In Tampa Bay's Week Two win over the Houston Texans, linebacker Lavonte David played in and started his 200th game, all for the Buccaneers, joining Hall of Famers Rondé Barber and Derrick Brooks as the only players in franchise history to hit 200 in either category. In his 201st start, David put himself in a different sort of elite group.

In a thrilling 29-27 walk off win over the New York Jets, David led the Buccaneers with 11 tackles and added a sack and two quarterback hits. The sack of Tyrod Taylor late in the fourth quarter improved David's career total in that category to 41.5, which is the sixth most in franchise history and the most by any Buccaneer who did not play defensive line or edge rusher. In the process, David became just the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 40 sacks, at least 10 interceptions and at least 30 forced fumbles.

Players with 40+ Sacks, 10+ Interceptions, 30+ Forced Fumbles, NFL History

Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. also had a big day for the Buccaneers' defense in Sunday's win over the Jets, filling up his stat line with three tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a forced fumble. Winfield became the first NFL defensive back in 2025 to record multiple tackles for loss and multiple QB hits in the same game. Winfield was already the Buccaneers' all-time leader among safeties in sacks, and he improved his career total to 18.0. Winfield leads all NFL defensive backs in sacks since he entered the NFL in 2020. He is also first among DBs in quarterback hits (12) and tied for first with Baltimore's Marlon Humphrey in forced fumbles (12) in that span.

Most Sacks, NFL Defensive Backs, 2020-25

1. Antoine Winfield Jr., Buccaneers: 18.0

2. Derwin James, Chargers: 14.5

3. Donovan Wilson, Cowboys: 13.0

4. Jamal Adams, Jets/Seahawks/Titans/Lions/Raiders: 9.5

5. Brandon Jones, Dolphins/Broncos: 8.0

In addition to David and Winfield, rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish and third-year outside linebacker Yaya Diaby also recorded sacks for the Buccaneers on Sunday. It was the first sack of Parrish's career and 13th for Diaby, who got his first of the 2025 season. Diaby was a constant presence in the New York backfield, ringing up 11 pressures on 30 pass-rush snaps, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That represented Diaby's highest single-game totals yet in pressures and pressure rate (36.7%).

Cornerback Jamel Dean had the single most important defensive play of the game for the Buccaneers, cutting in front of intended target Garrett Wilson and picking off a Taylor pass, then returning it 55 yards untouched for a touchdown. It was the second pick-six in Dean's career and the his first since the 2020 season. It was also the first pick-six for Tampa Bay's defense since September 17, 2023, when outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett scored on a four-yard return of an interception against Chicago.

David and company held the Jets to 99 rushing yards, 48 of them on Taylor scrambles. The Buccaneers have now held 11 straight opposing teams to fewer than 100 rushing yards, dating back to last season. During that 11-game streak, the Buccaneers have limited their opponents to a combined 3.3 yards per carry, the best mark in the NFL in that span. Since Todd Bowles first arrived as the team's defensive coordinator in 1999 (he was promoted to head coach in 2022), the Buccaneers have held their opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards in 65 games, the most by any team in that span.

Most Games Holding Opponent Under 100 Rushing Yards, 2019-25

1. Tampa Bay: 65

2. Baltimore: 57

3. Tennessee: 56

4t. San Francisco: 52

4t. New England: 52

All of those defensive efforts helped the Buccaneers win their third straight game, marking the franchise's first 3-0 start to a season since 2005. This is the fifth season in which Tampa Bay has started off 3-0, and in each of the first four (1979, 1997, 2000 and 2005), the team went on to make the playoffs.

The Buccaneers have gotten to 3-0 in extremely dramatic fashion. After a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown by Jets edge rusher Will McDonald completed a 21-point fourth-quarter rally and put the visitors up by a point with less than two minutes to play, the Buccaneers drove 48 yards on seven plays to set up Chase McLaughlin's 36-yard game-winning field goal. The Buccaneers are now the first team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to win each of its first three games with a go-ahead score in the final minute of regulation. A streak of three such last-minute wins has now only happened three times in league history at any point in a season, with the Buccaneers joining the 1994 New York Giants and the 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers.

McLaughlin made five of his six field goal attempts in the victory, with his only miss coming on McDonald's block after the defender leaped over the Bucs' blocking line and landed directly in the kicker's path. McLaughlin's six attempts and five successful field goals both matched Buccaneer single-game records. Prior to Sunday, the only other time a Buccaneer kicker had made five field goals in a game was on December 12, 2009, when Martin Gramatica scored all the points in a 15-0 win over the Bears in Champaign, Illinois. The only other game in Bucs history with six field goal attempts was turned in by Michael Husted in a 19-16 win over Cincinnati on October 8, 1995.

Tampa Bay's offense generated 347 yards of offense in the win over New York, including 122 yards on 34 carries. The Buccaneers have now rushed for 100 or more yards in 11 straight games, coinciding exactly with their streak of allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards. According to Elias Sports, that marks the first time in NFL history to have two such streaks of at least 11 games concurrently.

Mayfield gave the Buccaneers a 10-6 lead in the second quarter when he hit wide receiver Mike Evans on a five-yard touchdown pass. It was Mayfield's sixth touchdown pass of the season and his 75th since he first signed with Tampa Bay in 2023. Mayfield has the most touchdown passes in the NFL since 2023, prior to Monday night's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.

Most Touchdown Passes, NFL, 2023-25

1. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers: 75

2. Jared Goff, Lions: 73*

3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens: 71*

4t. Josh Allen, Bills: 62

4t. Jordan Love, Packers: 62

* Goff and Jackson both play on Monday night

Mayfield finished the game with 19 completions on 29 attempts for 233 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, producing a passer rating of 101.7. He and the Indianapolis Colts' Daniel Jones are the only two quarterbacks in the NFL who have recorded a passer rating of 98 or better in all three of their starts this year, though Baltimore's Lamar Jackson could join that group on Monday night. Mayfield also joins Jackson and Buffalo's Josh Allen as the only quarterbacks in the NFL this season with at least five touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Evans' touchdown catch gave him 106 in his career and moved him to within five of catching Hall of Famer Tony Gonzales for the eighth-most in NFL history.

Most Career Touchdown Receptions, NFL History

(+ Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame)