The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a second straight win within reach against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then the second half arrived, and plenty share the blame.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were on pace to get the second-straight win of the season before Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers took over in the second half.
Before you could blink, Tampa Bay walked away with a heartbreaking overtime loss and now sits at 1-5 on the year.
While plenty went wrong for the Buccaneers there are a few bright spots that deserve credit, too. Let's go ahead and dive in so we can avoid playing the role of spoiler.
There's plenty of reason to understand why the Buccaneers parted ways with cornerback Jamel Dean in the offseason, even though he was the best cornerback on the team in 2025. His health and lack of playmaking ability were the drivers behind the decision and there was a big enough sample size to back it up.
Ironically enough, Dean flipped those negatives on their head and got his revenge game in Week 6. He finished with a handful of pass breakups, roughly four tackles, and a 40-yard interception return that helped Pittsburgh take a three-point lead. That lead forced Tampa Bay to scramble just to reach overtime. Dean also held the Bucs' receivers in check on several other plays.
I didn't blame the Buccaneers for letting him go. But hindsight is 20/20, and what matters is right now. Regardless of the circumstances, this isn't a good look for general manager Jason Licht.
Going 6-of-19 on third down won't get it done.
I don't care if you're facing a good defense, starting an undrafted rookie at quarterback, or still trying to figure out your identity. Sure, first and second down weigh heavily into this. But the Bucs have to be better on third down, plain and simple.
It's still a mystery why punter Riley Dixon is on this roster. This game was another example why.
At one point, he had a net punt of 28 yards. He finished with a 40.8-yard average, and that includes a 54-yard net punt propped up by Kameron Johnson's tackle, which pinned the Steelers returner for a 7-yard loss. Everywhere you look, Dixon is getting help from this team, and he still underperforms.
You have to hold your breath every time Tampa Bay lines up to punt.
To be fair, quarterback Jalon Daniels was responsible for a lot of the pressure he faced, especially the game-ending sack on the final play.
Still, the offensive line allowed five sacks and nine quarterback hits. That can't become the norm. Guard Cody Mauch was also flagged for a bad holding penalty, which was offset.
As I've said before, this Buccaneers offense only goes as far as the offensive line can take it. If more performances like this one follow, the offense won't go very far at all.
Things looked great in the first half. However, the Steelers clearly figured something out at halftime.
Pittsburgh scored 16 fourth quarter points and 23 total in the second half and overtime. That's inexcusable. While the offense didn't pull its own weight, Pittsburgh found ways to exploit the Bucs' defense by using DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard in specific situations. It worked, and it won the Steelers the game.
That ultimately falls on the defense and on coach Todd Bowles.
Daniels had a good, efficient first half. Just like the team, he followed it with an awful second half.
He threw two interceptions and missed on multiple other throws. He didn't look comfortable whatsoever after halftime, and it played a big part in Tampa Bay's demise.Sure, he's played well in place of Baker Mayfield but it's clear the Bucs need the latter back on the field as soon as possible.
McLaughlin easily leads this list. He went 4-for-4 on field goals and made his extra point. He's perfect in every facet this season.
It's becoming more obvious that McLaughlin is the guy who should have been paid before everybody else this offseason. To echo NFL Network's Rich Eisen, kickers are people too. McLaughlin might be the most reliable player on this team right now.
Walker finished with seven tackles, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. That's huge.
I'm curious to see his snap count, but Walker clearly needs to play a lot more football. Hopefully Bowles makes that happen.
The rookie fourth-rounder finished with eight tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss. That tackle for loss set up a big third down for the Steelers.
He did allow some plays in coverage. But overall, Scott showed a lot of promise, and you have to feel confident about this rookie.
Speaking of rookies, wide receiver Ted Hurst caught three passes for 40 yards, and nearly all of them went for first downs.
Hurst is carving out a role in this passing attack. You have to like what you've seen from him so far, especially since he plays the X position.
You have to give A'Shawn Robinson his flowers. He's doing everything he can to help the Buccaneers bounce back, especially on defense.
Robinson finished with three tackles, a pass breakup, and an interception. He also ran Rodgers out of bounds in the fourth quarter as Pittsburgh tried to come back, and he leads the team with two interceptions.
His effort didn't result in a win. Still, Robinson talked all offseason about setting the tone and building the right culture, and he's backing it up on the field.
Hopefully the rest of the defense follows his lead.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 6 losers and 5 winners from the Buccaneers' heartbreaking overtime loss to the Steelers in Week 6
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