, 8:00. Cardinals 27–7. Drive: 5 plays, 53 yards, 2:05.
ARI – Marcus Cooper 60-yard interception return (kick failed, wide left), 5:15. Cardinals 33–7.
Fourth quarter
ARI – Chris Johnson 3-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 12:15. Cardinals 40–7. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 4:47.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 27/52, 243 yards, TD, 4 INT
ARI – Carson Palmer – 17/30, 304 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 2 rushes, 29 yards
ARI – Chris Johnson – 16 rushes, 54 yards, TD
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 6 receptions, 70 yards, TD
ARI – David Johnson – 3 receptions, 98 yards :
Arizona routed Tampa Bay 40–7. Quarterback Jameis Winston threw four interceptions and lost one fumble. Running back Doug Martin left the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.

#### Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 10 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 37 |
| Buccaneers | 6 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 32 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 91 °F (32.8 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 55,009
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Chris Spielman and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
LA – Brian Quick 44-yard pass from Case Keenum (Greg Zuerlein kick), 12:05. Rams 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:02.
TB – Kwon Alexander 38-yard interception return (kick failed, wide left), 8:54. Rams 7–6.
LA – Greg Zuerlein 53-yard field goal, 2:31. Rams 10–6. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 3:42.
Second quarter
TB – Charles Sims 1-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 12:27. Buccaneers 13–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:03.
TB – Cameron Brate 3-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 6:10. Buccaneers 20–10. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:48.
LA – Todd Gurley 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:28. Buccaneers 20–17. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 2:01.
Third quarter
LA – Todd Gurley 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:53. Rams 24–20. Drive 8 plays, 69 yards, 3:52.
Fourth quarter
LA – Ethan Westbrooks 77-yard fumble return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:56. Rams 31–20.
TB – Cameron Brate 1-yard touchdown (pass failed), 9:00. Rams 31–26. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:44.
LA – Tavon Austin 43-yard pass from Case Keenum (run failed), 3:39. Rams 37–26. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:17.
TB – Mike Evans 7-yard pass from Jameis Winston (pass failed), 2:24. Rams 37–32. Drive 11 plays, 75 yards, 2:23.
Top passers
LA – Case Keenum – 14/26, 190 yards, 2 TD, INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 36/58, 405 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
LA – Todd Gurley – 27 rushes, 87 yards, TD
TB – Charles Sims – 13 rushes, 55 yards, TD
Top receivers
LA – Tavon Austin – 5 receptions, 82 yards, TD
TB – Mike Evans – 10 receptions, 132 yards, TD :
With Los Angeles leading 37–32 at two minute warning, the game was suspended for an hour and ten minutes due to lightning in the area. When the game resumed, the Rams faced 3rd & 11 at their own 5 yard line. Case Keenum threw an incompletion, and the Rams punted to Tampa Bay. Jameis Winston drove the Buccaneers to the Rams 15 yard line in the final minute. With 4 seconds left in regulation, Winston rolled out to his left, but with no receivers open, scrambled 10 yards downfield, and was tackled at the 5 yard line to end the game.

#### Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: October 2
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 88 °F (31.1 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 60,375
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Demaryius Thomas 11-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (Brandon McManus kick), 13:26. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 11 yards, 0:05.
TB – Jameis Winston 7-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 6:40. Tied 7–7. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:46.
Second quarter
DEN – C. J. Anderson 1-yard run (Brandon McManus kick), 12:14. Broncos 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:56.
DEN – Brandon McManus 38-yard field goal, 0:05. Broncos 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 1:14.
Third quarter
DEN – Brandon McManus 24-yard field goal, 7:04. Broncos 20–7. Drive: 16 plays, 69 yards, 7:57.
Fourth quarter
DEN – Emmanuel Sanders 5-yard pass from Paxton Lynch (Brandon McManus kick), 8:55. Broncos 27–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:39.
Top passers
DEN – Paxton Lynch – 14/24, 170 yards, TD
TB – Jameis Winston – 17/35, 179 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
DEN – C. J. Anderson – 19 rushes, 49 yards, TD
TB – Charles Sims – 15 rushes, 28 yards
Top receivers
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 6 receptions, 94 yards, TD
TB – Cameron Brate – 5 receptions, 67 yards :
For the second consecutive week, Tampa Bay endured a weather delay. Midway through the fourth quarter, the game was suspended for 90 minutes due to lightning. Denver defeated Tampa Bay 27–7. Jameis Winston ran for a touchdown, but threw two interceptions in the loss.

