September 28, 2025
Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images
Dallas Goedert and the Eagles had a dominant first half against the Bucs. The second, not so much.
The Eagles were dominating through the first half, and looked to be cruising to what could've been a cathartic win over the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, a place that certainly hasn't been kind to them in the past several years.
But then the second half flipped the script. The offense stopped moving, tackling on defense got sloppy, and Baker Mayfield and the Bucs were suddenly closing the gap and seemed to have all the momentum.
But the Eagles got that one last stop and hung on, just barely, 31-25.
They're still undefeated at 4-0, but only by the skin of their teeth.
Here's how it happened...
Special teams weren't ready to cede the spotlight from last week just yet.
After cornerback Quinyon Mitchell shadowed Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka to force a third-down incompletion and an ensuing punt, Cam Latu burst through the line on the snap and got his hands up and in front of Riley Dixon's kick.
The ball took a bounce straight into Sydney Brown's hands, and with no one in front of him, it was a free jog straight into the end zone.
The Eagles went up, 7-0. Their offense had yet to even hit the field, and their special teams unit had scored on back-to-back plays between the end of last week's Rams game and the beginning of Sunday down in Tampa.
We enjoy a good block to touchdown special teams play 😉 pic.twitter.com/U1VXGPM1sv
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 28, 2025
Mitchell stayed glued to Egbuka, forcing another incompletion on second down and then a stop short of the marker on third to send Tampa's following possession into a three-and-out.
The Eagles' offense finally took the field after Tampa got its punt away successfully this time.
But that was no positive for the Bucs.
Jalen Hurts led a drive that kept the Tampa defense out on the field and exhausted.
A step up and a keep by Hurts to take off running through a gap went for 29 yards to the Tampa Bay 2.
Run @JalenHurts Run pic.twitter.com/vfCi4KgiG5
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 28, 2025
Then, with the Bucs stacking up in the trenches in anticipation of something up the gut, Hurts instead flipped the ball over to Dallas Goedert, who had a lane straight across the goal line.
We like to switch it up sometimes
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 28, 2025
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/k0RDXSqpds
Mitchell and fellow second-year cornerback Cooper DeJean had a lot to do with that.
They smothered Egbuka and the Bucs' receivers, but a Tampa drive late into the first quarter did go up and down for the two.
DeJean made a 2nd and 11 tackle of running back Rachaad White that would've put the Bucs in a tough 3rd and long situation, but after the play, DeJean got up and stepped over White, which drew a 15-yard taunting penalty and a fresh set of downs for Tampa.
Cooper DeJean flagged for taunting for stepping over White after this tackle. pic.twitter.com/FVtbyYIjmv
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) September 28, 2025
The next play, Bucs QB Baker Mayfield fired a pass over the middle for Chris Godwin, but DeJean jumped in front of it and appeared to have picked it off.
Replay review, however, ruled that the ball had touched the ground to fall incomplete. That part didn't necessarily hurt, but a 15-yard illegal block charged to Jalyx Hunt at the line did, refreshing the Bucs' downs again and pushing them further downfield.
It was enough momentum to get Tampa a field goal, but combined with Mitchell and Mayfield getting into it and causing some shoving that drew in Bucs tackle Tristan Wirfs as well, it was a clear sign that the refs were ready to throw a flag.
The Eagles needed to keep their cool.
Not that it knocked any of the team off its game.
DeJean stayed strong in the defensive backfield to keep it at a miserable first half for Egbuka – the Bucs receiver only had two receptions for 19 yards on five targets.
great play in coverage by Cooper DeJean pic.twitter.com/8Gw6P90r9j
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 28, 2025
And Hurts got into a rhythm in getting the ball to Goedert, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown through the air.
The Eagles' QB went 15-for-16 passing for 130 yards through the first half, ran for 42 on the ground, too, and went back to that underhanded flip to Goedert from in close to send Philly up, 21-3, pressing late into the half.
DALLAS (Goedert) TOUCHDOWN AGAIN pic.twitter.com/E6gqV2cQRM
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 28, 2025
Chase McLaughlin drills a 65-YARD FG at the end of the half 💥
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
PHIvsTB on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/jP3GPQKJOO
The past few months haven't been great for Kelee Ringo in the Eagles' big picture.
In camp and the preseason, he went backwards in the battle for the starting outside corner spot opposite of Mitchell, and had to see Adoree' Jackson and then trade acquisition Jakorian Bennett leap ahead of him on the dpeth chart.
Injuries to both, however, saw his number get called for Sunday.
