Bills Central

4 winners & 4 losers in Buffalo Bills Week 11 shootout victory over Buccaneers

The Buffalo Bills took everything the Tampa Bay Buccaneers threw at them and came out with a win. Here are the players who stood out as winners and losers in the game.
Randy Gurzi|
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson runs for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson runs for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills improved to 7-3 on the season, earning a huge win in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coming off a frustrating 30-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins last week, the Bills wanted to get their offense back on track this Sunday. Fortunately, they were able to do this because Tampa Bay was ready for a shootout.

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Josh Allen needed six total touchdowns to hold off Baker Mayfield, Sean Tucker and the NFC South-leading Bucs. With this game behind us, let's see who stood out as winners and losers for the Bills.

Loser: Mecole Hardman, WR/KR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mecole Hardman returns a kickoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mecole Hardman returns a kickoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Buffalo started slow, with Josh Allen throwing a pick on the team's first drive of the game. That led to a field goal for Tampa Bay and a 3-0 deficit for the Bills.

Momentum got back in their favor in a hurry, thanks to newly-signed Mecole Hardman. Playing in his first game of the season, Hardman ran back the ensuing kickoff 61 yards, giving his team the ball at the Bucs' 36-yard line.

That drive ended with Allen running the ball in for a touchdown, giving the Bills a 7-3 lead, thanks in large part to Hardman's return.

Had that been the end of his day, Hardman would have been a winner. That wasn't the case, though, as Hardman ended up giving the Buccaneers a gift in the third quarter when he muffed a punt, giving them the ball at the Buffalo 43.

Winner: Tyrell Shavers, WR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers makes a touchdown catch against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers makes a touchdown catch against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

With Keon Coleman being held out due to disciplinary reasons, the Bills needed someone to step up on offense. Tyrell Shavers answered the call, beginning with a 43-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.

Shavers was the leading receiver with four receptions for 90 yards, giving the Buffalo offense the shot in the arm they needed.

Loser: Taron Johnson, CB

Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Buffalo had a 14-10 lead following the 43-yard touchdown reception by Tyrell Shavers. They were set to get the ball back with the Bucs facing a third-and-12 at their own 43-yard line. Unfortunately, they moved the chain when Baker Mayfield found Sterling Shepard for a 14-yard gain.

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Shepard was left wide open when Taron Johnson dropped back too far in zone coverage, allowing Mayfield to make the easy completion. On the next snap, Tampa Bay scored when Sean Tucker ripped off a 43-yard gain, giving Tampa Bay a 17-14 lead.

Winner: Ty Johnson, RB

Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson runs for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson runs for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Trailing 17-14 with under a minute to play in the first half, Ty Johnson delivered his best play of the season. The backup running back took a pass from Josh Allen in the flat and followed some excellent blocking by his receivers. Once in open space, he turned on the jets and took the ball 52 yards for a touchdown and the lead.

Loser: Jordan Poyer, S

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka takes a hit from Buffalo Bills safeties Cole Bishop and Jordan Poyer.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka takes a hit from Buffalo Bills safeties Cole Bishop and Jordan Poyer. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Jordan Poyer was once a leader for the Buffalo defense, which is why he was welcomed back with open arms after spending 2024 with the Miami Dolphins. He eventually moved into the starting lineup when Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp were both lost to injury.

Now in his fifth game of the season, it's clear that Poyer has lost a step. He was out of position on multiple plays during this game and it might be time to consider playing Jordan Hancock more. While Poyer has the advantage when it comes to experience and understanding, he's just not getting to the ball the way he used to.

Winner: Cole Bishop, S

Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop makes an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop makes an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

For the second week in a row, Cole Bishop delivered for the Buffalo defense with an interception. With the Bucs leading 26-24 and looking to extend their lead late in the third quarter, Bishop cut through a bunch set and picked off a pass from Baker Mayfield to give his offense the ball back.

The Bills ended up scoring quickly when Josh Allen hit James Cook from 25 yards out to take a 31-26 lead.

Loser: Javon Solomon, DE

Buffalo Bills defensive end Javon Solomon reacts after a sack against the Atlanta Falcons.
Buffalo Bills defensive end Javon Solomon reacts after a sack against the Atlanta Falcons. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With time winding down in the first half, the Bucs were trying to get to the line to spike the ball and kick a field goal. They didn't have to worry about cutting it close thanks to Javon Solomon, who was flagged for hitting the ball out of Emeka Egbuka's hands.

That delay of game penalty stopped the clock with nine seconds and gave Tampa Bay another snap before kicking the ball. Buffalo continued to make matters worse when Alec Anderson was flagged for holding, which negated a blocked field goal by Greg Rousseau. It was an ugly series, with the penalty from Solomon highlighting the lack of awareness this defense has shown throughout much of the season.

Winner: Josh Allen, QB

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen scrambles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen scrambles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Josh Allen had his share of highs and lows in this one.

He misfired on multiple passes, had two interceptions (including one on the opening drive) and left plenty of points on the board. All that said, Allen still came out looking like a champ.

The reigning NFL MVP never lost confidence as he kept fighting throughout the day. In the end, he had 317 yards passing with three touchdowns. He added three more touchdowns on the ground, going for 40 yards on six rushing attempts. It was a gritty performance and the Bills wouldn't have won if not for his six-touchdown display.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.