5 winners (and 4 losers) after Buccaneers’ frustrating loss to Bengals in Week 1

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a frustrating 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener. 

The offense turned the ball over four times, with three coming via quarterback Baker Mayfield. It was a disappointing effort — and it felt like Tampa Bay did more to lose the game than the Bengals did to win it.

Some players performed well despite the loss while others would prefer to burn the tape and pretend this one never happened.

Winners and Losers from Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Week 1 loss to Cincinnati Bengals  

Winner: Josiah Trotter

Josiah Trotter made NFL history, becoming the first player ever to have a pick-six and a sack in his NFL debut. 

It wasn’t just splash plays, though. Trotter led the team with 11 total tackles, including two for loss. The future looks bright at the linebacker position for Tampa Bay.  

Loser: Baker Mayfield

After signing the biggest contract in Bucs history,  expectations are through the roof for Baker Mayfield in 2026. He fell flat on his face to open the season. 

Mayfield fumbled three times, with all three being recovered by the Bengals.

Tampa Bay can’t afford its franchise quarterback to give games away like this, and Mayfield is quickly under a microscope heading into Week 2. 

Winner: Emeka Egbuka

Emeka Egbuka had five receptions for a team-leading 63 yards. He was a reliable target for Mayfield throughout the contest, and looks poised for a big season. 

Winner: Chris Godwin Jr.

Godwin had just four catches for 40 yards, but he looked like a threat with the ball in his hands. 

Godwin was a violent ball carrier with powerful stiff arms on multiple occasions.

He looked fully healthy, which is the biggest victory after his 2025 season was derailed by injuries. 

Loser: Alex Anzalone

Alex Anzalone looked like the worst player on the field for Tampa Bay’s defense, which is brutal considering Anzalone is a seasoned veteran and was voted a team captain by his teammates.

Having him be such a liability both in coverage and as a tackler is one of the most disappointing developments of the season opener.

Winner: Bucs cornerbacks

Tampa Bay’s cornerback room came to play against a daunting opponent in the Bengals. They collectively held Ja’Marr Chase to just two catches for 12 yards. 

Zyon McCollum provided tight coverage with two pass breakups after boldly calling his shot, as did Jacob Parrish, who broke up a pass before he left the game with a back injury. 

Benjamin Morrison came in to replace the injured Parrish, and did a respectable job, making several nice tackles and breaking up a pass.

Tampa Bay’s secondary looks promising, and most of their opponents throughout the season won’t be quite this difficult from a wide receiver perspective. 

Winner: Bucs special teams

Tampa Bay’s special teams looked much-improved. 

After kick coverage was a major weakness in 2025, the Bucs held the Bengals to just 23.7 yards per return on Sunday.

Tampa Bay topped that by getting 29.4 yards per return, inflated by Josh Williams’ 47-yard kick return in the fourth quarter.

If they can continue to contain opponents in the return game and generate big returns of their own, this special teams unit could be one of the most improved in the NFL. 

Loser: Tristan Wirfs

The entire offensive line could’ve made the loser column, but Tristan Wirfs is the Buccaneers’ best player, and he’s held to an All-Pro standard.

Wirfs surrendered a strip-sack against Boye Mafe that led to a turnover, though it’s fair to give Mayfield some of the blame for holding the ball.

Wirfs was also called for two false start penalties that backed the Buccaneers up in crucial drives. Wirfs is a team captain and the anchor of the offensive line, and the offense is counting on him to perform much better in the weeks to come. 

 Loser: Rueben Bain Jr. 

Bain didn’t play bad per se, but he was invisible in his pro debut, making just one tackle and not recording any pressures.

He had a tough assignment against the 6-foot-8 Amarius Mims, but it would’ve been nice to see Bain make some splash plays in his debut, the way his teammate Josiah Trotter did. 

But this was just the first of many, and Bain will have plenty more opportunities to make plays during the season.

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