Buccaneers' rookie earns NFC Player of the Week honors after win against Rams
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally ended a three-game skid with a victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams, on Sunday afternoon. It wasn't pretty as the Buccaneers entered halftime with just six total points.
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However, the offense finally found a spark in the final frame as quarterback Tom Brady drove the unit downfield and connected with rookie tight end Cade Otton for a touchdown with nine seconds remaining. The score secured a comeback win, one that was much-needed after how the last few weeks have gone.
While offensive production was lacking on both sides, that provided an opportunity for an unlikely and underlooked star to shine, rookie punter Jake Camarda.
Camarda punted six times for 357 yards (59.5 average) with a long of 74 yards. The 74-yard punt in the third quarter tied a franchise record that was set by Sean Landeta in 1998.
In total, half of his kicks traveled 66+ yards or more. Four of the punts were downed inside the 20-yard line.
On Wednesday, Camarda was honored for his performance by being named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
There were some questions after Tampa Bay's decision to invest a fourth-round pick in Camarda during the 2022 NFL Draft - leading to the release of veteran Bradley Pinion. The noise got a little louder after an unimpressive preseason but the rookie has responded by displaying the skillset that made him a premium selection.
Through nine games, Camarda has handled punting and kickoff specialist duties. He's booted the ball 44 times for an average of 48.5 yards per kick. 19 of his 43 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks.
Tampa Bay returns to action on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks in Germany.
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