Bucs 17, Bengals 14 – Bucs Defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Preseason Week 1

On the following drive, despite a 28-yard gain by Rakim Jarrett off a lethal stutter-step release, a 10-yard holding penalty put the Bucs’ behind the chains. Chase McLaughlin missed a 51-yard attempt, keeping the score tied at seven inside Paycor Stadium. The Bucs then received a momentum shift in the form of a takeaway. Keenan Isaac picked off Browning at the Tampa Bay 15-yard line, putting Kyle Trask and company in favorable field position. However, the Bucs were not able to cash in with a score. Trask was sacked on third down for a loss of 10 yards, halting the drive. Before the intermission, Evan McPherson’s 58-yard kick was wide right.

In the third quarter, a 26-yard run by Sean Tucker became the catalyst. Behind pullers, Tucker made a lethal cut and picked up yardage. McLaughlin made a 35-yard field goal attempting, giving the Bucs a 10-7 advantage. Both offenses stalled until early in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay marched down to the Cincinnati three-yard line following several bootleg plays by John Wolford, which maximized the quarterback’s athleticism. The Bucs went for it on fourth down, but an incomplete pass and an offensive holding penalty ended the promising drive. The matchup turned into a defensive struggle until the Bengals reached the end zone with 3:33 on the clock. Logan Woodside connected with rookie Jermaine Burton on a 37-yard touchdown, giving the home team a 14-10 advantage. Just under a minute to go on the clock, the Bucs’ drew a defensive pass interference penalty and got another shot at the end zone. The offensive line pushed Ramon Jefferson across the goal line on a three-yard touchdown rush, giving the visiting club a 17-14 lead. After several incompletions by the Bengals, the Buccaneers came out victorious.