The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday with a walk-off 42-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin. In Preseason Week Two against the Steelers, Teddy Bridgewater started the game at quarterback for the Buccaneers. He completed six of 11 pass attempts for 85 yards and two touchdowns for a 119.3 rating to begin his debut. Kyle Trask took over at the end of the first quarter and went three-of-10 for 19 yards. Overall, the Bucs posted 316 total net yards and were five-of-16 on third down. The Bucs' defense posted three interceptions, flipping the field and providing opportunities for Tampa Bay's offense.
After the Buccaneers punted on their opening offensive possession, cornerback Zyon McCollum intercepted Mason Rudolph's pass and returned it 12 yards to the Pittsburgh 48-yard line, putting the offense right back on the field. The Bucs were able to capitalize off the takeaway with a Bucky Irving touchdown in the back corner of the end zone. The eight-play scoring drive was kept alive after Chase McLaughlin's 43-yard field goal was nullified by a roughing the kicker penalty, which set up first-and-10.
On the following drive, the Bucs took advantage of positive field position to start the drive. Tez Johnson showcased his shifty prowess and explosive burst with a 34-yard return to the Tampa Bay 42-yard line. The 55-yard drive was capped off with an Emeka Egbuka touchdown. The Bucs' first-round pick hauled in a challenging catch while falling to the ground in the end zone to give the visiting team a 14-0 advantage. The defense halted the Steelers' momentum on the next drive. Chris Braswell sacked Skylar Thompson for a loss of seven on third down, forcing a Pittsburgh punt.
The Bucs' offense hit a lull after the first quarter, while the Steelers put up 17. Connor Bazelak took over at quarterback in the third quarter and finished completing 14 of 18 attempts for 106 yards. In the final three seconds of the game, Chase McLaughlin drilled a 43-yard field goal to give the Bucs a 17-14 victory on the road.
TOP PERFORMERS 🏈
Buccaneers:
- Passing: QB Teddy Bridgewater: 6/11 for 85 yards - 2 TDs
- Rushing: RB Josh Williams: 5 rushes for 21 yards
- Receiving: WR Sterling Shepard: 3 catches for 47 yards
- Defense: CB Kindle Vildor: 4 totals tackles - 1 INT
Steelers:
- Passing: QB Skylar Thompson: 10/15 for 113 yards - 1 INT
- Rushing: RB Kaleb Johnson:11 rushes for 50 yards
- Receiving: WR Roman Wilson: 2 catches for 72 yards
- Defense: DT Derrick Harmon: 3 total tackles - 1.0 sack
