Photo by Sofía García Vargas | The Crow’s Nest
By Kendall Bulkiewicz
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers delivered a commanding 28-13 win against the Las Vegas Raiders at Raymond James Stadium yesterday, raising their record to 7-6 and taking first place in the NFC South.
Head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged the significance of the victory, but maintained a cautious outlook.
“Just because we are in first is one thing; to stay in first is a whole other deal,” Bowles said. “We’ve got four weeks to play. We’re happy to be playing meaningful football in December,” he said.
The Bucs came out firing, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield connected with wide receiver Jalen McMillan on a 15-yard pass to cap an 85-yard opening drive. Running back Rachaad White’s fourth-down conversion and running back Bucky Irving’s yards after the catch helped set up the score.
On their next drive, Mayfield led a smooth play, ending in White’s five-yard rushing touchdown, giving Tampa Bay a 14-0 lead.
By the end of the first quarter, the Bucs had outgained the Raiders and held an 11-1 advantage in first downs.
The Raiders cut the lead in the second quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Aidan O’Connell and place kicker Daniel Carlson field goal, narrowing the score to 14-10 at halftime.
The game turned in the third quarter when O’Connell suffered a knee injury after being hit by defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. O’Connell was carted off and did not return for the remainder of the game.
Tampa Bay capitalized on the shift in momentum. In the fourth quarter, White punched in a three-yard rushing touchdown, and Mayfield found McMillan again for a 29-yard catch-and-run score, sealing the win.
The Buccaneers’ defense overcame the absence of safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who exited with an injury. “When Win (Winfield Jr.) went down, it got kind of tough,” Bowles said. “Those guys stepped up and made some good old field plays.”
With four games left in the regular season, the Buccaneers aim to solidify their playoff position. The Buccaneers will travel to Los Angeles to face the Chargers on Dec. 15 at 4:25 p.m. EST. Fans can watch the game on FOX, YouTube TV and NFL+.
