After a disappointing loss on their home field last week, the Bucs hit the road in Week 11 for a tough matchup against the Bills under cold, cloudy and windy conditions at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Both teams came in looking to avoid back-to-back losses, and there was an air of desperation on both sides as a result. The game played out in a manner that matched that feeling, too.

It was a full-blown, back-and-forth shootout between Tampa Bay and Buffalo, with the two offenses combining for 76 points and the game featuring nine lead changes. The Bucs briefly took a fourth-quarter lead on the Bills, going ahead 32-31 with 13:38 to go. But the story of the afternoon was ultimately the Buccaneer defense’s lack of an answer for Josh Allen.

The reigning MVP picked up his second and third rushing touchdowns of the day – and his fifth and sixth touchdowns overall – in the fourth quarter, leading the Bills on a 13-0 game-ending run on their way to a 44-32 win.

With the win, Buffalo improved to 7-3, while Tampa Bay’s second straight loss and its second in the last three games dropped Todd Bowles and Co. to 6-4.

Here’s a recap of all the action from Sunday’s loss in Orchard Park:

Bills 44, Bucs 32

The Bucs got the ball to open things up and put a nice drive together, but they ultimately stalled out at the Bills’ 39. Left in no man’s land with a 4th & 8, Todd Bowles decided against a 57-yard field goal attempt in heavy winds and opted for a Riley Dixon punt. That paid off, as he had his kick downed at the 5, backing the Bills up with a long field ahead.

It paid off even further as two plays into the first Buffalo drive, SirVocea Dennis came in untouched on a blitz and nearly brought Josh Allen down for a safety, only for Allen to attempt an ill-advised chest pass that was then intercepted by Jacob Parrish. The takeaway set Baker Mayfield and the offense up with a 1st & Goal from the 7-yard line and a chance to take an early lead.

Bucs K Chase McLaughlin – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs got that early lead, but not in the way they wanted. Two runs went for just 2 yards and a third-down pass fell incomplete, so despite starting inside the 10, they had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin for a 3-0 lead.

The Bills immediately responded, with Mecole Hardman taking the ensuing kickoff 60 yards into Buccaneer territory. A fourth-down and third-down conversion by Allen kept Buffalo alive, then he found his way into the end zone for a 2-yard score to give the home team a 7-3 lead after a 36-yard drive.

The Bucs answered back with a long drive, with a Sterling Shepard 16-yard catch getting the ball into Bills territory before Mayfield picked up 13 yards on the ground on 3rd & 2 just before the first quarter came to an end. On the other side of the quarter break, Mayfield found Rachaad White for 7 yards on a 3rd & 8 to set up 4th & Inches inside the 5, then Mayfield ran it in himself for a 4-yard touchdown to give the lead back to the visitors with 12 minutes left in the half.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

The back-and-forth continued, though. The Bills offense came right back, this time with one of those explosive plays the Buccaneer defense talked all week about preventing. Allen had plenty of time to throw and as he sat in the pocket, Benjamin Morrison lost Tyrell Shavers, who got free for a 43-yard touchdown. Just like that, Buffalo was back on top, 14-10.

Trailing again, Mayfield and the offense went back to work. A key 3rd & 13 conversion from Mayfield to Shepard gave the Bucs a fresh set of downs, then Sean Tucker broke free for a 43-yard touchdown of his own, giving Tampa Bay another lead at 17-14.

The momentum looked to swing in the Bucs’ favor from there, too, as Tykee Smith broke up a pass intended for Dawson Knox that resulted in SirVocea Dennis’ first career interception.

Bucs ILBs Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: USA Today

But that only became another missed opportunity for Tampa Bay’s offense, as the next drive went nowhere and ended with a punt, meaning the unit had turned two Allen interceptions into just three points.

And Allen and the Bills offense made the Bucs pay for that right away, with a screen to Ty Johnson turning into a 52-yard catch and run for a touchdown, putting the home team back out in front at 21-17 with 36 seconds left in the half.

Tampa Bay did well to close the gap the best it could before halftime, with Emeka Egbuka hauling in an 8-yard Mayfield pass, Shepard bringing one in for 24 and Egbuka bringing in another for 11 to help get the ball down the field quickly. McLaughlin had an eventual 29-yard field goal try blocked, but a holding penalty on Buffalo gave him another shot. He then converted from 24, making it a 21-20 game at halftime.

The defenses buckled down a bit to start the second half, with the Bills and Bucs trading punts on their first possessions. But on Riley Dixon’s punt, Josh Hayes forced a Mecole Hardman fumble that was recovered by Ryan Miller, giving the offense a short field to work with after a third Buffalo turnover.

The Bucs finally took advantage of a takeaway with a touchdown, with Mayfield scrambling for an 8-yard gain on 3rd & 3 before Tucker soon found the end zone from 6 yards out. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but Tampa Bay still had a 26-21 lead halfway through the third.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker and RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: USA Today

The kick coverage team failed the Bucs once again on the next kickoff, with a 44-yard return giving Allen and Co. a short field once again. But after a 21-yard pass to Shavers, the defense shut things down and forced a Matt Prater field goal, which made it 26-24.

Everything swung in Buffalo’s favor from there, too, with Mayfield throwing a bad interception to Cole Bishop that immediately led to a 25-yard touchdown pass from Allen to James Cook. With the PAT, the Bills were out in front 31-26 with 3:48 left in the third.

That 31-26 lead carried into the fourth quarter, but the Bucs then found the end zone for an eighth lead change of the day. On a third down play, Mayfield found Tucker for a 28-yard touchdown – Tucker’s third score of the day – to make it a 32-31 game after a nine-play, 62-yard drive. Another two-point conversion try failed, though, keeping it a one-point game.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Of course, a ninth lead change of the game followed. Allen found Curtis Samuel, Gabe Davis and Dawson Knox for chunk gains before running in a 5-yard touchdown – his fifth touchdown of the day – to give the Bills a 37-32 advantage with 9:06 to go.

Then came what ultimately was the game-ending sequence. After that touchdown, the Bucs offense went three-and-out. Instead of taking their chances with a 4th & 2 at their own 39, they opted to punt the ball back to Allen and the Bills. That was essentially that, as the defense once again failed to come up with a stop. A Jacob Parrish facemask penalty was the final nail, as that led to a 9-yard touchdown run by Allen that made it 44-32. And that was that.

Baker Mayfield finished the day 16-of-28 for 173 yards, a touchdown and an interception, plus he ran for 39 yards and a touchdown on five carries. He had a late fumble as well, giving him two turnovers on the day.

The star of the day for Tampa Bay was Sean Tucker, who ran 19 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns while adding two catches for 34 yards and a touchdown.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

The difference ended up being the Buccaneer defense’s inability to slow down Josh Allen, as well as the kick coverage team’s continued struggles to tackle. Allen was 19-of-30 for 317 yards and three touchdowns, plus he ran six times for 40 yards and three touchdowns, giving him six total touchdowns on the afternoon.

Buffalo had 234 kick return yards over six returns, averaging out to 39 yards per return.

The Bucs (6-4) will now head west to Los Angeles in Week 12, where they will face the Rams (7-2) on Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m.