The Bucs came into Sunday having won five straight regular season openers. So, matching up with the Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, they were looking to start 1-0 for the sixth straight season and five straight years under head coach Todd Bowles.

Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, that didn’t come to pass. The Bucs put themselves in a hole early, fumbling on three straight drives between the first and second quarters and allowing 21 points off those turnovers to create a 21-3 deficit. They tried to get themselves back into it and ultimately found themselves within 27-20 going into the fourth quarter, but a fourth fumble turned into three more points and by the end of the day, it was the Bengals starting 1-0 after a 33-27 home win.

Fresh off signing a three-year, $165 million contract extension, Baker Mayfield was responsible for three of those four fumbles. Tampa Bay ultimately did well to stay in it and only lose the game by six, but those four fumbles – three of which came from the $165 million man himself – are certainly cause for frustration given how winnable this game appeared to be. The four turnovers were the difference in the end, not just because they were squandered scoring chances for the Bucs but also because the Bengals turned them into 24 of their 33 points.

Here’s a recap of all the action from Tampa Bay’s season-opening loss at Paycor Stadium:

Bengals 33, Bucs 27

The Bucs won the coin toss and elected to receive, so it was Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense getting things going to start off a hot day in Ohio. Bucky Irving ran it well on the opening drive, and Mayfield found Emeka Egbuka for some chunk gains early to move the chains along. A couple of third-down conversions helped get the ball to the edge of the red zone, giving the visitors a chance to go up early.

But the drive stalled just inside the 20, forcing Tampa Bay to settle for a 34-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin to cap off an 11-play, 57-yard drive that took 5:51 off the clock. Still, it was a solid opening drive for Zac Robinson’s unit – despite some communication issues – and an early 3-0 lead.

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

The Buccaneer defense made sure Mayfield and Co. were right back on the field, too, getting a quick three-and-out thanks in large part to Zyon McCollum, who came up with a great tackle on second down and tight coverage on Ja’Marr Chase one play later to force a punt.

But as good as the Bucs offense looked on its first drive, things went south quickly. On 3rd & 6, Mayfield was flushed out of the pocket and sacked by Myles Murphy and Barrett Carter with the ball coming loose. Demetrius Knight Jr. promptly scooped it up and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown, making it 7-3 Bengals just like that.

It went from bad to worse over the next couple of drives. Mayfield was sacked on the first play of the next possession, and what followed was a bad Cade Otton drop wide open over the middle of the field and a third-down fumble by Irving. It was a second fumble in two drives, and the Bengals made quick work of the short field to go up 14-3 on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Mike Gesicki.

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

The Bucs offense managed to put together a good response as the game crossed over into the second quarter. The unit made another trip to the red zone, only this time it didn’t lead to any points. That’s because Mayfield, after one of his famous Houdini acts to escape a sack, scrambled down to the 4-yard line only to have the ball knocked loose for yet another fumble.

Cincinnati went on to turn a third Tampa Bay fumble into a third touchdown, though this time it was a long drive that slowly ate away at Todd Bowles’ defense. In the end, Chase Brown scored a 5-yard touchdown to finish off a 12-play, 80-yard drive that took 6:32 off the clock and made it a 21-3 advantage for the home team.

Badly needing a meaningful response, Mayfield and his offense went to work. Egbuka continued to drive the offense forward with catches of 11 and 13 yards, though Chris Godwin Jr. had a 30-yard catch and run mixed in as well. Then, after a 10-yard catch by Otton, Irving scampered for a 10-yard touchdown to get the Bucs within 21-10 at the 1:49 mark in the second quarter.

Burrow and the Bengals offense weren’t done, though. Rather than getting down the field with shot after shot to Chase or Tee Higgins, it was the tight end, Gesicki, who got loose for gains of 16, 11 and 25 yards. The Bucs defense did stand tall inside the 5, but Evan McPherson knocked through a field goal to make it a 24-10 halftime lead for the Bengals, who were also set to get the ball coming out of halftime.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Out of the break, things continued to look easy for Burrow and the Cincinnati offense. That is, until Josiah Trotter came up with his first career sack on a third down in Tampa Bay territory. Despite that, McPherson booted a 55-yard field goal to make it a 17-point game at 27-10.

The Bucs responded with a field goal drive of their own, with McLaughlin hitting from 51 to get back within 14 at the 3:41 mark in the third quarter.

Still within two scores but nearing the end of the third quarter, it felt like it was going to take a big play by the Buccaneer defense to make this a game.

Tampa Bay got that big play. Josiah Trotter, not long after his first career sack, jumped a Burrow pass and took it back 38 yards for a pick-six. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Bucs were within 27-20.

Bowles’ defense appeared to have the stop it needed on the ensuing possession, but McPherson came on to extend the lead with yet another long field goal – this one from 58 yards out. That made it 30-20 in favor of Cincinnati with 14:04 to play.

And just as the Bucs offense looked to get going again, Mayfield held onto the ball too long in the pocket and Boye Mafe got to him for a sack-fumble. Tampa Bay’s fourth fumble of the day – and the third by its quarterback – set Cincinnati up for another three points, making it a 33-20 game with just 5:19 to go.

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

Tampa Bay wouldn’t go quietly, at least. A 47-yard kick return by Josh Williams and three straight catches by rookie Ted Hurst III for 36 yards set up an 8-yard touchdown run by Mayfield. That got the Bucs back within 33-27 with 3:19 to go.

However, the Buccaneer defense couldn’t get the stop it needed to give the offense one final chance to make amends for its disastrous blunders. In the end, the Bengals held on for a 33-27 win to start their season 1-0 and send the Bucs to 0-1 for the first time since 2020.

On the day, Baker Mayfield finished 23-of-28 for 216 yards and a rushing touchdown, but the three fumbles were costly. Bucky Irving had a costly fumble as well, though he also ran for 45 yards and a touchdown on eight carries (5.6 avg.). Emeka Egbuka led the way for Tampa Bay receivers, catching five of his six targets for 63 yards.

Defensively, it was Josiah Trotter who came away as the star of the day with his first career sack and a pick-six. The pass rush as a whole for the Bucs was disappointing, and veteran inside linebacker Alex Anzalone had himself a bad Buccaneer debut.

The Bucs (0-1) will now return to Raymond James Stadium next Sunday to host the Browns (0-1) in their 2026 home opener. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.