The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up a much-needed win Sunday, edging the Arizona Cardinals 20-17 at Raymond James Stadium and snapping a three-game losing streak. Tampa Bay had dropped matchups to the Patriots, Bills and Rams, making this one feel close to a must-win.

Running back Bucky Irving made an immediate impact in his return from a Week 4 injury, scoring his first touchdown of the season and finishing with 17 carries for 61 yards. Veteran wideout Chris Godwin Jr., who has battled fibula issues all year, delivered his best outing of the season with three receptions for 78 yards. Baker Mayfield added steady play, completing 18 of 28 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown.

On the other side, Jacoby Brissett continued his impressive run for Arizona, completing 29 of 40 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Marvin Harrison Jr. returned from a two-game absence to record six catches for 69 yards, while standout tight end Trey McBride paced all receivers with eight catches for 82 yards and a score.

The Buccaneers (7-5) now enter a five-game stretch with four matchups against NFC South opponents, beginning with a home date against the 2-10 Saints. The Cardinals (3-9) will return home to face the 9-3 Rams.

Must-win for the Bucs

Tampa Bay hadn’t won since Oct. 26, so breaking a three-game skid and finishing November with a win is a positive step. The Buccaneers weren’t crisp, however. They had one touchdown wiped out because of a dropped pass in the end zone, and another was nullified because of an offensive pass-interference penalty. A game that probably should not have been close went down to the final minutes. The Bucs were outplayed in many respects. The Cardinals outgained them 386 yards to 279. Arizona had nine more first downs. Give Tampa Bay credit for winning on a day that it didn’t play its best. The defense came through, holding Arizona on its final possession. But as the calendar turns to December, the Bucs need to be much better. — Doug Haller, Cardinals beat writer 

Brissett impresses in another loss

Brissett has earned plenty of praise since replacing injured Kyler Murray on Oct. 12. Arizona’s offense has operated better with Brissett under center. More receivers have been involved. But one thing has not changed: The Cardinals still can’t find a way to win. With quarterbacks, that’s the bottom line. Can you win? Sunday’s loss dropped the Cardinals to 1-6 with Brissett in place. Four of those losses have been by less than a touchdown. That’s not all on the quarterback. Protection issues have plagued Arizona all season. Brissett spent much of Sunday’s first half dodging defenders. But the Cardinals had a chance to steal one against Tampa Bay, and sometimes a quarterback just has to put it on his shoulders and find a way. — Haller 

Fight to the end

At 3-9, the rest of Arizona’s season is about head coach Jonathan Gannon. Specifically, how do the Cardinals respond to his leadership with little to play for? Can they find a way to break this four-game skid? That might be the only way Gannon returns for a fourth season. To their credit, the Cardinals are still competing. The back-to-back blowout losses to Seattle and San Francisco seem to be a problem of the past. Last week, the Cardinals took Jacksonville to overtime. Sunday, they battled Tampa Bay to the final minutes. Fight is not a problem. That says something positive about the team’s culture. It says a ton about Gannon. But you know how these things go. A long losing streak can fracture the foundation. How the Cardinals respond over the season’s final five games will go a long way in determining Gannon’s future with the franchise. — HallerÂ