Bucs not great, but good enough to claim 1st place in the NFC South You can call their wins ugly because it's true. This is a Bucs team that takes prisoners. Last week, they needed to force a fortuitous fumble in overtime to beat the three-win Panthers. You can say their quarterback is reckless. Baker Mayfield was surgical in throwing touchdown passes on the Bucs' first two possessions in Sunday's 28-13 victory over the two-win Raiders. But then he held onto the football too long, threw two interceptions, lost a fumble and was sacked four times. You can say they're too injured on defense, losing Antoine Winfield Jr. Sunday to a knee injury. He joins a crowded cold tub with fellow safeties Mike Edwards and Jordan Whitehead. You can even suggest they're only in this race because the Falcons are folding like origami. But you'd better also call the Bucs the NFC South division leaders; they're alone in first place with four games to play. "It doesn't have to be pretty." Mayfield said. "Obviously, there's a lot of things that I could personally like to have back. But it's a resilient group. We play for each other. Guys step up when other people are down and that's what football is all about. It teaches you life lessons. We'll take wins. It's hard in this league." Sure it is, but the Bucs have a way of making it harder. Mayfield carved up the Raiders to start Sunday's game, going 8 of 9 passing for 92 yards and two touchdowns on the Bucs' first two possessions. Then the next six possessions went interception, fumble, punt, interception, punt, punt. The Bucs didn't just let the Raiders back in the game. They escorted them with a corsage. Mayfield's fumble finally gave Las Vegas some life. Aiden O'Connell connected on a 29-yard pass to tight end Michael Mayer and three plays later the Raiders quarterback scored a touchdown on a 1-year sneak to cut the lead to 14-7. Mayfield took a sack to kill the next drive and Daniel Carlson's 25-yard field goal made it 14-10. "I think by far I was probably the worst player on offense but our guys stepped up when we needed to and they executed," Mayfield said. On the one hand, Mayfield has tied his career mark set last year with 28 touchdowns. On the other hand, his 13 interceptions are three more than a year ago. "Anytime you turn it over three times, that's going to be tough," head coach Todd Bowles said. "That's going to be tough to say he played well. But you've got to play winning football. We're not going to be perfect, but we've got to play winning football and determined football. We didn't play winning football in the first half. We played it in the second half." The Raiders nearly took the lead to start the third quarter with a 17-play drive that marched them to the Tampa Bay 8-yard line. But Tykee Smith, who missed the last three game with a knee injury, stepped in front of former Georgia teammate Brock Bowers to produce the Bucs' first interception since beating the Saints on Oct. 13. "I know once they got down in that red zone, that's who he was going to be looking for," Smith said. "He was looking to run an out and whip it back in and I was able to break on it before he was." Two plays saved Sunday's game for the Bucs. Mike Evans turned a short pass into a 32-yard gain by hurdling a defender. Then Sean Tucker, who replaced an injured Bucky Irving, raced 34 yards to set up Rachaad White's 3-yard TD run. White was the Bucs' hero in this game, rushing for 90 yards and a score and catching two passes for 19 yards. Rookie Jalen McMillan also had a pair of touchdown receptions. It will get tougher next Sunday when the Bucs travel to Los Angeles to play the Chargers, the only team with a winning record remaining on their schedule. This Sunday was ugly, sure, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There isn't a selection committee in the NFL. There also aren't any mirrors on the walls at One Buc Place. "We didn't play well overall," Bowles said. "It's hard to win a game when you turn it over three times. But those guys stuck with it, made some plays in the second half and got it done. It's not always going to be pretty. But as long as you can win them, it doesn't matter how you get them." Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times, published 9 December 2024