TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield’s heroics came early in the fourth quarter instead of the final minutes.
Mayfield threw two touchdown passes and had a spectacular scramble to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the San Francisco 49ers 30-19 on Sunday.
After winning four games with scores in the last minute, the Buccaneers (5-1) didn’t need a late comeback.
In the fourth quarter, with a narrow 20-19 lead, the Buccaneers found themselves at a critical third-and-14 from their own 41-yard line. Mayfield managed to avoid a sack, evaded a defender, scrambled free, dodged more tackles, and then made a headfirst dive, stretching the ball just enough to secure a crucial first down.
Not long after, Mayfield connected with Tez Johnson on a dramatic 45-yard touchdown pass down the center, extending the 49ers’ lead to 27-19. Johnson executed an impressive leap to make the catch and celebrated his inaugural career touchdown with an acrobatic flip.
As the 49ers attempted to equalize, Mac Jones threw an interception to Jamel Dean on a fourth-and-5 from the Buccaneers’ 33-yard line with slightly under six minutes remaining.
The turnover led to Chase McLaughlin’s 45-yard field goal that extended the lead to 30-19.
Despite struggling with knee and oblique injuries, Jones passed for 347 yards, though he also threw two interceptions. This loss marked his first in four starts as a substitute for Brock Purdy.
The 49ers, dealing with numerous injuries, saw their four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner exit due to a significant right ankle injury sustained in the first quarter, when his ankle twisted awkwardly as players fell on him.
Everyone on the 49ers bench came onto the field to see Warner before he left the field with an air cast on his ankle.
San Francisco was already coping without star edge rusher Nick Bosa, All-Pro tight end George Kittle, and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall, in addition to Purdy and other key players.
The Buccaneers, who were missing star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and running back Bucky Irving, lost rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury in the second half.
Mayfield — who finished 17 of 23 for 256 yards — connected with a wide-open Kameron Johnson for a 34-yard TD to extend Tampa Bay’s lead to 20-13 late in the first half. It was Johnson’s first career reception. The Bucs went for the 2-point conversion following a roughing-the-passer penalty on the scoring pass but Rachaad White was stopped on a run.
Sean Tucker’s 9-yard TD run put the Buccaneers ahead 14-10 in the second quarter. Mayfield connected with Egbuka for 17 yards and Cade Otton for 23 on consecutive plays during the drive.
Christian McCaffrey ran in from the 1 to give the 49ers a 10-7 lead. It was San Francisco’s first rushing TD of the season on the team’s 148th carry.
Kindle Vildor set up Tampa Bay’s first score with an interception at the 49ers 25 that could have been a pick-6, but he stumbled twice before getting tackled at the 12.
White ran in from the 2 to put the Buccaneers up 7-0.
The Niners’ Eddy Pineiro kicked field goals of 52, 54, 42 and 29 yards.
Containing Christian
McCaffrey had 54 yards rushing on 17 carries and seven catches for 57 yards. He entered the game on pace for 133 receptions.
Injury report
49ers: Purdy (toe) missed his fourth game and Pearsall (knee) sat out his second in a row.
Buccaneers: Evans (hamstring), Godwin (fibula), RBs Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) and Josh Williams (concussion), CBs Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and Zyon McCollum (thumb) were inactive. … Egbuka had two catches for 24 yards before going down. … RG Luke Haggard (shoulder) left in the fourth quarter.
Up next
49ers: Host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday night.
Buccaneers: Visit the Detroit Lions next Monday night.
