TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — As the final seconds ticked off the clock, a frustrated Baker Mayfield lingered on the bench for a moment before standing and making his way to the Tampa Bay locker room.
Sunday's 24-20 loss to lowly division rival New Orleans dropped the Buccaneers (7-6) into a tie with Carolina for first place in the NFC South. The veteran quarterback, who refused to cite steady rain as a factor in a subpar offensive performance, didn't try to mask his disappointment.
The Bucs don't have a lot of time to dwell on what's gone wrong during a stretch in which they've lost five of seven following a 5-1 start. The four-time defending division champions host Atlanta on Thursday night before facing the Panthers twice over the last three weeks of the season.
“We should be frustrated about this loss,” said Mayfield, who's no longer a contender for MVP after Tampa Bay's recent swoon. “We should take it out on Thursday night.”
Mayfield threw a first-half touchdown pass to Bucky Irving, but his third-quarter interception — Tampa Bay's only turnover — led to Tyler Shough's 34-yard TD run. The Saints' defense also frustrated Tampa Bay by stopping the Bucs on fourth-and-short five times.
“Got to be able to get a yard in those short-yardage situations. That's just flat-out,” said Mayfield, who finished 14 of 30 for 122 yards.
“We couldn't make a fourth-down play," coach Todd Bowles concurred. “That's disheartening.”
Adding to the Bucs' woes was a key drop by rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, who was terrific during Tampa Bay's fast start and leads the team in receptions (54), receiving yards (806) and touchdowns (six) with injuries sidelining Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan for much of the season.
Egbuka was targeted nine times Sunday, finishing with two catches for 15 yards. A potential game-tying TD pass glanced off his hands in the end zone late in the fourth quarter, with the Bucs later settling for a field goal that trimmed New Orleans' lead to 24-20 with just under five minutes remaining.
“Didn't execute. When you don't do that, it's hard to win, no matter who you're playing. ... I can't help but feel like I let (the team) down today,” Egbuka said. “I'm on this team for one reason, and it's to catch the ball, and I didn't.”
Mayfield didn't point fingers.
“Mek is a professional. Obviously, he's going to beat himself up about that. Afterwards I went up to him and told him: ‘The ball is going to find you again ... when we get it back, so we’re gonna need you,'” Mayfield said. “It's just the nature of the game. Telling people to catch the ball doesn't do anything. They're not trying to drop it.”
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) talks to reporters after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) carries against New Orleans Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (4) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) appeals to down judge Andy Warner (64) for a pass interference call in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cedric Gray isn't concerned about Tennessee Titans fans wanting the first overall NFL draft pick for the second straight year.
The second-year linebacker and everyone else in the Titans locker room were focused on getting their second win of the season.
Behind a strong running game along with key plays on defense and special teams, the Titans snapped a seven-game skid as they held off the Cleveland Browns 31-29 on Sunday.
“We hadn’t won since Week 5, so it feels amazing,” said Gray, who had a team-high 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. “I’m not worried about the No. 1 overall pick. We’re ballplayers. We got heart every time we step on the field.”
Tony Pollard rushed for a career-high 161 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee averaged 5.3 yards per carry. The defense forced a pair of turnovers in the second half and the special teams blocked a punt, with those plays leading to 17 points.
“This is complementary football. Big plays in all three phases,” said interim coach Mike McCoy, who picked up his first win in seven games since he replaced the fired Brian Callahan.
Cam Ward, the top overall pick in April’s NFL draft, completed 14 of 28 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, his first game with multiple TD tosses. Ward also threw an interception but was sacked only once, the first time this season hadn't been taken down at least twice.
Cleveland's Shedeur Sanders passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns in his third start, and he also ran for a score in a matchup of rookies. However, Sanders threw a costly interception in the third quarter that led to Tennessee’s go-ahead TD.
The Titans (2-11) had a 31-17 lead with 6:17 remaining before the Browns scored a pair of touchdowns. Sanders had a 7-yard scramble with 4:27 left and threw a 7-yard TD pass to Harold Fannin Jr. with 1:03 remaining, but the Browns (3-10) missed both of their 2-point conversion attempts.
Cleveland attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Tennessee's Chimere Dike and the Titans ran out the clock.
Pollard, who had 25 carries, had a career-high 65-yard TD run late in the first quarter to give the Titans a 14-3 lead. After Cleveland rallied to take a 17-14 halftime advantage, Pollard put the Titans up for good with a 32-yard carry off left tackle. The third-quarter touchdown came two plays after Titans safety Xavier Woods picked off an ill-timed deep pass by Sanders and returned it 35 yards to the Browns 38.
After Gray recovered Dillon Sampson's fumble and returned it 19 yards to the Cleveland 8, the Titans extended their lead to 28-17 on Ward's 5-yard TD pass to Chimere Dike.
Joey Slye's field goal made it a two-touchdown advantage. That came after James Williams Sr. blocked a punt.
“Some of the things that happened that game, we expect more from our run defense,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We got to protect the ball. We had a punt blocked, and obviously not getting either the 2-point plays really off is frustrating. So that’s on all of us.”
Sanders completed 23 of 42 passes and was the Browns' first rookie quarterback since Baker Mayfield to have a 300-yard game. Fellow rookie Fannin finished with eight receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.
“I would say as time goes on, those decisions and those things, you know, will slim down. And we won’t be in situations where I have that feeling, like, I got to make something happen," Sanders said.
The Titans scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time this season when Ward hit Ayomanor on a crossing route for a 14-yard score. Ward was 4 of 4 for 48 yards on the eight-play drive. Tennessee came into the game as the only team without a TD on an opening drive.
“About time, honestly,” Ward said. “We have to continue to be efficient. I have to be efficient, throwing to my guys open, putting it in their radius to make plays.”
Sanders had a strong second quarter to help the Browns take a 17-14 halftime lead.
He found David Njoku in the left corner of the end zone on third-and-goal at the Titans 1. With 2:47 remaining, Sanders gave the Browns the lead with a 60-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy, the receiver's second TD this season.
Cleveland's Myles Garrett became the 14th player to record 20 sacks in a season when he got to Ward in the second quarter. With four games left, he needs three sacks to break the NFL record of 22 1/2 shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and Pittsburgh's TJ Watt.
“I think we really were licking our chops for the pass and they stuck with the run, and we really should have been focused on stopping the run,” Garrett said.
Titans: OT Dan Moore suffered a neck injury in the third quarter.
Browns: WR Malachi Corley (concussion) and Njoku (knee) were injured in the second quarter. C Ethan Pocic (Achilles tendon), CB Denzel Ward (calf) and WR Cedric Tillman (concussion) left in the second half.
Titans: At San Francisco next Sunday.
Browns: At Chicago next Sunday.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs the ball for a touchdown as Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat (93) gives chase in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) visits with his father Deion Sanders, right, during warmups before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) catches a touchdown pass as Tennessee Titans cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. (39) defends in the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) sprints to the end zone after catching a touchdown pass as Tennessee Titans cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. (39) gives chase in the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) runs the ball for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