#### Week 5: at Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 17 |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: October 10
* Game time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 73,425
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 35-yard field goal, 6:32. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 58 yards, 8:32.
Second quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 35-yard field goal, 0:48. Buccaneers 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 3:22.
Third quarter
CAR – Cameron Artis-Payne 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 9:12. Panthers 7–6. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:48.
CAR – Cameron Artis-Payne 12-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 6:11. Panthers 14–6. Drive: 5 plays, 68 yards, 1:45.
TB – Mike Evans 26-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Jameis Winston–Adam Humphries pass), 4:34. Tied 14–14. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:36.
Fourth quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 38-yard field goal, 0:03. Buccaneers 17–14. Drive: 11 plays, 66 yards, 1:49.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 18/30, 219 yards, TD
CAR – Derek Anderson – 18/28, 278 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 30 rushes, 101 yards
CAR – Cameron Artis-Payne – 18 rushes, 85 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 6 receptions, 89 yards, TD
CAR – Greg Olsen – 9 receptions, 181 yards :
Tampa Bay snapped Carolina's six game winning streak in the series, as the two clubs met on Monday Night Football. With Cam Newton sidelined due to concussion protocol, Derek Anderson started for Carolina. Anderson threw two interceptions and lost one fumble. With the game tied 14-14, Tampa Bay drove to the Panthers 20 yard line in the final minute. After missing two attempts earlier in the game, Roberto Aguayo kicked a 38-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.

#### Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 34 |
| 49ers | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: October 23
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 70,178
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Mike Davis 4-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 13:04. 49ers 7–0. Drive 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:58.
SF – Shaun Draughn 17-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (Phil Dawson kick), 0:16. 49ers 14–0. Drive: 1 play, 17 yards, 0:08.
Second quarter
TB – Mike Evans 4-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 10:20. 49ers 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 94 yards, 4:54.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 38-yard field goal, 5:04. 49ers 14–10. Drive: 6 plays, 57 yards, 2:39.
TB – Russell Shepard 19-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 0:53. Buccaneers 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 1:46.
Third quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 37-yard field goal, 11:02. Buccaneers 20–14. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 2:01.
TB – Mike Evans 5-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 6:30. Buccaneers 27–14. Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 2:03.
Fourth quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 28-yard field goal, 8:12. Buccaneers 27–17. Drive: 14 plays, 50 yards, 6:04.
TB – Peyton Barber 44-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 4:51. Buccaneers 34–17. Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 3:26.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 21/30, 269 yards, 3 TD, INT
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 16/34, 143 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 26 rushes, 154 yards
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 9 rushes, 84 yards
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 8 receptions, 96 yards, 2 TD
SF – Shaun Draughn – 5 receptions, 37 yards, TD :
Jameis Winston threw for 269 yards and three touchdown passes, while Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 154 yards. After falling behind 14–0, Tampa Bay scored 27 unanswered points, and pulled away for a 34–17 victory.

#### Week 8: vs. Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Raiders | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 30 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 61,068
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker and Chris Fischer
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 41-yard field goal, 3:59. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 6:31.
Second quarter
TB – Russell Shepard 19-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 15:00. Buccaneers 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 34 yards, 1:21.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 31-yard field goal, 8:19. Buccaneers 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 2:06.
Third quarter
OAK – Donald Penn 1-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 10:30. Tied 10–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:36.
OAK – Amari Cooper 34-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick, 5:38. Raiders 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 3:43.
Fourth quarter
TB – Cameron Brate 5-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Kick failed, wide left), 15:00. Raiders 17–16. Drive: 3 plays, 47 yards, 1:12.
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers 1-yard run (Jameis Winston–Mike Evans pass), 3:53. Buccaneers 24–17. Drive: 9 plays, 82 yards, 4:45.
OAK – Mychal Rivera 7-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 1:43. Tied 24–24. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:10.
Overtime
OAK – Seth Roberts 41-yard pass from Derek Carr, 1:55. Raiders 30–24. 'Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 1:36.
Top passers
OAK – Derek Carr – 40/59, 513 yards, 4 TD
TB – Jameis Winston – 16/32, 180 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
OAK – Latavius Murray – 11 rushes, 48 yards
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 19 rushes, 69 yards, TD
Top receivers
OAK – Amari Cooper – 12 receptions, 173 yards, TD
TB – Adam Humphries – 3 receptions, 58 yards :
In this Super Bowl XXXVII rematch, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw for 513 yards and four touchdown passes as the Raiders won in overtime. With 1:55 remaining in the overtime period, on a 4th down & 3, Carr threw a game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass to Seth Roberts.

