The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Washington Commanders 37-20 in Week 1. The home team was on a roll, with quarterback Baker Mayfield completing 24 of 30 attempts for 289 yards, four touchdowns and a QBR of 146.4. Chris Godwin led the offense with eight catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Buccaneers’ first drive ended with a 56-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin that gave the home team a 3-0 lead. The Bucs began the game with an emphasis on getting their playmakers to the perimeter, including a five-yard gain by Rachaad White after a block and an 11-yard pickup by Chris Godwin on the right boundary for a first down. After an incomplete pass by Jalen McMillan on third down, Tampa Bay was forced to punt. Tampa Bay’s defense followed suit, forcing a quick three-and-out. Jayden Daniels fought through on third down, but was forced out of bounds by Jamel Dean just short of the post.
The Bucs’ ensuing offense stalled at the 16 after two Mayfield runs. The possession was capped by an acrobatic diving catch by Mike Evans that gave him 24 yards as he broke outside, but the home team couldn’t gain seven yards. At the end of the first quarter, the Commanders’ offense was halted by an illegal above-the-waist block (10 yards imposed) at the Tampa Bay 19, and an incomplete pass by Olamide Zaccheaus on third down led to a 47-yard attempt by Cade York. His kick missed to the right, keeping the game 6-0.
On the next drive, the Bucs found the end zone. Two 19-yard plays, including an out route by Trey Palmer and a block by Rachaad White, set up the score. Mike Evans capped the eight-play, 63-yard drive by working his way over the Commanders’ defensive back for the touchdown. Evans was repeatedly held, but managed to catch the ball out of the air. The Commanders answered with a touchdown of their own. After a 10-yard keeper by Daniels and a penalty for unnecessary roughness (hit to the head) at the Tampa Bay 11-yard line, Washington took advantage with a 7-yard touchdown rush by Brian Robinson.
Just before the halftime mark, on the Bucs’ 13-play, 49-yard drive, Godwin served as the team’s catalyst. Whether it was a 14-yard gain after a square-in or a 9-yard gain after a quick out, he became Mayfield’s target. After an incomplete pass to Evans on third down after Mayfield was forced out of the pocket, Tampa Bay had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by McLaughlin. The Bucs scored on all of their first four possessions, but had to rely on field goals on three. Mayfield’s 84.2 percent passing rate is the seventh-highest in the first half of his career (minimum 10 attempts).
After halftime, the Commanders’ offense stalled after a strip sack by the Bucs’ Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. He dropped Daniels, lost nine yards, and knocked the ball loose. The Commanders’ Tyler Biadasz recovered it and Luke McCaffrey was stopped just before the first down by Jordan Whitehead and SirVocea Dennis, forcing York to attempt a 56-yard attempt. The kick went wide to the right, leaving the score at 16-7.
On Tampa Bay’s ensuing drive, the Bucs covered 54 yards in five plays to score the point. The Bucs were on the first and last play after a defensive pass interference and a facemask penalty on Emmanuel Forbes. Mayfield then connected with Godwin on a corner route for a four-yard touchdown. The Bucs took a 23-7 lead midway through the third quarter. With that point, Godwin broke the tie with Jimmie Giles (34) for the second-most touchdowns in franchise history.
Both teams then traded three-and-outs, with the Bucs’ punt coming from a Clelin Ferrell sack of Mayfield on third down. The Commanders then moved down the field and capitalized with a 1-yard touchdown run by Daniels. The six-play, 60-yard run cut the Commanders’ deficit to 23-14. The Bucs offense responded immediately, as a 32-yard screen by Rachaad White (which showed Graham Barton was not illegally far down the field) set up a TD by Jalen McMillan. McMillan pointed inside before the snap and ran off with a quick release, running over a post. Mayfield threw a bomb and hit McMillan on the run for a 32-yard touchdown. Tampa Bay took a 30-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Bucs defense then forced a quick retreat. On the second attempt, Lavonte David fired a blitz and forced Jayden Daniels off his spot. SirVocea Dennis then finished it off with a 13-yard sack, leading to third-and-20 and a subsequent punt for Washington.
Baker Mayfield and his team then led a methodical 12-play, 91-yard drive that included a quick cut to the boundary for a 31-yard run by Bucky Irving and a 24-yard tunnel screen by Godwin. A few plays later, Mayfield’s 11-yard run brought the Bucs to the Washington 21. Mayfield then found Evans for a 1-yard touchdown, extending the Bucs’ lead to 37-14. The Commanders came back with a one-yard touchdown run of their own by Daniels. The two-point attempt failed on an incomplete pass to McCaffrey and the score remained 37-20.
