Bucs fans hoped for better results to start this season than what transpired last season. In 2025, it was a tale of two halves, as the team faltered and went just 2-7 down the stretch, missing the playoffs.

It made for a lot of disappointing football, and that trend continued for much of Sunday afternoon.

Tampa Bay found a way to get beaten by the Bengals and by themselves, losing 33-27.

Here is what was most disappointing in the first game of the 2026 season.

Bucs’ Ball Security

Whether it was the jitters of the first game or not, the Bucs’ ball security was absolutely inexcusable.

It started when Barrett Carter and Myles Murphy sacked Baker Mayfield in the first quarter, as Murphy forced a fumble that Demetrius Knight Jr. recovered. Knight scooped it up and ran it back 27 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bengals a 7-3 lead early.

Bengals ILB Demetrius Knight Jr. – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

On the next drive, Mayfield dumped it up to Bucky Irving, but Bryan Cook knocked the ball out of Irving’s hands, as Boye Mafe secured it to put Cincinnati in prime position to make it 14-3.

One fumble was costly. Two were catastrophic. Three were demoralizing. By the fourth, the game was out of reach.

In the second quarter, Mayfield was well on his way to directing a scoring drive to get the Bucs back into the game. That all changed after what appeared to be an electric scramble turned disastrous as No. 6 gave away the football at the 3-yard line, with Carter knocking the ball out from his hands in a drive that resulted in zero points.

Then, in the fourth quarter, Mayfield fumbled the ball a third time as Mafe sacked him to knock the ball loose and it was recovered by T.J. Slaton as the Bucs were looking to close in on a 30-20 deficit.

Adding up all the fumbles, it is evident how much this swayed the game in the Bengals’ favor.

QB Baker Mayfield

There were instances where Baker Mayfield had the Bucs driving, and he had an overall efficient game throwing the football.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

It was a different story keeping the ball, with his three aforementioned fumbles dampening the offense’s efforts.

Mayfield had happy feet throughout the game, looking to scramble outside the pocket and try to make things happen. That proved to be his and the team’s downfall, as he refused to throw it away when pressure closed in and was not careful preventing mistakes. A new three-year, $165 million contract extension has elevated expectations for how well he plays going forward, and this is not the start he nor the organization wanted him to have.

Bucs Outside Pass Rush

For all of the resources the Bucs invested into the front seven to dial up the pressure and bring opposing quarterbacks down, they did not make much of a dent in forcing the ball out of Joe Burrow’s hands. Tampa Bay did not record a single sack in the first half with just one sack all game as Burrow was barely breathed on by the outside pass rush of Yaya Diaby and Rueben Bain Jr.

This season is supposed to be different with those two pass rushers leading the way, but it looked strikingly similar to the same struggles the defense had last season.

It is only one game, but it is worrisome that for all the talk about what a better outside pass rush could provide, they did little against the Bengals’ offensive line.

ILB Alex Anzalone

Signing Alex Anzalone was supposed to be the answer to the Bucs’ inside linebacker problems. Instead, Anzalone struggled in pass coverage in the middle of the field. That allowed who else but Mike Gesicki to be the most dangerous weapon in the Bengals’ passing game, as he led the team with five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Bengals TE Mike Geisicki – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

One of the biggest strengths of Anzalone’s game that intrigued Tampa Bay was what he could do in coverage. Instead, he looked less like an enforcer and more like a liability.

RT Luke Goedeke and LT Tristan Wirfs

It was a bit concerning watching Luke Goedeke during training camp. He was not going to win every rep against Rueben Bain Jr., and his struggles against Josh Hines-Allen were not a huge surprise considering how talented the Jaguars’ pass rusher is. Goedeke had a chance at putting together a solid game to leave that in the past, but he allowed Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe to be disruptive off the edge.

Murphy nor Mafe are big-time pass rushers, but they were able to generate plenty of pressure lined up across No. 67. While Baker Mayfield did not do himself any favors running into harm’s way, Goedeke has to hold up longer in pass protection if he wants to be considered one of the NFL’s best right tackles.

For Tristan Wirfs, it was worth monitoring how he would hold up after missing much of training camp. Wirfs looked rusty, as he was called for two false starts and did not play like his typical All-Pro self.

TE Cade Otton

While the three-year, $30 million deal Cade Otton received from the Bucs this offseason is looking a bargain compared to what other players at his position have recently gotten, the Bucs’ offense did not get its money’s worth out of him in this one. Otton dropped a wide-open pass from Baker Mayfield on second-and-14 on what would have been a chunk play in the first quarter. He was also called for a false start to begin the second quarter, and he was limited to just three catches for 26 yards.