#### Week 9: vs. Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 10 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 43 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: November 3
* Game time: 8:25 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 76 °F (24.4 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 57,797
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (NFLN): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Heather Cox
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Mike Evans 3-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 9:37. Buccaneers 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 5:32.
ATL – Levine Toilolo 32-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 7:47. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:49.
ATL – Matt Bryant 29-yard field goal, 6:12. Falcons 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:56.
Second quarter
ATL – Matt Bryant 41-yard field goal, 13:42. Falcons 13–7. Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 3:02.
TB – Mike Evans 24-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 8:43. Buccaneers 14–13. Drive: 2 plays, 24 yards, 0:23.
ATL – Taylor Gabriel 9-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 4:01. Falcons 20–14. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 4:39.
Third quarter
ATL – Patrick DiMarco 1-yard pass from Matt Ryan (pass failed), 8:59. Falcons 26–14. Drive: 11 plays, 86 yards, 6:06.
ATL – Julio Jones 3-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 3:07. Falcons 33–14. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:52.
Fourth quarter
ATL – Austin Hooper 2-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 10:00. Falcons 40–14. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:43.
TB – Adam Humphries 7-yard pass from Jameis Winston (run failed), 6:53. Falcons 40–20. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:09.
ATL – Matt Bryant 50-yard field goal, 3:47. Falcons 43–20. Drive: 6 plays, 12 yards, 3:05.
TB – Cameron Brate 2-yard pass from Mike Glennon (Mike Glennon–Brandon Myers pass), 1:01. Falcons 43–28. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 2:43.
Top passers
ATL – Matt Ryan – 25/34, 344 yards, 4 TD
TB – Jameis Winston – 23/37, 261 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
ATL – Devonta Freeman – 17 rushes, 77 yards
TB – Peyton Barber – 11 rushes, 31 yards
Top receivers
ATL – Julio Jones – 8 receptions, 111 yards, TD
TB – Mike Evans – 11 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TD :
Tampa Bay's only highlight came in the fourth quarter when Mike Evans made a spectacular one-handed sideline catch. However, he was hit and left the game with a concussion. He did finish on a solid note with 11 receptions along with 150 yards and two scores.

#### Week 10: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 36 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: November 13
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 81 °F (27.2 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 62,898
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (Fox): Dan Hellie, David Diehl and Holly Sonders
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Chris Conte 20-yard interception return (Roberto Aguayo kick), 5:42. Buccaneers 7–0.
CHI – Connor Barth 54-yard field goal, 2:47. Buccaneers 7–3. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 2:52.
Second quarter
TB – Cameron Brate 10-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Agauyo kick), 3:38. Buccaneers 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 29 yards, 2:04.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 30-yard field goal, 0:35. Buccaneers 17–3. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 1:14.
CHI – Cameron Meredith 50-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Connor Barth kick), 0:05. Buccaneers 17–10. Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards, 0:31.
Third quarter
TB – Freddie Martino 43-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 13:13. Buccaneers 24–10. Drive: 4 plays, 77 yards, 1:55.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 27-yard field goal, 5:23. Buccaneers 27–10. Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 5:58.
TB – Jay Cutler sacked by Robert Ayers in the endzone for a safety, 0:58. Buccaneers 29–10.
Fourth quarter
TB – Doug Martin 1-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 6:00. Buccaneers 36–10. Drive: 17 plays, 62 yards, 9:56.
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler – 16/30, 182 yards, TD, 2 INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 23/33, 312 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
CHI – Jordan Howard – 15 rushes, 100 yards
TB – Peyton Barber – 12 rushes, 38 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Cameron Meredith – 1 reception, 50 yards
TB – Cameron Brate – 7 receptions, 84 yards, TD :
Tampa Bay beat Chicago in dominating fashion for their first home victory of the season. Chris Conte intercepted a Jay Cutler pass and returned the ball 20 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter to start the scoring. Jameis Winston threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns, including a busted play and scramble to his own endzone which resulted in a remarkable 39-yard completion to Mike Evans. Doug Martin returned to the lineup, and scored a rushing touchdown.

#### Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 19 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: November 20
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 46 °F (7.8 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 72,277
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 22-yard field goal, 7:10. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 7:53.
Second quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 31-yard field goal, 9:49. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:28.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 22-yard field goal, 4:22. Buccaneers 6–3. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:20.
KC – Alex Smith 11-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 1:20. Chiefs 10–6. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:06.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 41-yard field goal, 0:11. Chiefs 10–9. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 1:06.
Third quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 36-yard field goal, 10:06. Buccaneers 12–10. Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 5:00.
Fourth quarter
TB – Alan Cross 3-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 6:30. Buccaneers 19–10. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 5:42.
KC – Albert Wilson 3-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 2:29. Buccaneers 19–17. Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards, 3:59.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 24/39, 331 yards, TD
KC – Alex Smith – 24/31, 261 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 24 rushes, 63 yards
KC – Spencer Ware – 17 rushes, 69 yards
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 6 receptions, 105 yards
KC – Travis Kelce – 7 receptions, 108 yards :
Tampa Bay won their second straight game, this one against a team that was highly favored to win. Jameis Winston threw for over 300 yards while Mike Evans received for over 100 yards. The offense was efficient, especially on third down where they went 11 of 15. The defense came up big as well, with safety Chris Conte getting an interception in the end zone, his second straight game with a pick. Rookie kicker Roberto Aguyao, who has struggled throughout the season, went 5/5 on kicks, making 4 field goals and 1 extra point. With this win, the Bucs got back to .500, took sole possession of second place in the NFC South, and improved their road record to 4-1.

#### Week 12: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Buccaneers | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 81 °F (27.2 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 63,674
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Mike Evans 3-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 7:41. Buccaneers 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 78 yards, 7:26.
TB – Mike Evans 23-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 3:00. Buccaneers 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 3:01.
Second quarter
SEA – Penalty on Luke Stocker enforced in the end zone for a safety, 13:29. Buccaneers 14–2.
SEA – Steven Hauschka 43-yard field goal, 10:43. Buccaneers 14–5. Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 2:44.
Third quarter
No scoring plays
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 17/33, 151 yards, 2 INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 21/28, 220 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 8 rushes, 80 yards
TB – Doug Martin – 23 rushes, 87 yards
Top receivers
SEA – Jimmy Graham – 6 receptions, 67 yards
TB – Mike Evans – 8 receptions, 104 yards, 2 TD :
Coming into a game where Seattle was highly favored to win, Tampa Bay earned their third straight win in impressive fashion. After scoring two Winston to Evans touchdowns in the first quarter, the defense held up and didn't allow any offensive touchdowns. The only points scored against them were a safety after a holding call in the endzone and a Seattle field goal. The defense also held Seattle to just one 3rd down conversion on 11 attempts, with the sole conversion coming in the 4th quarter. Seattle QB Russell Wilson was sacked six times and two of his passes were intercepted, one of those interceptions coming from CB Alterraun Verner. With this upset win, the Bucs moved over .500 for the first time through 11 games since 2012, and sits a half a game behind the final wildcard spot.

#### Week 13: at San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 28 |
| Chargers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: December 4
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/1:25 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 72 °F (22.2 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 53,832
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, David Diehl and Holly Sonders
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SD – Dontrelle Inman 35-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Josh Lambo kick), 11:03. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:07.
TB – Doug Martin 2-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 1:15. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 4:26.
Second quarter
SD – Melvin Gordon 2-yard run (Josh Lambo kick), 10:08. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 6:04.
Third quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 27-yard field goal, 8:29. Chargers 14–10. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 6:35.
TB – Lavonte David 15-yard interception return (Roberto Aguayo kick), 4:32. Buccaneers 17–14.
SD – Tyrell Williams 40-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Josh Lambo kick), 1:42. Chargers 21–17. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:52.
Fourth quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 35-yard field goal, 13:07. Chargers 21–20. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:30.
TB – Cameron Brate 12-yard touchdown pass from Jameis Winston (Jameis Winston–Mike Evans pass), 9:06. Buccaneers 28–21. Drive: 4 plays, 54 yards, 2:14.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 20/30, 280 yards, TD, INT
SD – Philip Rivers – 15/26, 225 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 17 rushes, 84 yards, TD
SD – Melvin Gordon – 17 rushes, 45 yards, TD
Top receivers
TB – Cameron Brate – 6 receptions, 84 yards, TD
SD – Melvin Gordon – 4 receptions, 54 yards :
The Bucs won their fourth consecutive game. After being down at the half 14–7, the Bucs outscored the Chargers 21–7 in the second half. The win gives the Bucs a 7–5 record (5–1 on the road) and since the Redskins (6–4–1) lost, the Bucs took over the final wildcard spot. Also since the Falcons (7–5) lost, they are now tied with them atop the NFC South. After the game, the Week 15 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys was flexed from a normal 1 p.m. kickoff to Sunday Night Football.