Coming back out from halftime, the Bucs knew they were in a hole and needed something to happen.
Facing a 4th and short, they went for it.
Mayfield rolled out left, struggling to find a target, and with Jordan Davis closing in on him, he tried tossing the ball along the sideline on a comeback to receiver Sterling Shepard.
Ringo closed the gap and broke up the pass. The Eagles got the ball back. It was a huge play, both for the team and for him.
The Eagles went three-and-out the following possession, though.
Then, on the first play of the Bucs' next series, Mayfield tossed up a prayer for Egbuka on a route meant to clear out the safeties over top.
Somehow, the ball threaded through both Reed Blankenship and Andrew Mukuba, leaving Egbuka all alone after the catch. He walked it in for the TD to cut the lead to 24-13. Tampa had some life.
THREAD. THE. NEEDLE. 🙌
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 28, 2025
📺: #PHIvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/PvzwofE9hY
Or so it seemed.
Tampa forced the Eagles' offense into a third consecutive three-and-out, which gave Mayfield and co. a chance to cut deeper into Philly's lead and put on more pressure.
A big 63-yard punt from Braden Mann was crucial in pinning Tampa back, though.
Then Tampa running back Bucky Irving fumbled on the second play of the drive. Ringo recovered. The Eagles had the ball back deep into Bucs territory, then Hurts chipped them down to the Tampa 6.
They lined up in the "Tush Push" formation. The Bucs bit. Saquon Barkley, who had been running into a wall all day, took the handoff around the corner with no one even close.
The Eagles were back up big, 31-13, and looked to be cruising...
Bet ya didn't see that one coming 😂 pic.twitter.com/yPPVIRYNCH
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 28, 2025
Tampa took the ball back, the play broke down, Mayfield seeing a mismatch on rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell, signaled for Irving to take off down field and tossed the ball up for him.
Irving caught it along the left sideline and he was gone. A 72-yard touchdown pass and a play that put the Bucs back within 11, 31-20.
The Bucs weren't going away.
6️⃣-7️⃣ STRIKES AGAIN 🤯
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 28, 2025
📺: #PHIvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/8ZB6ers2sU
And the Eagles were getting shaky.
Lane Johnson had to exit with a shoulder injury, leaving a clear weak spot along the Eagles' offensive line. They were forced to punt again after Hurts watched a snap sail over his head and had to recover it 15 yards backwards on a third down, and suddenly, it felt like the Bucs were in the driver's seat.
A 10-yard holding penalty to Tampa on offense, and then some strong pass defense from the Eagles held them to just a field goal, but it was another long 58-yard kick from McLaughlin that cut it to a one-game, 31-23.
Hurts and the Eagles followed up with going three-and-out again. They couldn't move anymore. They were in trouble.
A Jihaad Campbell interception at the Philadelphia goal line from Mayfield trying to extend the play could've been the break the Eagles needed, but their offense was still completely stuck in the mud, while defensively, they were slipping – tackling was getting sloppy and gaps were getting exploited.
Jihaad Campbell picks off Baker at the goal line!
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
PHIvsTB on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/WDLHaqG1fs
The Eagles went 3-and-out, again, and handed the ball right back to the Bucs after Mann's punt rolled 53 yards to set Tampa up at its own 22 with just over six minutes left.
They coudn't get the Bucs off the field.
White converted on a 4th and 1 to extend the drive, then facing a 3rd and 6, Mayfield kept the ball to run, shedding a falling Zack Baun and Jalen Carter to get another first.
Baker Mayfield was getting that first down 💪
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
PHIvsTB on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/yCOfnAf4Ub
Wooh
The clock was ticking, though, and to the Bucs' own risk, they kept working themselves into 3rd- and 4th-down scenarios and trying their luck.
Eventually, and for the Eagles, thankfully, they got burned.
Moro Ojomo decked Mayfield on second down for a sack and a loss of nine yards to corner Tampa into a 3rd and 21 situation. Mayfield dumped a pass off to White for a gain of 12, but they were still left at a 4th and long gap.
They couldn't get it. Mayfield went to tight end Cade Otton, but Parry Nickerson stopped him well short of the first-down marker on a low tackle that sent the ball flying away after the catch.
Mitchell, near the sideline, guided it out of bounds to ensure it would be Eagles ball.
Then they ran out the clock with a surrendering of a safety to get the win to the finish line.
The Eagles hung on, just barely.
SIGN UP HERE to receive the PhillyVoice Sports newsletter
Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick
Follow Nick on Bluesky: @itssnick
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
