Fresh off their sixth straight win, the New England Patriots took a trip down south for a Week 10 bout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the home team continuing to deal with several injuries off their bye week, a matchup versus Baker Mayfield and Co. projects to give the Patriots their toughest test in numerous weeks.
Follow along throughout Sunday’s game live from Tampa as the 7-2 Patriots try to keep their win streak alive versus the 6-2 Buccaneers.
Live score: Patriots 21 : 16 Buccaneers
Sunday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m. ET | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster
The Patriots won the toss and deferred, putting their defense on the field first vs. Baker Mayfield. A second-down completion o Emeka Egbuka got things started with a 24-yard gain. After converting a third-and-short to set up just outside the red zone, a coverage bust led to a wide open Egbuka for a touchdown. [Patriots 0 : 7 Buccaneers]
On New England’s opening possession, Mike Vrabel left the offense on the field on fourth-and-one from their own 43-yard line, where Terrell Jennings powered behind Khyiris Tonga for a first-down. Then facing a third-and-10, Maye’s pass to Mack Hollins fell incomplete forcing a punt.
Tampa Bay turned to their ground game to begin their next drive, picking up a pair of first-downs in the process. New England’s defense then held strong forcing a pair of incompletions as Mayfield looked back to Egbuka.
Drake Maye’s second possession of the game started inside his own 10-yard line, but breathing room was found as the QB found Stefon Diggs for a fresh set of downs. Set-up with a third-and-10, a pitch to TreVeyon Henderson nearly saw the rookie break free for a score as he picked up 16 yards. Quickly back in another third-and-10 Maye attempted to scramble up the middle but was brought down for just a five-yard gain. New England punted again.
New England’s defense set Tampa Bay up with an opening third-and-3, where tight coverage resulted in K’Lavon Chaisson eventually chasing down Baker Mayfield for a sack.
On the Patriots first play from scrimmage, a play-action pass to Kyle Williams crossing the field saw the rookie take it 72 yards for a touchdown. [Patriots 7 : 7 Buccaneers]
The Patriots defense continued to find success against Mayfield, as a third-down pass to Egbuka was incomplete with Christian Gonzalez tight in coverage.
Finding themselves backed up inside their 10 again, Maye again found breathing room with two targets to Stefon Diggs — one complete and one seeing the receiver draw a pass interference penalty. A third-down pass to Diggs was batted down at the line of scrimmage, however, forcing a punt.
A pair of completions picked up two first downs to take the Bucs to midfield, before Mayfield found Egbuka over the middle for a 31-yard gain. On third-and-11 with the ball on the 20, a screen to tight end Cade Otton picked up just two yards. Chase McLaughlin’s 36-yard field goal attempt was then good. [Patriots 7 : 10 Buccaneers]
Maye continued to find Stefon Diggs as he worked through his progressions to hit the receiver over the middle of field for 19 yards. Over midfield, a false start on Morgan Moses led to a third-and-two becoming third-and-seven, where Maye stared down the blitz to find DeMario Douglas to pick up 26 yards. Working down to the goal line on the other side of the two-minute warning, three straight runs were stuffed short leading to a fourth-and-one with two seconds left — where the offense stayed on the field and Diggs hauled in a toe-tap catch for a touchdown. [Patriots 14 : 10 Buccaneers]
New England needed just two plays to strike, as TreVeyon Henderson took a handoff 55 yards for a touchdown. [Patriots 21 : 10 Buccaneers]
Playing with a two-score lead, New England’s defense continued to make things difficult for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense. After picking up one first-down on the ground, a deep incompletion to Sterling Shepard resulted in a punt.
Quickly back with ball, the Patriots faced a third-and-7 where Maye escaped to his right before firing an incompletion to Hunter Henry. New England then punted.
Tampa Bay found themselves backed up inside their own 10-yard line before moving the chains and then drawing a pass interference penalty on Christian Gonzalez. A completion back to Egbuka moved the Bucs over midfield where they needed two plays to pick up two more first downs and move just outside the red zone. An end around then set up a goal-to-go situation, where Mayfield extended on third-down before finding Tez Johnson for a touchdown. A two-point conversion attempt was stopped short. [Patriots 21 : 16 Buccaneers]
Back in a one score game, New England quickly saw themselves again in a third-and-7 situation where Maye escaped pressure and somehow got a pass off to Mack Hollins for a first-down. Back in a third-and-9 spot, Maye was forced to his right and kept it just for four yards. Keeping the offense on the field at fourth-and-5 at the Tampa Bay 42-yard line, Maye’s pass to Diggs over the middle fell incomplete.
Taking over just shy of midfield following the turnover on downs, Tampa picked up one first-down before facing a third-and-12 where Mayfield connected with Otton for nine yards. The Bucs then left their offense on the field — where they appeared to hit a big play but Marte Mapu was illegally picked for offensive pass interference. With the 29-yard gain wiped out, Tampa punted.
New England’s offense continued to stay in neutral, as Maye’s third-down pass was complete to Mack Hollins but one-yard short of the sticks. New England then punted.
A second-down sack by Elijah Ponder, who showed a strong second effort to bring down Mayfield, the Bucs third-and-9 pass was complete but gaining just one yard. Tampa Bay was then forced to punt.
A toss to TreVeyon Henderson started New England’s next possession backwards, as the back was dragged down for a four yard loss. After a second-down shot play was incomplete, Maye’s third-and-14 attempt downfield while under pressure fell perfectly into the arms of Mack Hollins for 54 yards. Then in a third-and-goal situation, Maye rolled to his right and attempted to fit a pass in to Hollins but was intercepted in the end zone.
The Bucs offense took over at the 20 following the turnover and picked up a pair of first downs to move just shy of midfield. An 18-yard run by Sean Tucker then had Tampa’s offense in New England territory. On third-and-3 following the two-minute warning, a hit by Craig Woodson forced an incompletion leading to a fourth-down attempt — where New England’s blitz got home to force a near sack and turnover on downs.