The New York Jets vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats tell the story of a game that changed completely in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay beat New York 29-27 on September 21, 2025, at Raymond James Stadium after the Jets erased a 17-point deficit and briefly took the lead with 1:49 remaining.

Baker Mayfield then moved Tampa Bay into field-goal range. Chase McLaughlin hit a 36-yard kick as time expired, giving the Buccaneers their third straight win and dropping New York to 0-3.

Match Overview

The game was Tampa Bay’s 2025 home opener. New York was playing its first road game of the season and started Tyrod Taylor at quarterback because Justin Fields had not cleared concussion protocol.

Pre-Match Context

Tampa Bay entered Week 3 at 2-0 after winning its first two games in the closing moments. The Buccaneers had beaten Atlanta 23-20 and Houston 20-19, with Mayfield directing late scoring drives in both games.

New York arrived at 0-2. The Jets had lost their opener to Pittsburgh before a 30-10 defeat against Buffalo. Fields suffered a concussion against the Bills, putting Taylor into the starting lineup.

Tampa Bay also entered with major personnel problems. Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs were ruled out, while Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch had moved to injured reserve. That forced another offensive-line reshuffle in front of Mayfield.

Quarter-by-Quarter Score

Tampa Bay controlled the middle two quarters and led 23-6 entering the fourth. New York then produced three touchdowns in the final period, including one on special teams.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Both Teams Settle for Field Goals

New York opened the scoring with an 11-play drive. Nick Folk finished it with a 38-yard field goal at 8:51.

Tampa Bay answered with a long possession of its own. The Jets kept the Buccaneers out of the end zone, but McLaughlin converted from 54 yards with 2:20 left.

The first quarter ended 3-3. Neither side had created separation, and both offenses had already been affected by penalties and stalled drives.

Second Quarter: Tampa Bay Creates the First Break

Folk made a 42-yard field goal early in the second quarter to give New York a 6-3 lead. Tampa Bay responded when Mayfield found Mike Evans for a 5-yard touchdown at 11:15.

The Buccaneers added a 33-yard McLaughlin field goal with 1:43 remaining. New York also lost a Taylor fumble during the quarter, giving Tampa Bay one of the game’s two takeaways.

The biggest swing came just before halftime. Jamel Dean intercepted Taylor near midfield and returned the ball 55 yards for a touchdown. Tampa Bay went into halftime ahead 20-6.

Third Quarter: Buccaneers Extend the Lead

Tampa Bay opened the second half with another sustained possession. The Jets prevented a touchdown inside their territory, but McLaughlin converted a 28-yard field goal with 5:51 remaining.

That was the only scoring play of the quarter. Tampa Bay carried a 23-6 lead into the fourth, while the Jets had gone two full quarters without reaching the end zone.

Fourth Quarter: Jets Come Back, Buccaneers Answer Last

New York finally reached the end zone at 10:12. Taylor completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson to finish a 10-play, 80-yard drive and cut the score to 23-13.

McLaughlin answered with a 55-yard field goal, but Taylor kept New York alive. On fourth down from the Tampa Bay 4, he found Allen Lazard for a touchdown. Replay upheld the catch, making it 26-20 with 3:40 left.

Tampa Bay appeared ready to close the game after Mayfield scrambled 33 yards into Jets territory. Instead, Will McDonald IV leaped over the protection, blocked McLaughlin’s 43-yard attempt, recovered the ball and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. New York led 27-26 with 1:49 to play.

Mayfield answered immediately. He connected with Emeka Egbuka for 28 yards and Sterling Shepard for 20 more, moving the Buccaneers to the Jets’ 18. McLaughlin returned to the field and converted from 36 yards as time expired.

Team Stats Comparison

Tampa Bay produced more total offense, while New York finished with more first downs. The largest statistical gap came from turnovers, where Tampa Bay protected the ball and New York did not.

Tampa Bay’s 347 yards came despite 14 penalties. The Buccaneers averaged 5.4 yards per play and generated several chunk gains through Mayfield, Egbuka and Shepard.

New York converted only three of 11 third downs. The Jets were more effective when they reached the red zone, but the two first-half turnovers helped Tampa Bay build the lead that New York spent the fourth quarter chasing.

