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[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers Week 10 Top Performers vs. New England Patriots

An ugly afternoon played out in the skies and on the field as the Buccaneers squandered several opportunities to trump a red-hot Patriots team.

The offense looked slightly better compared to the prior two games, as you’d hope out of a bye, but it still wasn’t good enough, while the defense allowed an unacceptable number of splash plays to put the game out of reach in a 28-23 defeat.

It’s clear the lack of horses on offense is simply hamstringing Baker Mayfield and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, the latter of whom has struggled adapting in response to how defenses have played this Tampa offense. Meanwhile, the defense continues to let massive plays mar generally good play overall.

The gauntlet continues next week with a road trip against a Buffalo Bills unit also coming off a back-breaking loss. Let’s give some shoutouts and move on.

Offensive Top Performer: WR Emeka Egbuka​

After two quiet weeks, presumably because of his hamstring tweak, Egbuka responded with an excellent performance from start to finish for the Bucs. Egbuka led all players with 6 catches, 115 yards and a touchdown, and he even got the better of an elite corner in Christian Gonzalez a few times despite being Tampa’s only major threat downfield.

Emeka Egbuka scores on the Bucs opening drive!

NEvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/dFBYK4svv2

— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025

Fellow rookie Tez Johnson showed up again as well with 4 grabs for 42 yards and 2 touchdowns — the seventh-round rookie now has 4 touchdowns on the season as he continues to look like a steal. Cade Otton logged his best game of the year with 9 catches for 82 yards as the team needed him less for blocking with Luke Goedeke back.

Sean Tucker continued to look explosive, as he became the first running back all season to run for more than 50 yards against the Patriots — he toted the rock 9 times for 53 yards.

Overall, however, the Bucs offense faltered at too many key moments, and Mayfield once again looked too uncomfortable. The team needs Bucky Irving and/or Chris Godwin back sooner rather than later to give some dimension to the offensive attack.

Defensive Top Performer: S Tykee Smith​

Simply put, you cannot allow THREE 50+ yard touchdowns and expect to win. You need to give credit to a dangerous New England offense, but at the same time, the big play has bitten this team far too often all year.

It’s a shame because the defense is fairly sound more often than not, and it has kept an anemic offense in competitive spots — including this week.

A huge part of that was Tykee Smith, who snatched a remarkable fingertip interception in the endzone late in the fourth quarter to keep the Bucs down only 5. Smith also totaled 8 tackles as he continues to cement himself as one of the league’s best safeties in his sophomore season.

Tykee Smith picks it off in the end zone and the Bucs take over trailing 21-16 with 5 minutes to go

NEvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/nHehscgxRD

— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025

Rookie defensive lineman Elijah Roberts posted arguably the best game of his young career with 2 solo tackles (including one on a third-down Drake Maye scramble), a third-down pass deflection, and a sack. His snaps have continued to increase, and he’s earned it.

Jamel Dean and Jacob Parrish both played well again in the secondary, though sadly that came at the expense of Zyon McCollum and Ben Morrison having rough games themselves.

Special Teams Top Performer: P Riley Dixon​

Outside of an ugly shank late in the game, Riley Dixon was very solid most of the game.

He logged 2 out of 6 kicks inside the 20, and one should’ve been downed inside the 10 if not for a non-existent coverage unit. He averaged 43 yards per kick as he did a good job of keeping the field position battle mostly in Tampa’s favor most of the afternoon.

Not much else to say on this front, Chase McLaughlin hit all three of his kicks (1 FG, 2 XPs) to keep his good season rolling along.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-ba...eek-10-top-performers-vs-new-england-patriots

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Week 10 Game Recap: Buccaneers lose to the Patriots 28-23, drop to 6-3

First Quarter:​

Tampa Bay’s ball first, Tampa Bay’s touchdown first. The Buccaneers took less than four minutes to maneuverer their way down the field and into the end zone. Baker Mayfield, coming off back-to-back subpar outings got the ball rolling early and rolled that ball to now healthy again wide receiver Emeka Egbuka— Two of Baker’s three completions, 45 yards, and a six-point score. 7-0, Buccaneers.

Tampa’s offense set the bar high and the team’s defense maintained the standard. Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense were able to convert a fourth down on their opening drive, however, the drive stalled soon after with third down Drake Maye over throw. A clear-skied opening drive for the Buccaneers was audibled to a stormy rain-filled drive number two for New England, before the game’s third drive feature Tampa Bay and clear skies again. The Buccaneers’ offense failed to take advantage of being in the weather’s good graces with their first punt of the game.

Backed up on their own six-yard line matched Tampa punt for punt. The Bucs’ third opportunity on the field looked a lot like their second. Following more Riley Dixon than Bucs’ fans care to see, the Patriots’ offense came to life. One play, 78 yards, and a touchdown. Drake Maye to Kyle Williams— 7-7.

Second Quarter:​

More points wouldn’t find their way onto the scoreboard until the final eight minutes of the first half. Baker Mayfield’s second big hook up of the game with Emeka Egbuka got the Buccaneers down into range for a Chase McLaughlin field goal. Kick up, kick good— 10-7, Bucs.

Tampa’s three point lead was quickly threatened. New England’s next drive was very Drake Maye-centric and aside from his one-off deep strike touchdown to Kyle Williams, appeared to be the first time New England’s young passer got his feet get underneath him. Using those feet he took his team all the way to Tampa’s goal line. A yard away from scoring, the Patriots decided to take a strategy out of a Madden player’s arsenal. With first and goal at the one-yard line, New England sacrificed a play for the sake of controlling the clock. The Patriots arrogantly opted to have Drake Maye take the snap and lay down rather than attempt to score. That decision allowed the them to drain every last second off of the clock. Tampa Bay was unable to make them pay for their arrogance as the sequence’s fourth down featured a Drake Maye to Stefon Diggs touchdown. 17-14, Patriots.

Third Quarter:​

CBS should’ve gave Bucs’ fans a warning coming into the second half to avert their eyes. Half one ends with a Patriots touchdown, half two begins with a Patriots touchdown. 24-14, New England.

Two punts later, a backed up Tampa Bay offense sparkled. Run game and pass game worked in unison, taking Tampa down the field. Long drives that end in touchdown warm fan’s hearts like a delicious home cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Baker Mayfield and Tez Johnson treated the Tampa Bay faithful to just that when they cheffed game-rallying score. As Tampa fans have come to know— if Tez Johnson scores, Tez Johnson will gymnasti—cize the endzone. Two point trickery fails— 21-16, Patriots.

Fourth Quarter:​

The fourth quarter started slowed, for Tampa Bay in particular. It remained slow until a third and fifteen deep shot— Drake Maye t0 Mack Hollins, gave the Patriots a chance to put a dagger in Tampa Bay. Set up in scoring position, the with a dagger in their hand, the Patriot’s offense fumbled the opportunity for a close-out. Tykee Smith, after walloping Drake Maye on a sideline, scramble stepped in front of the quarterback’s pass in the end zone for the game’s first turnover.

Baker Mayfield in the clutch has worked out in Tampa’s favor all season. Week 10 against the New England Patriots, however, will not be a part of that remix. Insult to injury came on the game’s next drive— 28-16, Patriots. Garbage time points got Tampa within a score— 28-23.

Following the display Tampa has put on the field in each of its last three contests, the question starts to set in— How good are the 2025 Tampa Bay Bucs actually?

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Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-ba...-drake-maye-buccaneers-lose-to-patriots-28-23