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

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: December 11
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 79 °F (26.1 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 62,140
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 41-yard field goal, 8:05. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:00.
Second quarter
TB – Doug Martin 1-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 14:50. Buccaneers 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:37.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 39-yard field goal, 8:26. Buccaneers 13–0. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 4:45.
NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 5:29. Buccaneers 13–3. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 2:57.
NO – Doug Martin tackled in the end zone by Paul Kruger for a safety, 5:20. Buccaneers 13–5.
NO – Wil Lutz 34-yard field goal, 0:00. Buccaneers 13–8. Drive: 14 plays, 35 yards, 5:20.
Third quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 22-yard field goal, 3:35. Buccaneers 13–11. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 5:29.
Fourth quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 26-yard field goal, 12:46. Buccaneers 16–11. Drive: 13 plays, 68 yards, 5:49.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 25/41, 257 yards, 3 INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 16/26, 184 yards
Top rushers
NO – Tim Hightower – 6 rushes, 31 yards
TB – Doug Martin – 23 rushes, 66 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Willie Snead IV – 6 receptions, 85 yards
TB – Cameron Brate – 4 receptions, 47 yards :
The Buccaneers won their fifth consecutive game after another impressive showing from the defense. The defense picked off Drew Brees three times, including one to seal the win. They also held the Saints offense to zero offensive touchdowns. The win puts the Buccaneers at 8–5, and they now have a chance to finish the season with a record over .500, the first since the 2010 season.

#### Week 15: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 26 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: December 18
* Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (roof retracted)
* Game attendance: 93,101
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 25-yard field goal, 5:54. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 3:52.
Second quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 27-yard field goal, 14:56. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:58.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 12:34. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 2:11.
DAL – Dak Prescott 2-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 6:24. Cowboys 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:13.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 34-yard field goal, 1:52. Cowboys 17–6. Drive: 11 plays, 59 yards, 4:32.
Third quarter
TB – Adam Humphries 42-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 11:44. Cowboys 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:16.
TB – Cameron Brate 10-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 4:12. Buccaneers 20–17. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 4:49.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 40-yard field goal,13:31. Tied 20–20. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 5:41.
DAL – Dan Bailey 38-yard field goal, 9:35. Cowboys 23–20. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 2:14.
DAL – Dan Bailey 33-yard field goal, 2:58. Cowboys 26–20. Drive: 8 plays, 81 yards, 3:57.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 17/35, 247 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 32/36, 279 yards
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 16 rushes, 42 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 23 rushes, 159 yards, TD
Top receivers
TB – Cameron Brate – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
DAL – Dez Bryant – 8 receptions, 82 yards :
The Buccaneers five-game winning streak came to an end with this loss. After being down 17–6 at the half, the Bucs came out hot in the second half scoring two touchdowns on throws to receiver Adam Humphries and tight end Cameron Brate, taking a 20–17 lead going into the fourth quarter. After three Dallas field goals in the fourth, the Bucs had a chance to drive down the field for a last second touchdown. On 4th down with around 30 seconds remaining, Winston threw an interception to seal the game. With the loss, the Buccaneers move to 8–6 on the season.

#### Week 16: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
| Saints | 7 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 31 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: December 24
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,177
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 6-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 0:57. Saints 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 6:32.
Second quarter
TB – Cameron Brate 12-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 10:50. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:13.
NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 6:45. Saints 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:05.
NO – Wil Lutz 34-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 3:38.
Third quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 14-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 14:01. Saints 20–7. Drive: 1 play, 14 yards, 0:05.
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers 3-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 8:38. Saints 20–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:23.
NO – Travaris Cadet 11-yard pass from Drew Brees (Mark Ingram II run), 6:20. Saints 28–14. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:18.
TB – Mike Evans 34-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 1:52. Saints 28–21. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:28.
Fourth quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 21-yard field goal, 11:55. Saints 31–21. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:57.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 35-yard field goal, 2:00. Saints 31–24. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 2:33.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 23/35, 277 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
NO – Drew Brees – 23/34, 299 yards, TD
Top rushers
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 15 rushes, 63 yards, TD
NO – Mark Ingram II – 18 rushes, 90 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 7 receptions, 97 yards, TD
NO – Brandin Cooks – 5 receptions, 98 yards :
The Bucs' playoff hopes took hits after a second loss in a row, this time to the New Orleans Saints. Their defense was shaky, as they allowed 13 points in the first half of the game, and 18 points in the second half. This put the Bucs outside the playoff picture, and left them requiring victory in week 17 as well as hoping for the Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers to both lose. Mark Ingram II scored two touchdowns, during the game, and Jameis Winston was picked off twice during the game, unlike the previous meeting of the two teams a couple weeks ago.

