Raiders at Bucs, let’s talk about it.

Football is a game of inches, but it’s also a game of quarters. Let’s dive into a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of some Tampa Bay Bucs’ football. The 6-6 Tampa Bay Bucs took on the Las Vegas Raiders for the right to pirate and plunder treasure freely.

First Quarter:

Tampa Bay started on offense wearing their red jersey with pewter pants, for the first time this season. Tampa’s opening possession followed the script beautifully. Baker Mayfield led his team down the field for a touchdown that featured Mike Evans, Running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving, Sterling Shepard, and rookie receiver Jalen McMillan— who capped the drive off with his second career touchdown catch. 7-0, Bucs.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Following a Raider punt, Liam Coen and Baker Mayfield served up more of the same— Five plays, 52 yards, seven points. Moving down the field with ease, the Bucs tallied six plays of 10-plus yards across their first two drives, both ending in the endzone. Drive number one finished with Baker Mayfield tossing a touchdown to Jalen McMillan, number two concluded with a Mayfield pass to Rachaad White. 14-0, Bucs.

Second Quarter:

With their third drive nearing midfield, fans were treated to the rare folly of back-to-back—to back turnovers. Attempting a screen pass, Baker Mayfield was intercepted on an incredibly athletic play by K’Lavon Chaisson. Chaisson’s interception meant the Raiders’ offense was back on the field— Aidan O’Connell couldn’t handle the snap, rolling it forward into the waiting arms of Lavonte David. Never to be outdone, Tampa traded Vegas fumble for fumble when Baker Mayfield was stripped sacked on their next drive.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

With new life, for a second time, the Raiders capitalized. Picking apart Todd Bowles’ defense through the air, Vegas found their way to the goal line— From a yard out, Aidan O’Connell scored his second career rushing touchdown. 14-7, Tampa Bay. Tampa’s next drive debuted their new punter— Jack Browning, the Bucs’ third punter of the season, booted a short, returnable punt to set Vegas up with a short field and an opportunity for three more points. 14-10, Bucs.

Third Quarter:

Baker Mayfield ended the first half with his second interception, the game’s next interception would be thrown by Aidan O’Connell to start half number two. After nearly throwing another, on the team’s next drive, the Raiders’ offense would leave the field and punt— wrapping up a scoreless and relatively uneventful 15 minutes of play.

Fourth Quarter:

After the scoreless 15 minutes prior, the Bucs kept that theme alive starting the game’s final quarter with a punt. Desmond Ridder, a familiar face, took the field on the Vegas’ next drive for the injured Aidan O’Connell. Ridder, who has previously been a thorn in the Bucs’ side, entered the game, fumbled a snap, and led Vegas to a punt.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

With possession back, the Bucs faced a third down and long. For the first time in the half, Baker Mayfield dropped back and found Mike Evans over the middle. Evans, who hurdled a defender on the play, created the spark Bucs’ fans had been craving for nearly two hours. Just two pays after Evans’ catch-and-run, the Bucs handed the ball to Rachaad White for his second score of the day. 21-10, Bucs.

In Ridders’ second chance he showed improvement. Skating past a second near-interception by the Bucs’ defense, Ridder got his offense down inside the 10-yard line for three points, slicing Tampa’s lead to one possession. Needing a four-minute drill, the Bucs gave the ball to their offense and Liam Coen put that ball, the game, and his faith in his quarterback. In run-first situation, Coen called a play-action pass. Baker Mayfield found Cade Otton, who broke a tackle and scrambled down the sideline, into scoring range to all but ice the game. A late Baker Mayfield screen pass to Jalen McMillan did exactly that— Cementing the game and putting the Bucs above .500 on the season.

At 7-6, the battered, bruised, but not yet beaten Tampa Bay Bucs are in first place in the NFC South.

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