Defense Wins Season Opener For The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By Lily Belcher

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took their first win of the season in a 19-3 defeat over the Cowboys in Dallas during Sunday’s season opener. Tom Brady became the oldest quarterback to start an NFL game Sunday night, but it was the Bucs’ defense that deemed Dallas’ running game ineffective, holding them to just one 51-yard field goal to give the win to Tampa Bay.

Head coach Todd Bowles credited the defensive victory to teamwide communication and the leadership of linebacker Devin White, who is in his fourth season with the Buccaneers. Bowles highlighted the calling and execution of key defensive stops by his team and called White the defense’s quarterback in a post-game interview.

On the offensive side, Godwin made his return to the field after tearing his ACL and caught Brady’s first pass of the 2022 season, moving the ball 24 yards up the field and putting Tampa Bay in field goal range to tie it up after the Bucs’ first possession.

The Bucs quickly gained the lead with another field goal in the first quarter in the next drive after Tom Brady moved the ball down the field, leaning on running back Leonard Fournette to move the ball. Fournette rushed 137 yards Sunday night (the most in a single game since joining the Buccaneers) and caught two passes.

After a missed 36-yard field goal to start the second quarter, Cowboys quarterback threw an interception to give the Bucs the ball back. Two more field goals gave Tampa Bay a 12-3 lead heading into the second half.

Brady expressed some disappointment with his team’s ability to get the ball into the end zone during the post-game. A third quarter, 17-yard, one-handed catch by wide receiver Mike Evans in the end zone was the only touch down of Sunday’s match, but it was more than enough to give the Bucs their first win of the season.

The Buccaneers (1-0) are set to take on the rival New Orleans Saints (1-0) next Sunday at 1 pm in Louisiana.