The Buccaneers looked like they were going to avoid a nail-biter for the first time this season, but the Jets had other ideas.
Allen Lazard caught a touchdown to cut Tampa’s lead to 26-20 with 3:40 to play in the fourth quarter and the Buccaneers moved the ball into field goal position after the two-minute warning. Jets edge rusher Will McDonald jumped over the long snapper, blocked Caleb McLaughlin’s kick and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown that gave the Jets their first lead since the first quarter.
There was still 1:49 on the clock, however, and Baker Mayfield led the Bucs back. Completions to Emeka Egbuka and Sterling Shepard picked up 58 yards and the Bucs were able to set McLaughlin up for a 36-yard kick as time expired. This one was good and the Bucs are 3-0 after the 29-27 win.
The late-game developments will keep the Bucs from feeling too good about that mark and they will also have to see how wide receiver Mike Evans is faring. Evans left the game with a hamstring injury, so his status will be something to watch heading into their Week 4 home game with the 3-0 Eagles.
Chris Godwin is expected to be back for the receiving corps and they also hope to have left tackle Tristan Wirfs in action for the first time this season. That should help a line that committed five holding penalties on Sunday.
The Jets will see if Justin Fields clears the concussion protocol in time for next Monday’s game against the Dolphins. Tyrod Taylor threw a touchdown to Garrett Wilson in addition to the late score by Lazard, but he also lost a fumble and threw a pick-six as the Bucs stretched their lead to 14 points in the second quarter.
They briefly climbed out of that hole, but the result is still a third loss in three tries to kick off head coach Aaron Glenn’s tenure.
The Buccaneers are closing in on their third win in three tries, but they will be holding their breath for word on wide receiver Mike Evans.
Evans limped off the field after suffering a non-contact injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jets. Evans went directly to the locker room while the Bucs finished out the drive with a field goal that stretched the lead to 26-14.
The Bucs are calling Evans questionable to return with a hamstring injury.
Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner left to get checked out by medical personnel before Evans’ injury, so both teams are shorthanded with about six minutes left to play in Tampa.
The Jets defense will be without linebacker Quincy Williams for the rest of Sunday’s game in Tampa.
Williams went to the locker room just before the end of the first half and the team announced that he has been ruled out with a shoulder injury early in the second half. Williams had four tackles and a half-sack before his injury.
The Bucs went into halftime with a 20-6 lead and they got the ball to start the third quarter. A Baker Mayfield scramble on third down kept the drive alive, but the Jets defense was able to hold once the ball got into the red zone.
Caleb McLaughlin’s third field goal of the day put the Bucs up 23-6 with six minutes to play in the second quarter.
The Jets were sticking close to the Buccaneers late in the first half of Sunday’s game in Tampa, but a pair of late miscues have them facing a big deficit at halftime.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor lost a fumble on a sack by safety Antoine Winfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea’s recovery set the Bucs up for a field goal. The Jets got the ball back with 45 seconds to play in the half and Taylor threw an interception that Bucs corner Jamel Dean returned for a 55-yard score.
The result is a 20-6 lead for the Bucs, who are wearing their throwback Creamsicle look.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has been seen flexing and shaking his right hand throughout the afternoon, but he did not miss any snaps and threw a touchdown to wide receiver Mike Evans. He’s 11-of-14 for 117 yards overall.
The Bucs might have put up even more points if not for penalty issues. They were flagged 10 times, including six offensive holding calls that held back their output on that side of the ball. They’d like to clean that up, but they may not need many more points to move to 3-0 on Sunday.
The Buccaneers are missing three starters on their offensive line and the absences didn’t help them on their opening drive against the Jets.
The Bucs were flagged for five offensive holding penalties during the drive. Right guard Luke Haggard had two of them while left tackle Graham Barton, tight end Ryan Miller, and wide receiver Mike Evans picked up the other ones.
A pass interference penalty on Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner helped them pick up some of the lost yardage and Chase McLaughlin hit a 54-yard field goal to cap the drive.
The Jets also kicked a field goal to open the game, so it’s tied 3-3 late in the first quarter.
