TAMPA BAY, Fla. (WWSB) - Sunday marked the long-awaited season opener for fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as they traveled to Cincinnati to battle the Bengals. The Bucs mistakes, including four fumbles, ultimately sealed the team’s fate in a 33-27 loss on the road.
Baker Mayfield, the new $165 million dollar man, was put to the test in the first game of the regular season after his new three-year contract extension.
With the Bucs up 3-0, Mayfield was flushed out of the pocket and was strip-sacked on the scramble. Demetrius Knight Jr. took the ball the other way for a touchdown and a 7-3 Bengals lead.
Cincinnati posted 21 unanswered points, but late in the third quarter, they were up 14 on Tampa Bay. Joe Burrow dropped back for a pass deep in Bengals territory but was intercepted by Tampa rookie Josiah Trotter. Trotter took it into the endzone for a pick-six, cutting the deficit to seven points.
The Bengals tacked on two field goals, before Baker Mayfield had a ten-yard rushing score to get the Bucs within six points at 33-27 with a little over three minutes remaining.
However, the Bucs defense couldn’t come up with a stop, with Joe Burrow executing a QB sneak on 3rd and 1 on the Bucs 17-yard line. Cincinnati was able to run out the clock and get the win.
The Bucs fall to 0-1 on the season thanks in large part to their four fumbles lost, three of which you can put on the tab of Baker Mayfield.
The Bucs will try to regroup ahead of next Sunday’s home opener against Ohio’s other team, the Cleveland Browns. Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays were home on Sunday at Tropicana Field, looking to get the sweep of the Houston Astros. On Friday they had a Junior Caminero walk-off home run to secure the win and a playoff berth. On Saturday the Rays battled for a gritty 3-2 victory.
On Sunday, the Rays put a hurting on the Astros. By the bottom of the fifth inning, Tampa Bay had built up an 11-0 lead. They had four homeruns in the game, including two from Jonathan Aranda, as they grabbed the convincing 14-4 win and the sweep of the Astros.
Both Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees won on Sunday, so the Rays’ lead in the American League East remains at four games. The Rays welcome in the Athletics for a three-game series starting on Tuesday.
_Copyright 2026 WWSB. All rights reserved._