Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills
Final Score: Bills 44, Buccaneers 32
Writer: Raymi Chavez
On paper, this was the matchup of the Sunday morning slate, and boy, did it ever deliver. A proper back-and-forth affair finished with a Buffalo two-score win over the now-reeling Buccaneers. The game started with a solid Buccaneers drive stalling out at midfield, and on the Bills’ subsequent drive in the shadow of their own end zone, Josh Allen made a play akin to Will Levis or Carson Wentz before him. A two-handed chest pass from his own end zone in an attempt to avoid a safety turned into an interception. The back-and-forth affair began here as five straight possessions ended with a score that led to a lead change before Allen threw another interception. Four more lead changes in the second half continued this high-flying battle before the Bills’ defense was able to string together stops to bring the Buccaneers offense to a halt. This game had some interesting fantasy implications, so let’s look into it.
Two Up
- Josh Allen — One of those classic Josh Allen dominant performances, even with the turnovers, truly a classic!
- Sean Tucker — Got hot early, and the coaches stuck with the hot hand. Tucker had a career game.
Two Down
- Khalil Shakir — Has anyone seen him? Did he forget to set his alarm? Shakir was completely wiped off the board by the Buccaneers.
- Emeka Egbuka — Struggled to get much going, couldn’t connect with Mayfield in the deep game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield: 16/28, 173 Yards, TD, INT | 5 Carries, 39 Yards, TD, Fumble (Lost)
Baker Mayfield‘s stats don’t tell the whole picture. He executed very well, sticking around in the pocket as long as he could to make something happen and ducking out for some scramble runs at just the right time. Seems like this depleted wide receiver room is catching up to the Buccaneers as they face stiffer competition. Baker’s one interception was an awkward one. He had Sterling Shepherd and Tez Johnson running out routes, one short and one intermediate. I think Baker was targeting Shepherd, who was the short option. Still, it was a little in front of him, and so he seemed to think it was for Johnson, and he didn’t make an effort at it, easily picked off by the defensive back as it wound up awkwardly between the two receivers. The fumble was lost late in the game, down two possessions, holding onto the ball just a second too long and losing it during a sack. Baker looked good Sunday, but it didn’t completely translate to a great fantasy performance or a victory for the Buccaneers.
Running Back
Rachaad White: 10 Carries, 51 Yards | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
Rachaad White had a solid day on the ground. 5.1 yards per carry is certainly nothing to sneeze at, but Sean Tucker got hot, and the coaches stuck with the hot hand. A little disappointing as he was clearly the lead back to start, dominating the snap share during the first couple of drives. With Bucky Irving‘s imminent return and Tucker’s performance, this RB room may have just gotten even murkier.
Sean Tucker: 19 Carries, 106 Yards, 2 TDs | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 28 Yards, TD
The Sean Tucker game. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t lead to a win, but it was a career game for Tucker. Highlighted by a 43-yard touchdown run immediately following a Bills 43-yard touchdown of their own. There was great blocking, but Tucker did a great job of following his blocks and hitting the holes when they presented themselves. The Bills had no answer for Tucker all day. You have to imagine a performance like this will garner him more opportunities, even when Irving returns, but that may only weaken the running backs in this room from a fantasy perspective.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Emeka Egbuka: 9 Targets, 5 Receptions, 40 Yards
Emeka Egbuka struggled to get going on Sunday. The majority of his production came in the short pass game, just trying to get the ball into his hands, but his patented deep-ball connection with Mayfield was nowhere to be found. Egbuka and Mayfield have seemingly been having success despite the depleted receiver room, making it clear who Mayfield’s No. 1 target is. However, as the competition has improved, they have struggled significantly more. Reinforcements cannot come soon enough.
Sterling Shepherd: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 54 Yards | 1 Carry, 7 Yards
The Sterling Shepherd-Mayfield connection remains strong. Shepherd was Mayfield’s safety net time and time again, as Sterling consistently found space in the defense for him and Mayfield to take advantage of.
Cade Otton: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 28 Yards
Mayfield went to Cade Otton in plenty of tight-window situations, showcasing the trust that Mayfield has in him, but Otton wasn’t able to reel many of them in. Otton is definitely someone who will continue to be involved. This was just a blip.
Tez Johnson: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards | 3 Carries, 0 Yards
The Buccaneers tried to get Tez Johnson involved numerous times, but couldn’t get anything going. Johnson is undoubtedly an important part of the offense currently, especially with the injuries they currently have.
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: 19/30, 317 Yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs | 6 Carries, 40 Yards, 3 TDs
A couple of hat tricks for Josh Allen. This was a classic Allen game. He just outplayed a good defense. This game and stat line suggest a dominant up-and-down, high-flying offense, but realistically, the Buccaneers played them really well. Allen was just able to extend plays and make some magic happen. He had an absolutely shocking interception that ultimately worked out for the team, as the defense held the Buccaneers to a field goal. However, a two-handed chest pass straight into the defense’s hands is never a clever play, even if it did save a safety. The offense was able to spark a handful of big, explosive touchdowns, and without those, it would have been a far more pedestrian outing. A great game Sunday for Allen, but watching the game, I am not entirely convinced that this team is back.
Running Back
James Cook: 16 Carries, 48 Yards | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 66 Yards, TD
The Buccaneers’ defense definitely showed up with intentions of shutting down the Bills’ No. 1-ranked run game, and they were successful. Unfortunately, James Cook was able to get it going in the pass game. This game highlights why Cook is a clear-cut RB1 because of his upside in the pass game, even when things get difficult in the run game.
Ty Johnson: 1 Carry, 9 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD
Ty Johnson broke off an explosive 52-yard touchdown on a screen play with some brilliant blocking by the wide receivers. These are the plays that give Johnson any fantasy relevance when Cook is healthy. Johnson continued to operate almost exclusively as the third-down back.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Tyrell Shavers: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 90 Yards, TD
With Keon Coleman a healthy scratch, Tyrell Shavers took full advantage of his opportunity. He looked terrific, especially in the first half, getting open deep for Allen on a 43-yard touchdown. I have watched a handful of Bills games this year, and Shavers was always a sneaky under-the-radar up-and-comer, and I think this game will earn him more opportunities, even with a full complement of receivers.
Gabe Davis: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 40 Yards
Gabe Davis returned from injury and was able to make one explosive receiving play. The receivers weren’t able to get much going against this secondary, however.
Dawson Knox: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 23 Yards
This was perhaps the most disappointing performance of the game, as Dawson Knox was expected to have a great game with Dalton Kincaid being ruled out with injury. He didn’t see a target until the second half, and even then, he couldn’t get on the same page as Allen.
Joshua Palmer: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards
Feeling a bit like a broken record, but receivers really didn’t make a significant impact on this game. Allen was spraying the ball around and finding his running backs. Joshua Palmer continues to have a disappointing season.
Curtis Samuel: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards
Keleki Latu: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards