Forget Geno Smith’s big right arm for a moment. The rookie quarterback’s legs created scoring opportunities on Sunday — and were responsible for Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David’s game-costing brain cramp.
With just seven seconds remaining and the Buccaneers nursing a two-point lead, David hit Geno Smith at the tail end of a 10-yard run while the quarterback was out of bounds, a 15-yard penalty that gift-wrapped a manageable game-winning field-goal attempt.
Nick Folk drilled the 48-yard try, sending Gang Green to a thrilling, come-from-behind 18-17 victory and assuring the Bucs’ physical second-year linebacker a pair of goat horns.
“They just called the flag, I don’t what to say,” David said. “I guess I hit him out of bounds.”
“To me, he was inbounds, but I guess they said he was out of bounds. They called the flag. I was definitely surprised about it. You just got to live with it and move on.”
Smith was flushed out of the pocket on the play and took off toward the sideline. When he got there, he didn’t immediately go out of bounds, picking up precious extra yards to the Tampa 45-yard line.
“It was a good job by him walking the tightrope and obviously getting hit [out of bounds],” Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano said. “It’s smart, a good play. Lavonte plays at a high speed, plays all out. Unfortunately, that got him that time.”
Before the penalty, Tampa’s 13th and final infraction — costing the Bucs a total of 102 yards — David was enjoying a special afternoon. He had eight tackles, three of them solo, one sack, an interception, two tackles for losses and two passes defensed.
“Without him, we would never be nowhere near winning the game,” Bucs linebacker Mason Foster said.
It was just one of many impressive plays by Smith, who completed 24-of-38 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception and ran for an additional 47 yards, a team high, in his NFL debut. He also led the Jets on a pair of go-ahead field goal drives in the game’s final 5:05.
“He made a lot of plays with his arm, feet, he did a great job getting his team up and down the field,” Foster said. “You got to tip your hat to him.”