Take 2: Heinicke outduels Brady as WFT defeats Super Bowl champs

The Bad: Washington’s depth will be challenged for the rest of the season

7: After losing Chase Young to a season-ending injury, Washington now has seven injured starters including both starting defensive ends, a key piece in Logan Thomas, and two of the pricier free agent signing in Ryan Fitzpatrick and Curtis Samuel. This team’s depth will be severely tested for the remainder of the season.

7.73: Although Washington fared better on third downs against the Bucs, it averaged 7.73 yards to go on third downs. The team needs to stop putting itself in these situations if it wants to continue stringing together wins in the second half of the season. Against Tampa, Washington faced a 3rd and 21, 3rd and 16, 3rd and 15, 3rd and 14, and 3rd and 11.

2-4: Although Washington finally scored a red zone touchdown, it only went 2-for-4 in the red zone against Tampa. Although that is a major improvement from the 0-6 it was over the last two games against Green Bay and Denver, that number needs to improve, and getting Logan Thomas back should help.

5: Taylor Heinicke is tough but he might not be able to handle this kind of beating week after week. Heinicke was sacked five times against Tampa Bay and has been sacked 14 times over the past three games. Although some of these sacks were due to Heinicke holding on to the ball too long, a good number are due to protection breaking down.

2:  Washington had two key drops in the first half, one on a 3rd and 4 to Ricky Seals-Jones which could have kept the drive going, but ended with a 46-yard field goal. The other was a rare drop on a deep pass to McLaurin.

10: 10 of Tampa’s 19 points came off mistakes by Washington. With time running out to end the first half, Tom Brady completed a pass to Mike Evans on a 4th and 7. The clock ran out but William Jackson got a face mask penalty tackling Evans, which allowed Tampa to add a field goal and cut the lead to 10 on an untimed down.

The second mistake was a 40-yard touchdown pass where Mike Evans blew past Kendall Fuller where Evans broke through press coverage. This came off of Washington’s turnover near midfield where Dax Milne had the ball poked away after a reception.

2.8: Although Antonio Gibson got the job done when it matters most, gutting out needed yards on the last drive, the team only averaged an anemic 2.8 yards per carry.

There’s not much to complain about after a major upset as fans can rejoice at the fact that the team might be playing meaningful football in December.

With a homecoming game for Rivera against the Panthers, who currently hold the final Wild Card spot, next week, and five of Washington’s last eight games within the division, now is the time to see if the Football Team can go on a run.

"“I always told myself, ‘If I get another chance to play, I’m going to go out there and do something great.’ It’s these games that you want,” said Heinicke after the win."

Will Heinicke be able to repeat RGIII’s 2012 performance, going undefeated out of the bye week and helping Washington make the playoffs? Guess we’ll have to wait and see, but as DC go-go band Mambo Sauce asks, “Do you believe in miracles?”