Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Bruce Arians gives bizarre reason for taking late-game penalty before missed field goal
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were narrowly defeated by the New York Giants after kicker Matt Gay missed a field goal that would have won the game.
The Buccaneers were at the Giants’ 9-yard line and down 32-31 when Gay came out to kick the potential game-winner with 13 seconds left. The Buccaneers, with a timeout in hand, were then penalized 5 yards for delay of game before Gay's narrow miss to the right.
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Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians explained afterward that he deliberately took the penalty, making Gay attempt the would-be game-winning field goal from 34 yards instead of 29.
“I just took it on purpose. He’s better back there. That field goal is easier back 5 yards,” Arians told reporters. “We wanted to move the ball, put it in the middle and make it easier.”
Gay was 4-for-5 on field goals and 1-for-3 on extra-point attempts.
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The Giants got the win behind Daniel Jones’ gutsy first start. He was 23-for-36 with 336 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He added two rushing touchdowns as well.
Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston had three touchdown passes of his own – all to wide receiver Mike Evans.
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The Buccaneers fell to 1-2 on the season with the loss.
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The Giants improved to 1-2 with the win.