Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Live In-Game Updates, Highlights: Bills Win 24-18
If there’s anything a short week is good for, it’s flushing away an embarrassing loss to a division rival.
The Buffalo Bills, after losing to the New England Patriots 29-15 in Week 7, sit at 4-3. While the sky isn’t falling in Western New York, it sure feels like another loss could put that in the seven-day forecast.
Last week, the offense looked out of sync, and more than just the usual suspects shared the blame. Sure, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey can be better, and the secondary options in the passing offense didn’t look great. But quarterback Josh Allen didn’t, either.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
If he’s not right, the Bills aren’t right, and after comments about thinking too much compared to just playing football, fans are justifiably concerned. However, the superstars on this roster, namely Allen and receiver Stefon Diggs, deserve the benefit of the doubt.
They'll take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to open Week 8 on Thursday Night Football.
It may not be possible to make a statement win in October against a .500 football team, but one could be brewing. Buffalo has already blown out mediocre teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders.
While injuries to the defense make complementary football more difficult, a fast start from the offense could flip the switch. At some point, it’s just a matter of executing against a less talented team—one that doesn’t have No. 17 under center.
That, though, is easier said than done. They haven’t started fast in weeks, and Tampa Bay’s elite run defense won’t diminish that task.
Don’t expect either team to run the ball very well on Thursday. Subsequently, it may be time for Allen to break the “in case of emergency” glass and put the offense, both passing and rushing, onto himself, at least until things get back on track for his surrounding cast.
Buffalo is right to limit his exposure to hits, but a bad loss in prime time could render that plan useless. You can’t unleash Allen in the playoffs if you don’t make it.
WHAT: Buffalo Bills (4-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3)
WHERE: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY (71,608)
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ET)
TELEVISION: Prime Video
RADIO: WGR
ODDS: Bills -10.5 (-110), -500 Moneyline
Live updates will appear after kickoff.
FIRST QUARTER
Buccaneers First Drive: Tampa Bay received the opening kickoff.
Running back Rachaad White got things started with a six-yard run. Quarterback Baker Mayfield his receiver Trey Palmer for his first completion (and first down) of the day, but missed receiver Mike Evans on the next throw.
Safety Jordan Poyer knocked out a third-down pass to tight end Cade Otton, forcing a punt. Tackle Tristan Wirfs was banged up on the incompletion.
Bills First Drive: Receiver Khalil Shakir saw Allen's first throw and completion of the night. They run a quarterback draw for eight yards on the next play. Shakir would truck a defender on his second catch and receiver Gabe Davis made a contested catch over corner Jamel Dean.
Diggs' first catch of the day came on third down in the red zone, setting up a Tyler Bass field goal. He was successful.
The Bills lead 3-0 with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter.
Buccaneers Second Drive: Chris Godwin started the second drive with a jet sweep for a first down.
On third-and-five, safety Taylor Rapp made a nice play on the ball but got there a beat early and was called for defensive pass interference. An errant snap led to a fumble in the backfield, but Mayfield was able to recover and chuck it out of bounds.
A 50-yard field goal was blocked, setting Buffalo up with a short field.
Bills Second Drive: Buffalo's offense looked much better on its second drive. Allen completed his first five passes of the drive.
Most importantly, he connected with Shakir for a 30-yard gain, putting them in a goal-to-go situation.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid almost got in on a touch pass. But the offense suddenly ground to a halt in the red zone. Before the fourth-and-goal snap, the first quarter ended.
At the end of the first quarter, Buffalo leads 3-0.
SECOND QUARTER
The second quarter began with a flat route to Kincaid, but it was swatted away by Dean for a turnover on downs.
Buccaneers Third Drive: Backed up at his own goal line, Tampa ran for two yards on first down.
Mayfield looked uncomfortable on second down, tossing an incompletion. A play later, his pass was tipped, leading to a punt. A big return from Deonte Harty brought Buffalo down to the Tampa Bay 23-yard line.
Bills Third Drive: Running back James Cook took the first two carries of the drive. A tush push from Allen would get them a new set of downs.
Allen ran another draw for a score, putting the Bills up two possessions.
The Bills lead 10-0 with 11:03 remaining in the second quarter.
Buccaneers Fourth Drive: Penalties took over Tampa's drive. A holding negating a long White run. Soon after, a false start would set them further behind the chains.
Evans was targeted on third-and-9, but it fell incomplete. The Buccaneers would get on the board with a field goal, but Allen is in the medical tent.
