The Pro Bowl disrespect for Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. got even worse Wednesday as Winfield added another honor to his impressive 2023 season.
Winfield was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in six weeks. He was on the field again and made two game-changing plays in Sunday’s 9-0 win over the Panthers.
NFC Player of the Week! (Week 18) (by) @FastTwitchDrink)@jordan3love | @AntoineWJr11 pic.twitter.com/bu9hgVHPnh
— NFL (@NFL) January 10, 2024
The Bucks’ Week 18 win was their first shutout since 2010, and it was almost entirely due to Antwon Winfield Jr.
Bucs S. Antwon Winfield Jr. and Falcons QB Desmond Ridder – Photo courtesy of USA Today
In fact, the Panthers looked like they might take the lead early in the second quarter when Bryce Young found DJ Chark for a 43-yard touchdown. But that wasn’t the case. Just before Winfield crossed the goal line, he ran up to Chark to knock the ball out of his hands. Jamel Dean recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchback, keeping the game scoreless.
This was the second play of this type Winfield has made this season. he did the same He threw a pass to Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder in Week 7. As Ridder neared the goal line, Winfield punched the ball out and the ball went out of the end zone for a touchback and missed the point.
In the second half of Sunday’s win at Carolina, Winfield made another big play to keep the Panthers from closing the game at 6-3. He made his sixth third-down sack of the season, just inside field-goal range.
This allowed kicker Matthew Wright, who Carolina had just signed as an injury replacement, to make a 52-yard field goal. Wright pushed it wide, keeping the game at 6-0.
In the game, Antoine Winfield Jr. finished with five tackles (four solo), one sack, and one forced fumble.
The reaction to his cruel exclusion from last week’s Pro Bowl was huge. He finished the regular season with 122 tackles (76 solo), six sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three fumbles and four tackles for loss. He had an interception and 12 passes defended. These were all career highs, and his six forced fumbles led the entire NFL.
Antwon Winfield Jr. dominated this season for the Panthers.
Bucks FS Antwon Winfield Jr. – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
The Carolina Panthers may have nightmares about Antwon Winfield Jr. all offseason, as the fourth-year safety was absolutely dominant in the Bucs-Panthers win this season.
Just look at the fact that his two NFC Defensive Player of the Week awards came from his performance against Carolina.
When the teams met in Tampa in early December, Winfield got the win with an early sack and a game-winning interception late in the game with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Then a month later against Charlotte, he made a game-changing fumble near the goal line and then added his sixth sack of the season.
What’s even worse for the Panthers, and the rest of the NFC South, is that Antwon Winfield Jr. isn’t going anywhere. The Bucks will likely make him a priority free agent this offseason and offer him his second lucrative contract in the past four years.
Winfield might have been like that. Nod to second Pro Bowl appearance ignored. (For the time being, he’s still an option for a replacement.) But he has a distinguished track record with first-team All-Pro honors. Honestly, he’s also making a case for Defensive Player of the Year, but he’s unlikely to be chosen as the award winner.
Either way, Antwon Winfield Jr. has put together a career year with significant accomplishments. Why the Bucks are in the playoffs now. And he will receive a large sum of money in return.
