Jets fall to Buccaneers as Tyrod Taylor's first start ends in 29-27 loss
Taylor, elevated after Justin Fields' concussion, passes for 197 yards and leads late scoring drives in a setback to Tampa Bay.
TAMPA, Fla. Tyrod Taylor's first start for the New York Jets was a roller coaster, and it ended with a 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Taylor completed 26 of 36 passes for 197 yards and led two late fourth-quarter touchdown drives to briefly put New York ahead before a game-ending kick. He also ran for 48 yards on eight scrambles, showing the mobility that defined his role as a veteran fill-in.
Taylor's night included a 10-of-13 target connection with Garrett Wilson for 84 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown with 10:12 to go in the fourth that trimmed the gap to 23-13. The Jets' offense had managed just six points through the first three quarters, making the late surge all the more notable.
The second-quarter sequence proved costly. On a second-and-10 from the Jets' 45 with 28 seconds left in the half, Taylor tried to thread a pass to Wilson but Jamel Dean intercepted and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown, giving the Buccaneers a 20-6 lead at intermission. Taylor said in hindsight he should have checked down, but commended Dean's play and said turnovers are a teaching moment.
After the halftime break, Taylor said the Jets would continue to press the issue and stay aggressive. "We did a lot of stuff on the ball in the second half. We put a little bit more stress on the defense," he said, adding that the plan at halftime was to stick to the attack and use the NASCAR-on-the-ball concepts.
The Jets' late surge included a 4-yard touchdown connection with Lazard in the back of the end zone after a review, pulling New York within six at 26-20 with 3:40 remaining. Earlier, he had connected with Wilson for an 11-yard score, completing a stretch of plays that helped fuel the comeback.
The Jets briefly took a lead when Will McDonald IV blocked a field goal and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown, but Tampa Bay answered with a late drive that culminated in Chase McLaughlin's game-winning kick.
"No matter what the situation is, he's going to rally the troops," Wilson said of Taylor. "It's good to be out there with Tyrod. I have to be better for him. I have to make some plays for him and keep that pick-six from happening — go attack the ball."