Key Numbers That Shaped the Game

The turnover margin had a direct effect on the score. Dean turned one interception into seven points, while Taylor’s lost fumble gave Tampa Bay another possession in Jets territory.

New York’s red-zone efficiency kept the comeback possible. Tampa Bay reached scoring range more often but settled for field goals, which left the margin small enough for one special-teams touchdown to flip the lead.

New York Jets Full Box Score

Taylor handled nearly every major part of the Jets offense. He led New York in passing and rushing while directing two fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

Passing

Taylor was sacked four times for 29 yards, leaving New York with 168 net passing yards.

Rushing

The Jets produced 99 rushing yards. Taylor accounted for almost half of that total through scrambles and designed movement.

Receiving

Wilson was Taylor’s main target and caught 10 of his 13 official targets. Lazard’s two receptions included the 4-yard touchdown on fourth down that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to six.

Defense

The Jets recorded one sack, shared by Harrison Phillips and Quincy Williams. These were New York’s top eight defenders by total tackles.

Phillips also forced a Mayfield fumble on the shared sack, but Tampa Bay recovered it. Quincy Williams left before halftime with a shoulder injury.

Kicking

Folk converted both field-goal attempts and every extra point. His longest field goal was 42 yards.

Returns

McDonald’s return was the Jets’ only non-offensive touchdown and gave New York its first lead since early in the second quarter.

Punting

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Full Box Score

Mayfield did not throw an interception and Tampa Bay did not lose a fumble. The offense produced 347 total yards despite working behind a reshuffled offensive line.

Passing

Mayfield was sacked once for eight yards. His 101.7 passer rating reflected a game in which Tampa Bay avoided a passing turnover.

Rushing

Irving received most of the rushing workload, but Mayfield produced the biggest run. His 33-yard fourth-quarter scramble moved Tampa Bay deep into Jets territory.

Receiving

Egbuka and Shepard supplied the passing game’s largest gains. Both were also central to the final drive after Evans had left with a hamstring injury.

Defense

Tampa Bay sacked Taylor four times. Four different defenders recorded a full sack, and the defense also forced both Jets turnovers.

Jamel Dean finished outside the top eight in tackles, but his interception return produced Tampa Bay’s defensive touchdown.

Kicking

McLaughlin made field goals from 54, 33, 28, 55 and 36 yards. His 43-yard attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown before he made the final kick.

Returns

Tucker’s final kickoff return started Tampa Bay at its own 34 before the winning drive.

Punting

Top Performers

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield’s passing numbers were supported by his ability to extend possessions with his legs. His 33-yard scramble late in the fourth quarter helped Tampa Bay run time and move into scoring range, although the following field goal was blocked. 

When New York took the lead, Mayfield had 1:49 to respond. He completed a 28-yard pass to Egbuka and a 20-yard pass to Shepard on the final possession. Those two completions moved Tampa Bay from its own territory to the Jets’ 18 and created the final field-goal attempt.

Chase McLaughlin

McLaughlin accounted for 17 Tampa Bay points because the Buccaneers repeatedly reached scoring territory without finishing drives in the end zone. He made two kicks from at least 50 yards and added field goals from 33 and 28 yards. His only miss came when McDonald blocked the 43-yard attempt and returned it for New York’s go-ahead touchdown. 

Tampa Bay went back to McLaughlin on the next possession. With three seconds remaining, he converted from 36 yards and ended the game before New York could run another offensive play.

Jamel Dean

Dean’s impact came on one of the last plays of the first half. New York had the ball near midfield with a chance to reduce a 13-6 deficit before the break. Taylor instead threw toward Wilson, and Dean intercepted the pass at the Tampa Bay 45. He returned it 55 yards for a touchdown with 17 seconds left. 

That changed the halftime margin from seven points to 14 without Tampa Bay’s offense needing another possession. The score later became important when New York produced its 21-point fourth quarter.

Tyrod Taylor

Taylor’s first start for New York included both turnovers that Tampa Bay converted into field position or points, but his fourth quarter brought the Jets back into the game. He directed the 80-yard drive that ended with Wilson’s touchdown and later converted fourth-and-goal with a pass to Lazard. 

