Chargers vs. Buccaneers 2012: Tampa Bay fans praise team effort

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third straight game by beating the San Diego Chargers 34-24 on Sunday. The Buccaneers fell behind at halftime before putting forth a dominant effort in the second half to take control of the game.

All three phases put points on the board for Tampa Bay, which was huge on a day where the offense was not quite as explosive as weeks past, according to SB Nation's Bucs blog Bucs Nation:

The Buccaneers can win even if the offense doesn't put up 30 points a game. San Diego dominated time of possession, limiting the Bucs offense to just 43 plays. The Chargers owned a 13-minute advantage playing some keep away and it worked, as the Bucs offense managed just 20 points and 279 yds. Yet huge plays from the defense and special teams got the Bucs over the hump in this one. Its not every week the Bucs offense will be limited - but it's nice to know they can still win when it happens.

The key play for Tampa Bay was rookie Leonard Johnson's 83-yard pick-six of San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers early in the fourth quarter. That defensive touchdown extended a three-point lead to 10 and helped put the game away for the Bucs.

The whole defense, in fact, stepped up for Tampa Bay in the second half. After allowing Rivers to throw the ball all over the place in the first half, the much-maligned Bucs pass defense turned things around and bottled up the San Diego passing game in the second. The Chargers managed just one field goal in the second half and Rivers had two interceptions.