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Captain comeback once again delivers for Bucs
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Erik Erlendsson, The Tampa Tribune, published 1 November 2010
With a calm, cool, collected demeanor, kid clutch captured another conquest. Buccaneers second-year quarterback Josh Freeman has made a habit of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Tampa Bay's 2009 first-round pick did it once again Sunday against the Cardinals, setting up the winning touchdown with a 53-yard pass to Arrelious Benn in a 38-35 victory.
In 16 career starts, the 22-year-old has led Tampa Bay to eight victories, and six have been fourth-quarter comebacks, including four this season.
"He's resilient, he's wise beyond his years,'' Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris said. "He comes to the sidelines and he knows exactly what he wants to do. I can't say enough about him and his team, how he leads those guys and they are following. It's awesome.''
Sunday's comeback wasn't as dramatic as last week when Freeman hit Cadillac Williams for the winning score with 10 seconds left to beat the Rams. But when the time came for the 6-foot-6 quarterback to step up and make a big play, he delivered.
After Arizona rallied for 21 consecutive points to take a 35-31 lead on Larry Fitzgerald's second touchdown reception of the day with 9:41 remaining, Freeman led his team on a seven-play, 74-yard drive on the next possession for a 38-35 lead with 5:13 remaining.
One play after Freeman converted a fourth-and-1 on a quarterback sneak, he rolled to his right and hit Benn for the 53-yard completion to the 1-yard line. On the next play, LeGarrette Blount plowed into the end zone.
"He's been good. That (winning drive) is a chance for everyone in the world to see how much he has grown and the confidence he has and in the guys around him and the confidence he has in his game,'' Benn said.
Freeman's fourth-quarter prowess has grown exponentially this season. Going into the game, he had the league's fourth-best passer rating in the fourth quarter at 91.3, a rating that will only go up after a 6-for-6 showing for 78 yards Sunday.
"I guess there are some guys that just have it,'' Morris said. "I know why Freeman does and he tells me and I tell you guys every week — he enjoys winning more than he's afraid to lose.''
Perhaps the only blemish for Freeman on Sunday was taking what could have been a costly 14-yard sack when Tampa Bay was in field goal range on third-and-9 from the Cardinals' 21-yard line with 3:24 left. Connor Barth's 53-yard field goal attempt was blocked and Arizona took possession at its own 43 and marched deep into Bucs territory.
But Aqib Talib picked off Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson in the red zone with 2:10 remaining to ensure the Bucs' quarterback picked up another comeback victory. "We had that one drive, but in the fourth quarter I didn't really do a whole lot,'' Freeman said. "We just needed one chance, one play to make something happen and (Benn) came up with a big catch.''
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