Taylor also led New York in rushing, using eight attempts to add 48 yards. The fourth-quarter passing scores turned a 23-6 deficit into a one-score game before special teams supplied New York’s temporary lead.

Will McDonald IV

McDonald’s main contribution came with Tampa Bay trying to extend a 26-20 lead late in the fourth quarter. On McLaughlin’s 43-yard attempt, McDonald cleared the protection, blocked the kick and recovered the loose ball himself. He then ran 50 yards into the end zone. 

Folk’s extra point put New York ahead 27-26 with 1:49 remaining. The play turned a possible two-score finish into a Jets lead without the offense touching the ball, forcing Tampa Bay to produce another scoring possession before time expired.

Starting Lineups

New York’s offensive line had the same five starters that remained together throughout the 2025 season. Tampa Bay’s line was heavily reshuffled because of injuries to Wirfs, Goedeke and Mauch.

Klein and Haggard made their first NFL starts. Heck made his first start for Tampa Bay, while Barton continued filling in at left tackle.

Injury Report

Pre-Game Injuries

New York was without its starting quarterback and several defensive players. Tampa Bay’s offensive line and receiver group also entered the game short-handed.

Fields’ absence put Taylor into the starting role. Tampa Bay still had Egbuka available after he entered the weekend as questionable.

In-Game Injuries

Williams left late in the second quarter after recording four tackles, a pass breakup and half a sack. Evans exited during the fourth quarter, leaving Egbuka and Shepard as Mayfield’s main targets on the final drive.

Season Series and Head-to-Head History

The Jets entered the game with a 10-3 all-time series lead. Tampa Bay had won the previous two meetings before adding another win in 2025.

The 2025 result gave Tampa Bay its third consecutive win in the matchup. New York still held the overall head-to-head advantage at 10-4 after the game.

Conference Standings After the Game

Both teams moved to opposite ends of their conference records after Week 3.

Tampa Bay started 3-0 for the first time since 2005. The Jets remained without a victory through their first three games under Glenn.

Broadcast Information

The game kicked off at 1:00 p.m. ET and was carried by FOX. Multiple streaming options were available depending on location.

Gene Deckerhoff handled play-by-play on the Buccaneers radio call, with Dave Moore as analyst and T.J. Rives reporting.

Conclusion

Tampa Bay’s 29-27 result kept its unbeaten opening to the 2025 season intact and sent the Buccaneers into Week 4 at 3-0. Their next test was another unbeaten team, the Philadelphia Eagles, at Raymond James Stadium. The game also left Tampa Bay dealing with new health concerns after Evans, Izien and Hall exited.

For New York, the comeback changed the shape of the afternoon but not its position in the standings. The Jets left Tampa at 0-3 and were still searching for Aaron Glenn’s first regular-season win as head coach. Their next game was an AFC East road matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. Quarterback availability also remained a central issue as New York waited for Fields to complete concussion protocol.

For more match updates, read: Knicks vs Lakers Match Player Stats

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Jets vs Buccaneers game on September 21, 2025?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 29-27. Chase McLaughlin kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired after New York briefly took the lead.

Who had the most passing yards in Jets vs Buccaneers?

Baker Mayfield led both quarterbacks with 233 passing yards. Tyrod Taylor finished with 197 yards while throwing two touchdowns and one interception.

Who led the game in receiving yards?

Emeka Egbuka led the game with 85 receiving yards on six catches. Garrett Wilson led New York with 84 yards and one touchdown.

How did the Jets take the lead in the fourth quarter?

Will McDonald IV blocked Chase McLaughlin’s 43-yard field goal attempt and returned the loose ball 50 yards for a touchdown with 1:49 remaining.

What was the key defensive score in the New York Jets vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats?

Jamel Dean produced Tampa Bay’s defensive touchdown by intercepting Tyrod Taylor and returning the ball 55 yards for a score just before halftime.

Why did Tyrod Taylor start instead of Justin Fields?

Taylor started because Fields was in the NFL concussion protocol after New York’s Week 2 loss to Buffalo and had been ruled out.

Who kicked the winning field goal for Tampa Bay?

Chase McLaughlin kicked the winner from 36 yards as time expired. It was his fifth successful field goal on six attempts during the game.