The Bills lead 10-3 with 7:40 remaining in the second quarter.
Bills Fourth Drive: There's good news and bad news.
The good: Allen is healthy and didn't miss a snap.
The bad: His first snap resulted in a tipped pass and an interception.
Buccaneers Fifth Drive: Tampa Bay quickly answered with a Chris Godwin touchdown.
This one just got much more interesting.
The Buccaneers tied the game at 10 with 6:46 remaining in the first half.
Bills Fifth Drive: Buffalo started their drive from their own 25-yard line but quickly moved into enemy territory.
As they approached the red zone, a sprint draw was blown up on second down, setting up a third-and-12. Allen hit Kincaid on a crossing route for a 22-yard touchdown and the lead.
The Bills lead 17-10 with 2:40 remaining in the second quarter.
Buccaneers Sixth Drive: Two White touches for a combined 22 yards brought this one to the two-minute warning.
White saw two more touches on the drive, interrupted by a Godwin catch. After a sack and a checkdown, they would end up punting. The Bills would kneel out the clock.
The Bills lead 17-10 at halftime.
HALFTIME
THIRD QUARTER
Bills Sixth Drive: Allen hit Kincaid to start the second half with an immediate fresh set of downs.
Davis' seventh target was a screen and ended up in his sixth catch of the day, helping Buffalo get into the red zone. They returned to him to push them into a goal-to-go situation.
Latavius Murray continued to get work at the goal line. A well-protected second-down dropback resulted in another Davis catch -- this time for six.
The Bills lead 24-10 with 10:40 remaining in the third quarter.
Buccaneers Seventh Drive: Mayfield started the drive with one of the greatest evaded sacks of the season, culminating with a new set of downs with his legs.
After two White rushes for five yards, another Mayfield scramble would be short of the sticks. Tampa punted, and Buffalo will take over at their own 19-yard line.
Bills Seventh Drive: Allen was forced out of structure on the first third down of the drive, rolling left and finding Kincaid for 15 yards.
Diggs was targeted on back-to-back passes on the next set of downs, but both fell incomplete -- perhaps at the hands of some missed calls. The Bills punted for the first time tonight, pinning Tampa Bay at their own three-yard line.
Buccaneers Eighth Drive: The Buccaneers were not able to respond, punting after a quick three-and-out.
Bills Eighth Drive: Diggs made a nice grab for a 10-yard gain and the Bills' first chain-mover of the drive. After two incompletions, Allen scrambled for a first down.
Cook ran for nine yards on the next play, but Allen was sacked to negate the gain and end the quarter.
The Bills lead 24-10 at the end of the third quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Diggs opened the quarter with a third-down catch, prompting a fourth-down decision. On fourth-and-4, they decided to take a delay of game and punt.
Buccaneers Ninth Drive: Tampa Bay's drive started with a scare, as Mayfield's knee was almost on the ground -- in the end zone -- before releasing an incomplete pass. Once again, the Buccaneers had to punt immediately.
Bills Ninth Drive: Shakir started the drive's progress with his sixth catch of the night, bringing him to 92 yards.
After catches from Diggs and Kincaid, Buffalo had a fourth-and-2 opportunity. They took another delay of game, electing to punt.
Buccaneers Tenth Drive: A White reception finally got the Buccaneers a new set of down.
An offensive holding on Cody Mauch would negate a big Evans catch. They'd lean on White for another first down after giving a couple of touches to running back Chase Edmonds.
Defensive end A.J. Epenesa got himself in the box score with a sack. Defensive back Taron Johnson followed that up with a sack of his own. Unfortunately for him, he was called for an illegal contact to extend the drive.
The Bills got another fourth-down stop, but a facemask penalty negated that, too.
On a third fourth down of the drive, Evans made a circus catch in the end zone. They would convert the two-point conversion.
The Bills lead 24-18 with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Bills Tenth Drive: Buffalo attempted to run the clock out, but was ultimately faced with a fourth-and-1, around midfield. They again decided to punt, leaving Tampa Bay with just 21 seconds to go 75 yards and score.
Buccaneers Eleventh Drive: Otton made a seven-yard catch to make things a little more possible, but this one is all but over.
White added five yards to his stat line, and Evans caught a quick out.
On the final play of the game, Mayfield's Hail Mary was incomplete.
The Bills win, 24-18, to move to 5-3.