#### Week 17: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: January 1, 2017
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 81 °F (27.2 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 62,037
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Peter Schager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 33-yard field goal, 11:02. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 3:58.
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 2-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:22. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:40.
Second quarter
No scoring plays
Third quarter
TB – Brent Grimes 31-yard interception return (Roberto Aguayo kick), 14:19. Buccaneers 10–7.
CAR – Graham Gano 54-yard field goal, 6:37. Tied 10–10. Drive: 7 plays, 50 yards, 3:08.
Fourth quarter
TB – Mike Evans 10-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 3:13. Buccaneers 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 2:52.
CAR – Kelvin Benjamin 5-yard pass from Cam Newton (pass failed), 0:17. Buccaneers 17–16. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 2:56.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 18/32, 237 yards, TD, 3 INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 20/35, 202 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 20 rushes, 65 yards, TD
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 17 rushes, 75 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Kelvin Benjamin – 6 receptions, 93 yards, TD
TB – Adam Humphries – 10 receptions, 94 yards :
The Bucs closed out the season sweeping the season series against Carolina. The game came down to the wire, with Carolina coming within one after scoring a touchdown with 17 seconds left to play. Instead of tying it up with an extra point, Carolina failed on an attempted two-point conversion. In addition to this win, the Buccaneers' playoff hopes required six other Week 17 results (including a tie between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins) to fall their way in order to secure a strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Green Bay Packers for the final wild-card berth. They were officially eliminated from playoff contention after the New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins. However, they finished 9–7, their first winning record since finishing 10–6 in the 2010 season, and would pick 19th overall in the upcoming NFL draft.

## Standings
### Division

NFC South :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(2)}$ Atlanta Falcons | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 540 | 406 | W4 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 354 | 369 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 469 | 454 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 5–7 | 369 | 402 | L2 |

### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 3–3 | 9–3 | .471 | .440 | L1 |
| 2 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .480 | .452 | W4 |
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 3–2–1 | 6–5–1 | .441 | .425 | W1 |
| 4 | Green Bay Packers | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .508 | .453 | W6 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Giants | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .486 | .455 | W1 |
| 6 | Detroit Lions | North | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .475 | .392 | L3 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .492 | .434 | W1 |
| 8 | Washington Redskins | East | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .516 | .430 | L1 |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .492 | .457 | W1 |
| 10 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .463 | .366 | W2 |
| 11 | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .523 | .393 | L1 |
| 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .559 | .518 | W2 |
| 13 | Carolina Panthers | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .518 | .354 | L2 |
| 14 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .504 | .500 | L7 |
| 15 | Chicago Bears | North | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .521 | .396 | L4 |
| 16 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .504 | .250 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Detroit finished ahead of Tampa Bay for the No. 6 seed and qualified for the last playoff spot based on record vs. common opponents—Detroit's cumulative record against Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New Orleans was 3–2, while Tampa Bay's cumulative record against the same four teams was 2–3. 1 2 New Orleans finished ahead of Philadelphia based on better record vs. conference opponents. ↑ 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 1: NFC Offensive Player of the Week – Jameis Winston
* Week 1: FedEx Air Player of the Week – Jameis Winston
* Week 5: Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of the Week – Roberto Aguayo
* Week 11: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week – Roberto Aguayo
* Week 12: Pepsi Next Rookie of the Week – Noah Spence
* November: Defensive Rookie of the Month – Noah Spence
* Week 14: Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of the Week – Keith Tandy
* Week 17: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week – Bryan Anger
* Week 17: Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of the Week – Mike Evans
* Bridgestone Performance Play of the Year – Jameis Winston & Mike Evans