Seahawks at Buccaneers
The Seattle Seahawks just don't seem to lose in November and December, and this season is no exception. The Seahawks will go for their fourth straight win and second in three weeks on the East Coast when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Seattle is making its third trip into the Eastern Time Zone and already has wins over the New York Jets and New England on its resume as it chases Dallas for the best record in the NFC. The Seahawks, who are 18-3 in November and December since the 2014 season, will give a heavier load to running back Thomas Rawls against the Buccaneers after C.J. Prosise went down with a fractured scapula in last week's 26-15 home win over Philadelphia. Tampa Bay is fighting for the top spot in the NFC South and sits one game behind first-place Atlanta after ripping off back-to-back wins. "We have to keep building," Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston told reporters. "It's one day at a time, one win at a time. We have to keep building. Obviously, we're on the up-and-up, but we've got to keep producing."
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Seahawks -5.5. O/U: 45
ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (7-2-1): Russell Wilson battled injuries in October and went three straight games without a touchdown - passing or rushing - to close out the month. Since the calendar turned, Wilson returned to health and has recorded six passing TDs without an interception in his last three games while adding rushing and receiving scores. "I think the quick bursts that he showed when he had to make the decision was really the confidence he demonstrated he's got," coach Pete Carroll told reporters in regard to Wilson's health. "I couldn't be more fired up about that. That's when we're playing ball the way we know how to play. It's a big factor for us."
ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (5-5): Winston steadily is making his way into the conversation about elite quarterbacks in the NFL, and he stretched his streak to 26 straight games to begin his career with at least one rushing or passing TD when he hit rookie tight end Alan Cross with a fourth-quarter TD pass in last week's 19-17 win at Kansas City. "Jameis was out of sight today," coach Dirk Koetter told reporters after the triumph. "That's as good of quarterback play of however many years I've been in the league now. Jameis - he was awesome all day. Jameis played a great game." Winston is forming a strong connection with wide receiver Mike Evans, who is third in the NFL with 916 receiving yards and second with eight TD catches.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Buccaneers placed Ben Gottschalk on injured reserve and promoted fellow C Josh Allen from the practice squad.
2. Seattle S Earl Thomas suffered a hamstring strain last week and is questionable for Sunday.
3. Tampa Bay CB Jude Adjei-Barimah was suspended four games for violating the NFL's PED policy.