On a short week after a brutal home loss to the Falcons, the 3-3 Bucs headed to Buffalo for a Thursday Night Football game against the 4-3 Bills. And even though the home team came into the game with losses in two of its last three games, everyone expected this to be another Tampa Bay loss. The Bucs certainly showed why there was little faith in them this week, as they struggled to contain Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense while once again looking largely incompetent on offense in a 24-18 loss.

The Bucs got the ball first and as they’ve done far too often this year, they picked up one first down before stalling. They did flip the field as Jake Camarda punted the ball away to the Buffalo 4-yard line, but that didn’t stop the Bills from putting the game’s first points on the scoreboard.

After working its way down the field with ease, Buffalo’s offense ultimately got stopped on a third down in the red zone as Christian Izien stepped up to make a big tackle. Tyler Bass then came on to put the home team up 3-0 early.

Bills QB Josh Allen – Photo by: USA Today

After Chase McLaughlin had a 50-yard field goal attempt blocked, the Bills looked primed to make it a 10-0 game, lining up for a 4th & Goal from the 1-yard line to open the second quarter. Instead, Jamel Dean knocked Josh Allen’s pass away for a big goal-line stand. But after the Bucs’ ensuing possession went nowhere and Camarda’s punt netted just 20 yards after a big return, Buffalo was quickly back in business.

Just after Yaya Diaby dropped Allen for his first career sack on first down, Allen ran for a 13-yard touchdown to make it a 10-0 game. It was then that the Bucs started to put something together.

While more penalty problems halted Mayfield and the offense after what looked like a promising drive, Tampa Bay did get on the board with a 57-yard field goal from McLaughlin. And just after the offense headed to the sideline, it was soon back on the field in prime position to tie the game. That’s because Antoine Winfield Jr. came up with another outstanding play, blitzing and tipping Allen’s pass into the air, which allowed Will Gholston to come up with his first career interception — in year 11. That set the offense up with a first down at the Buffalo 23-yard line.

From there, all it took was two plays for the Bucs to tie the game. First, Mayfield found Rachaad White for a 20-yard gain before he and Chris Godwin connected for a three-yard touchdown.  Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, though, that tie game was short-lived.

The Bills easily worked their way down the field in response to the Bucs’ first touchdown and regained the lead. It was Allen and rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid connecting for a 22-yard touchdown on 3rd & 12, capping off a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:06 off the clock.

Bucs RB Rachaad White and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

While the Buccaneer offense got a nice 15-yard run from White to start its next drive, it ended shortly after that and the game headed to halftime with a 17-10 advantage for the home team.

Out of the break, the Bills once again picked Todd Bowles’ defense apart. Buffalo didn’t get to third down once, putting together another nine-play, 75-yard drive. This one took 4:20 off the clock, ending with Allen finding Gabe Davis for a four-yard touchdown, which boosted the gap to 14 points at 24-10.

The two teams traded punts from there before Buffalo got the better of the field position battle. Sam Martin pinned Tampa Bay’s offense at its own 3-yard line and given the total yardage discrepancy at the time (Bills led 339-181), the odds weren’t great for the Bucs to even cut into the 24-10 deficit. Sure enough, Dave Canales’ offense went three-and-out and had to punt the ball away again from the end zone.

The Bills were happy to let their special teams and defense do the work the rest of the way. After Martin previously pinned the Bucs at their own 3, he had punts to the 4 and 8 in the fourth quarter. The second of those actually led to Tampa Bay’s best and longest drive of the game, though it arguably took too much time off the clock.

Aided by a couple of fourth-down penalties on Buffalo, the drive lasted 17 plays and went 92 yards in 7:21. But almost miraculously, it ended with a 24-yard Mike Evans touchdown catch and a Cade Otton two-point conversion. Suddenly, it was just 24-18 Bills with 2:44 left.

The Buccaneer defense couldn’t get a stop until it was too late, as the offense got the ball back with well under a minute to go. Chris Godwin actually might’ve had a shot at a Hail Mary touchdown catch to win it, but he couldn’t locate the ball in time and it fell to the ground, allowing Buffalo to hold on for a 24-18 win.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

Baker Mayfield wasn’t all that sharp, finishing  25-of-42 for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Rachaad White had a good night, going over 100 yards from scrimmage with 39 rushing yards on nine carries and 65 receiving yards on six catches.

Mike Evans was shut out for most of the game before a late touchdown catch. He finished with two catches for 31 yards and a score, but it was Chris Godwin leading the way for the receivers with five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Bucs’ soft zone coverage was shredded by Josh Allen, who was 31-of-40 for 324 yards and two touchdowns in addition to rushing for 41 yards and a touchdown. Gabe Davis caught nine passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Khalil Shakir added 92 yards on six catches and Dalton Kincaid chipped in with five catches for 65 yards and his first career touchdown.

After a mini-bye week, the Bucs (3-4) will hit the road to face the Texans (3-3) on Nov. 5. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.