The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were defeated by the Cincinnati Bengals, 33-27 on the road to start the 2026 regular season.
TOP PERFORMERS đ
Buccaneers:
- Passing: QB Baker Mayfield - 23/28 for 216 yards, 1 rushing TD
- Rushing: RB Bucky Irving - 8 att. for 45 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: WR Emeka Egbuka - 5 rec. for 63 yards
- Defense: LB Josiah Trotter - 10 total tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 1 TD
Cincinnati:
- Passing: QB Joe Burrow - 25/35 for 254 yards, 1 TD & 1 INT
- Rushing: RB Chase Brown - 16 att. for 56 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: TE Mike Gesicki - 5 rec. for 78 yards, 1 TD
- Defense: LB Demetrius Knight Jr. - 7 total tackles, 1 FR, 1 TD
Self-inflicted miscues became the storyline for Tampa Bay. The Bucs had three fumbles in the first half that led to 21 points for Cincinnati and had another in the second half. Baker Mayfield completed 23 of 28 attempts for 216 yards and Emeka Egbuka led the team in receiving with 63 yards on five receptions. Bucky Irving became a bright spot on offense, nabbing a touchdown and 45 rushing yards on eight totes. Rookie Josiah Trotter posted a sack, a pick-six and a team-high 10 combined tackles.
The Bucs first 11-play, 57-yard drive culminated in a Chase McLaughlin 34-yard field goal following an incompletion on third down. On the drive, Bucky Irving accumulated 22 yards on three totes with decisive cuts and Emeka Egbuka picked up 27 yards, generating yards after catch. The Buccaneers' defense followed suit by forcing a quick three-and-out. Zyon McCollum jumped the break on third down and batted a pass away with Ja'Marr Chase as the intended target.
On the next drive for Tampa Bay, Barrett Carter and Myles Murphy sacked Mayfield and Murphy knocked the ball free on third down. Demetrius Knight scooped up the football and returned it 27 yards for the touchdown, giving the home team a 7-3 lead. The Bucs' next offensive possession ended in a turnover. Bryan Cook and Dexter Lawrence tackled Irving and Cook knocked the ball free at the Tampa Bay 33-yard line, and it was recovered by Boye Mafe. The Bengals capitalized with a two-yard touchdown to Mike Gesicki on a seven-play drive.
Early in the second quarter in the red zone, Mayfield scrambled up the middle and the ball was knocked out by Barrett Carter. Cook recovered it in the end zone, halting the Bucs' promising drive. The Bengals extended their lead on the next drive with a Brown 5-yard score. He walked in untouched through the interior, capping off the 12-play, 80-yard drive to give the Bengals more cushion in the driver's seat.
The Buccaneers got on the board with an Irving 10-yard touchdown. He quickly bounced to the outside, and Godwin had an effective block to seal the edge. Tampa Bay trailed 21-10 after the score, which was prompted by Godwin's 30-yard gain over the middle of the field. Just before halftime, Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal, giving the Bengals a 24-10 lead going into the half.
Early in the third, rookie Josiah Trotter ended the Bengals' drive with a third-down sack of Burrow for a loss of nine. He flew up the A-gap with rare closing burst, forcing a McPherson 55-yard field goal. On the next drive for Tampa Bay, Mayfield was sacked by Jonathan Allen for a loss of nine on third down, which resulted in a McLaughlin 51-yard field goal and a 27-13 score.
The defense came up big on the following possession as Josiah Trotter picked off Burrow's pass intended for Andrei Iosivas at the Cincinnati 38-yard line and returned it for a score, trimming the deficit 27-20.
McPherson kicked a 58-yard field goal early in the fourth frame and the Bucs subsequently turned the ball over again. Mayfield was sacked for a loss of seven by Mafe and the ball was forced out, recovered by Cincinnati at the Tampa Bay 44-yard line by Tedarrell Slaton. With just over three minutes to go in the fourth, Mayfield scrambled eight yards up the middle for a touchdown, making it a 33-27 game off the seven-play drive.
What is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' record?
0-1
Who scored touchdowns for the Buccaneers in Week One vs. the Bengals?
RB Bucky Irving & LB Josiah Trotter scored touchdowns for Tampa Bay in the season opener.
Who was a standout on offense?
WR Emeka Egbuka picked up 63 yards on five receptions in his season debut.
Who was a standout on defense?
Rookie LB Josiah Trotter did it all, leading the Bucs in tackles while picking up a sack and a pick-six.
Who do the Buccaneers play next?
They play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, September 20th at 1:00 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium, the team's first home game of the 2026 regular season.
