Bucs Nation
The Buccaneers entered Week 3 with the potential of starting the 2025 season at 3-0 — first time starting with such a win/loss since 2005. On the day where they were celebrating 50 seasons of Bucs football, they were going to try everything possible to make sure they weren’t playing like the teams that found them in the cellars of the NFL for so long. But boy did they struggle throughout the afternoon to ensure they came out victorious.
The Jets opened the game with a 14-play drive that ate up over six minutes of game clock. Penalties on Logan Hall and Lavonte David continued to give the Jets life throughout the possession, but the drive would ultimately stall in Bucs territory and settle for a field goal for an early 3-0 lead. Tampa Bay opened their first drive with the hurry up offense which forced a personal foul facemask call on New York giving the Bucs a free 15 yards, but give 10 yards back on a holding call. On the very next play, Baker Mayfield hit Bucky Irving for a 25-yard catch and run. Following multiple penalties, the Bucs faced a 3rd-and-29 and a pass interference on New York gave the Bucs a free first down inside the Jets 25-yard line. But the penalties continued and set the offense back, resulting in a 54-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin to tie the game at 3. New York responded on their next drive with two big plays back to back that got them down inside the Tampa Bay 30-yard line in a hurry. Holding call on the Jets set them back and faced a 3rd and 14 as the penalty-filled opening quarter cam to a close.
New York couldn’t convert on their 3rd down attempt as the second quarter started, resulting in another Jets field goal to regain the lead, 6-3. Next Bucs drive started with an incredible catch along the sideline for a big first down by rookie Emeka Egbuka that put the Bucs at midfield. Few plays later, Sterling Shepard takes a pass from Mayfield and runs down to the New York 5 yard line. Mayfield would then hit Evans on a slant for a touchdown, putting the Bucs ahead 10-6. On the Jets ensuing drive, Tampa Bay stuffs the Jets 4th-and-inches attempt for a loss and a turnover on downs, giving the Buccaneers offense great field position to work with. However, the Bucs couldn’t do anything after a holding call set them back resulting in a punt. Later in the quarter, the defense forces a turnover after Antoine Winfield, Jr. gets to Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor and hits the ball out, allowing the Bucs recover. The creamsicle pirates could not do anything on their drive and get a field goal from McLaughlin to extend their lead 13-6. There wasn’t much offensively for either team as the clock was winding down. But a pick-six by Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean put the...
