TAMPA — The bad times continue for the Jets in 2025.

Chase McLaughlin’s 36-yard field goal as time expired gave the Buccaneers (3-0) a 29-27 win over the Jets (0-3) on a sunny, 90-degree day at Raymond James Stadium.

The loss was the Jets’ third consecutive to begin the season.

Gang Green erased a 17-point fourth quarter deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead late. With two minutes remaining, McLaughlin attempted to make his fifth field goal of the game. But pass rusher Will McDonald blocked the kick and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. Nick Folk’s extra point was good and the Jets led 27-26 with 1:49 remaining.

That left Baker Mayfield, who finished 19-for-29 for 233 yards with a touchdown, and the Buccaneers enough time to get in field goal range and win the game. Emeka Egbuka’s 28-yard catch and Sterling Shepard’s 20-yard reception put Tampa Bay in Jets territory. Then McLaughlin nailed his fifth field goal to win the game.

“These guys fought their ass off,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “Love every one of those guys with how they came out in the second half.

“The thing is we didn’t do anything different when it comes to mentality and what we are trying to do. Obviously, the pace had to pick up a bit when it comes to our offense. Man, there’s small critical things that we gotta get better and we will do that.

“But today showed me a lot about who we were as a team and who we are going to be.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin (4) kick the game winning field goal with no time remaining during an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)

Tyrod Taylor struggled in his first start in two seasons in relief of Justin Fields, who suffered a concussion during last week’s loss against the Bills. Taylor completed 26-of-36 passes for 197 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also fumbled, which eventually turned into three points.

The Jets couldn’t get much of anything going with Taylor behind center in either the passing or rushing attack in the first half. They registered 90 yards of total offense in the first half.

Tampa Bay also sacked Taylor four times. But his play during the second half helped spark a Jets offense that has struggled dating back to the Bills game in Week 2.

The Jets had 143 yards in just the fourth quarter. In addition, Taylor completed touchdown passes to Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard while the Buccaneers scored just six points in the final 15 minutes.

“We put a little bit more stress on the defense,” Taylor said. “We talk about being aggressive in this game. In the first half, we started out pretty good with two scoring drives.

“We talked about sticking true to our game plan.”

It was a penalty fest early in the first quarter for both teams. The Jets and Buccaneers combined for a total of 10 penalties in the first quarter. Tampa Bay was also called for five holding penalties on one drive.

The amount of penalty flags angered Buccaneers fans, and they proceeded to chant, “Ref, you suck.”

Both teams exchanged field goals in the first quarter. Folk also made a 42-yard field goal early in the second quarter and that gave the Jets a 6-3 lead.

Tampa Bay responded by carving up the Jets’ defense with 30-yard passes to Egbuka and a 16-yard pass to Shepard. That set up Mayfield’s five-yard touchdown to Mike Evans, which gave the Buccaneers a 10-6 lead.

Late in the second quarter, still down by four points, Buccaneers safety Antonie Winfield Jr. stripped Taylor, and Vita Vea recovered the ball for the Buccaneers on the Jets’ 33. But Tampa Bay settled for a 33-yard McLaughlin that increased its lead to 13-6.

Disaster struck right before halftime for the Jets. Taylor forced a ball to Garrett Wilson, and it was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Jamel Dean, which increased the Buccaneers’ lead to 20-6 at halftime. Mason Taylor was wide open across the middle, but Tyrod Taylor still threw the ball to Wilson.

On their first drive to begin the second half, Tampa Bay wound the clock down for a 16-play drive for 67 yards that lasted over nine minutes. McLaughlin’s third field goal of the game, this time from 28 yards, moved the Buccaneers’ lead to 23-6.

The Jets continued to fight even with the game out of hand. With 10:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, Taylor completed an 11-yard pass to Wilson for a touchdown that trimmed the Buccaneers’ lead to 23-12.

MvLaughlin’s fourth field goal from 55 yards with 6:18 left gave Tampa Bay a 26-13 lead.

The Jets continued to try to come back later in the fourth quarter. They were on the four-yard line with 3:46 left when Allen Lazard caught a four-yard touchdown, and the Jets trailed 26-20 with 3:40 remaining.

Gang Green’s defense was looking for a stop and to get the ball back to its offense. However, Mayfield’s 33-yard run to the Jets’ 29-yard line put the Buccaneers in field goal position. McLaughlin’s 37-yard field goal won the game for Tampa Bay with zero seconds on the clock.

“Definitely have to get a stop,” Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said. “Whenever you go up like that and you have an opportunity to close the game and be able to put the team on your back as a defense, we gotta get a stop, we gotta close the game.”

During the fourth quarter, Gardner exited the game and was evaluated for a possible head injury, but he did return. Linebacker Quincy Williams also left the game and didn’t return after suffering a shoulder injury.

The Jets return to the state of Florida in Week 4 when they play the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. They will be looking for their first win at Hard Rock Stadium since 2014, which was Rex Ryan’s final game as Jets coach.

https://www.courant.com/2025/09/21/buccaneers-jets-chase-mclaughlin-will-mcdonald/