The good, the bad, and the ugly from the Buccaneers in Week 11

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell 44–32 to the Buffalo Bills in a wild, high-scoring matchup that featured nine lead changes and momentum swings throughout the night. Despite the loss, there were clear positives for Tampa Bay, along with glaring issues that continue to haunt the team. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Bucs’ perspective.

The Good

The running game was easily Tampa Bay’s strongest element. The Bucs rushed for 202 yards, their best output of the season, and consistently found success on the ground. Sean Tucker delivered a breakout performance with over 100 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and one through the air. His decisiveness helped set the tone early, and Baker Mayfield added value with his legs as well, including a rushing touchdown that kept the offense balanced.The defense also produced several key moments. Tampa forced multiple takeaways, highlighted by rookie corner Jacob Parrish’s first career interception.

The secondary broke up several passes, and the unit occasionally managed to frustrate Buffalo’s passing attack. The Bucs also showed impressive resilience, battling back repeatedly and taking a lead in the fourth quarter despite the chaotic nature of the game.

The Bad

For all the things Tampa did well, missed red-zone opportunities proved costly. The Bucs settled for field goals too often, especially after defensive takeaways that gave them prime scoring chances. Special teams also played a major role in the loss, as poor kickoff coverage repeatedly handed Buffalo a favorable field position.

Coaching decisions added frustration. A punt on fourth-and-two in the second half shifted momentum at a crucial moment, and late-game execution issues compounded the problem. The inability to finish drives, both offensively and defensively, left Tampa unable to keep pace down the stretch.

The Ugly

The biggest problem of the night was Josh Allen’s dominance. The Bills quarterback accounted for six total touchdowns and delivered back-breaking plays in the fourth quarter that Tampa simply couldn’t stop. Special-teams coverage allowed Buffalo to start multiple drives near midfield, magnifying the defensive challenge.Even when the Bucs generated turnovers, they couldn’t turn them into enough momentum. The game ended with a strip-sack that sealed Tampa’s fate, emblematic of the breakdowns that decided the contest. Conservative coaching and recurring mistakes as reasons this team keeps falling just short.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: The good, the bad, and the ugly from the Bucs in Week 11