The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' dropped a 34-7 decision to the red-hot Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium, suffering their most lopsided loss since the 2022 season. The Buccaneers lost starting quarterback Baker Mayfield to a left shoulder injury for the second half and the offense generated a season-low 193 net yards, including just 70 net passing yards.
There were plenty of notable accomplishments in the game, but most of them belonged to the Rams. For instance, Matthew Stafford threw three scoring passes and now has connected on 27 touchdown throws since the last time he threw an interception. He became just the fourth player in NFL history to rack up 30-plus touchdown passes with fewer than five interceptions in a team's first 11 games of a season.
There were, obviously, far fewer highlights for the Buccaneers on Sunday night, but there were a few results worth noting in this abbreviated version of Data Crunch.
Rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson scored the Bucs' lone touchdown on a 14-yard grab in the second quarter. It was Johnson's fifth score of the season, all in the Buccaneers last six games. Since Week Six, Johnson is tied for third among all NFL players in touchdown receptions and is first among all rookies.
Most Touchdown Receptions, NFL, 2025, Weeks 6-12
| Player | Team | Season | Draft Rd. | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Vataha | Rams | 1971 | 17 | 9 |
| Marques Colston | Saints | 2006 | 7 | 8 |
| Tez Johnson | Buccaneers | 2025 | 7 | 5 |
| Curtis Duncan | Oilers | 1987 | 10 | 5 |
| Bill Jones | Chiefs | 1989 | 12 | 5 |
The only rookie in the NFL in 2025 with more touchdown receptions than Johnson is his teammate, first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka, who has six. The Bucs combined 11 touchdown catches from rookies is the most for any team in the NFL.
Most Touchdown Receptions, NFL Rookies, 2025
- Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers: 6
2t. Tez Johnson, Buccaneers: 5
2t. Tory Horton, Seahawks: 5
4t. R.J. Harvey, Broncos: 4
4t. Jayden Higgins, Texans: 4
4t. Ashton Jeanty, Raiders: 4
4t. Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers: 4
On a difficult passing night for the Bucs' quarterbacks – Teddy Bridgewater replaced the injured Mayfield in the second half – Egbuka led the team with 32 yards on three receptions, giving him 749 receiving yards on the season. That is the most among all rookies through Sunday's game, though Carolina's Tetairoa McMillan is just one yard behind and is playing on Monday night.
Most Receiving Yards, NFL Rookies, 2025
- Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers: 749
- Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers: 748*
- Tyler Warren (TE), Colts: 662
- Oronde Gadsden II (TE), Chargers: 507
- Harold Fannin (TE), Browns: 462
* Plays on Monday night in Week 12
Egbuka had the Bucs' longest play of the night, a 32-yard reception in the fourth quarter. That was his 16th reception this season that gained 20 or more yards, which is the third-highest total in the league behind only Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba (21) and the Cowboys' George Pickens (17). In addition, among all players with at least 35 receptions this season, only Smith-Njigba and Pickens have a higher yards-per catch figure than Egbuka's 15.6.
Before he exited the game, Mayfield completed nine of 19 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown and ran four times for 19 yards. Two of his runs came on third downs and he converted both of them, each time needing at least six yards to get to the sticks. Both of those conversions came on the Bucs' lone touchdown drive. Mayfield's 14 first downs gained on third-down runs is the third-most in the NFL, Just one behind Buffalo's Josh Allen and the Chargers' Justin Herbert. Among all quarterbacks this season with at least 10 runs on third down, Mayfield has been the most successful at converting them into first downs.
Highest Third-Down Conversion Rate on Runs, NFL Quarterbacks, 2025
(minimum 10 attempts)
| Quarterback | Team | Att. | Conv. | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers | 14 | 16 | 87.5% |
| Justin Herbert | Chargers | 15 | 18 | 83.3% |
| Jaxson Dart | Giants | 13 | 19 | 68.4% |
| Josh Allen | Bills | 15 | 23 | 65.2% |
| Trevor Lawrence | Jaguars | 15 | 23 | 64.7% |
Despite the Rams' large edge in overall yardage on Sunday night, the Buccaneers did out-rush their opponents Tampa Bay has out-rushed its opponents in eight of 11 contests this season. On Sunday at SoFi Stadium, the Bucs gained 123 yards on the ground and gave up 70, marking the seventh time this season that Tampa Bay has surpassed 100 rushing yards on offense while allowing fewer than 100 on defense. No other team in the league has done that more than five times this season.
On defense, second-year safety Tykee Smith broke up a pass and recorded a tackle for loss, giving him 12 passes defensed on the season and six TFLs. He ranks sixth in the NFL in passes defensed and tied for fourth in tackles for loss by a defensive back. Smith's 12 tackles for loss is already just one shy of the Buccaneers' single-season record by a full-time safety.
Most Passes Defensed by a Safety, Buccaneers, Single Season
1t. Tanard Jackson, 2007: 13
1t. Dwight Smith, 2004: 13
3t. Tykee Smith, 2025: 12
3t. Antoine Winfield Jr., 2023: 12
5. Damien Robinson, 2000: 11
In the third quarter, 14th-year linebacker Lavonte David invaded the Rams' backfield and dropped running back Blake Corum for a loss of six near midfield, eventually leading to the Rams' first punt of the game. It was the 176th TFL of David's illustrious career, which is tied for the fourth-most by any player in the NFL since the statistic began being officially tracked in 2008.
Most Career Tackles for Loss, NFL, Since 2008
1. Terrell Suggs, Ravens/Cardinals/Chiefs: 202
2t. Calais Campbell, Cardinals/Jaguars/Ravens/Falcons/Dolphins: 195
2t. J.J. Watt, Texans/Cardinals: 195
4t. Lavonte David, Buccaneers: 176
4t. Aaron Donald, Rams: 176
