Mayfield's three lost fumbles costly in 33-27 loss to Bengals

CINCINNATI (AP) — Baker Mayfield lost a season opener for the first time in his four seasons with Tampa Bay.

His three lost fumbles were a key reason why in the Buccaneers' 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Mayfield, who agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension on Tuesday, nearly rallied the Bucs from an 14-point halftime deficit but his three lost fumbles and another by running back Bucky Irving proved too costly.

“This one falls on me,” Mayfield said. “They had 17 points alone off my turnovers. Turns out to be a one-score game, six points. It’s frustrating when you do something like that when you’re moving the ball downfield.”

Mayfield lost three fumbles in a game for the first time in his career. He completed 23 of 28 passes on Sunday for 216 yards. He also rushed for 30 yards on five carries with a touchdown.

The Bucs had won six straight season openers, including three with Mayfield as the starter.

“Well, obviously, you can’t turn the ball over,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We had four turnovers and lose by just one touchdown."

Mayfield was sacked four times.

He fumbled in the first quarter while being sacked by Barrett Carter and Myles Murphy. Demetrius Knight Jr. recovered and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown putting the Bengals ahead 7-3.

It was the Bengals’ first fumble return TD since Sam Hubbard’s 99-yard return in an AFC wild-card game on Jan.15, 2023 against the Ravens.

On the Bucs’ next possession, Irving fumbled after catching an 8-yard pass from Mayfield.

Boye Mafe recovered at the Buccaneers 33-yard line leading to a 2-yard TD pass from Joe Burrow to Mike Gesicki making the score 14-3.

The third fumble of the half occurred when Mayfield scrambled and was stripped by Carter. Bryan Cook recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

“We always teach keep it high and tight,” Bowles said. “You've got to keep it high and tight.”

The Bengals drove 80 yards following the fumble and Chase Brown’s 5-yard run made the score 21-3 with 5:32 left in the second quarter.

Cincinnati led 24-10 at halftime.

The Bucs trailed 30-20 with 10 minutes left when Mayfield fumbled again, this time while being sacked from behind by Mafe.

“Just got to know there's somebody behind you at that point," Mayfield said. "The internal time clock is going off in your head. Just keeping two hands on the ball in the pocket, you know. Ball security is the most important thing.”

Mayfield’s 9-yard scramble for a touchdown cut the Bengals’ lead to 33-27 with 3:19 remaining. But the Bengals were able to run out the clock.

The Buccaneers didn't punt on Sunday.

“It was either turnovers or points,” Bowles said. “One or two of (Mayfield's fumbles) was a scramble. The one in the pocket, already held a little bit too long. The one behind him he didn't see. He was running to try to make a play, but we got to hold on to the ball. Bucky (Irving) as well.”

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Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) runs for a touchdown after recovering a fumble in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) leaves the field after a 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) scores a touchdown ahead of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Jalen Davis (35) on a 9-yard run in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) scores a touchdown on a 9-yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Barrett Carter (49) and fumbles the ball in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

NEW YORK (AP) — Alexander Zverev's best year in tennis goes on, and so does that lengthy Grand Slam drought for American men.

Zverev won his second major championship and disappointed a crowd that was desperate to see the first Grand Slam title by an American man since 2003, beating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday in the U.S. Open final.

Zverev finally broke through in the majors by winning this year’s French Open and followed up by adding the title in New York that he so painfully let slip away in 2020.

The No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, he capitalized on Shelton’s shaky start in his first major final, played a nearly flawless tiebreaker on serve and then turned back a comeback attempt in front of a crowd that feverishly cheered Shelton on — including girlfriend Trinity Rodman, who made it from her own soccer match in Washington before the finish.

“I know today 99.9% of the people wanted Ben to win, so I’m very sorry first of all,” Zverev said during the trophy presentation. “But second, it was an incredible atmosphere to play in. Even though I know that the crowd was against me, the crowd was always incredibly fair.”

Shelton was trying to win the first title by an American man since Andy Roddick won in Flushing Meadows in 2003, as well as become the first Black player to win the men's crown since Arthur Ashe in 1968.

But Zverev was too good in majors this year and apparently didn't even know how good he was. He finished the match on his serve but didn't seem to realize it, dropping back behind the baseline as if set to return. Only a few moments later did he figure out he had won, raising his arms in celebration.

“You’re one of the very best players in the world, maybe the best player in the world this year,” Shelton told Zverev.

Zverev improved to 25-2 in major matches this year and won $5.5 million, matching the prize earned by women’s champion Elena Rybakina on Saturday as the largest in Grand Slam history.

He thought this title would come in 2020 and still acknowledges it should have. He won the first two sets against Dominic Thiem and got within two points of victory before becoming the first man to blow a two-set lead and lose in the final since 1949.

Whatever ghosts were left from then are long gone now.

Zverev also reached the final at Wimbledon, falling to Jannik Sinner, and became the No. 1 seed in New York when the top-ranked Sinner had to withdraw with a knee injury. He made the most of opportunities that came when Carlos Alcaraz had to sit out two majors and Sinner missed another, after they played in three straight Grand Slam finals in 2025.

“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said, addressing his team.

Shelton had already eliminated the defending champion when he beat No. 2 seed Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in U.S. Open history.

But he fell short on Sunday in his attempt to become the first man to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds en route to the U.S. Open title since 1975.

The No. 8 seed fell to 0-6 against Zverev, winning a set Sunday for only the second time.

The 23-year-old Shelton figures to get more chances, but Americans who have grown tired of waiting to celebrate a men’s title wanted it now.

Fans stood and screamed when Shelton emerged from the tunnel before the match, but he didn’t give them any reason to keep the cheers going once play began. Serving first, he lost the opening two points and then eventually handed the game to Zverev with a double-fault.

Zverev maintained that lead the rest of the set, which ended on another double-fault by Shelton.

Zverev’s deliberate playing style helped limit the crowd’s effectiveness. Fans are expected to quiet down as a player is preparing to serve and stay quiet until the ensuing point has completed.

Zverev bounces the ball a number of times — sometimes around 10, maybe a dozen, others nearly 20, insisting there is no set pattern or plan — before he begins his toss, so it guarantees lengthy stretches of silence.

Fans tried to get around that by occasionally cheering when he missed a first serve — another tennis no-no that the chair umpire scolded them for — but Zverev, who said before the match he enjoyed hostile crowds, did not seem affected.

Then, with fans chanting “USA! USA!” Zverev turned back Shelton's chance to even the match in the tiebreaker.

Shelton returned Zverev’s opening serve long, was beaten by a superb passing shot and then came up on the wrong end of a 16-shot rally as Zverev went up 3-0. Zverev then hit serves of 147 mph and 124 mph that Shelton couldn’t get back in play. Shelton cut it to 5-2 and then got a return in play for the only time, but Zverev won the point and then hit another serve at 139 mph to close it out.

Shelton kept fighting, at one point diving in an attempt to get a volley back, resting his head on his hands when he couldn't and then banging his hand to the court. He picked himself back up and finally broke Zverev for the only time to win the third set.

But with Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and number of their teammates in attendance, Shelton couldn’t pull off a championship comeback like those New York Knicks did in June. He was broken to begin the fourth, the second time in the match he dropped his opening service game, forcing him to play from behind again.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Ben Shelton, of the United States, looks on after his loss in the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, left, and Alexander Zverev, of Germany, right, pose for a photo together with their trophies after Zverev won the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, reacts after he lost the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Alexander Zverev, of Germany, poses with the trophy after he won the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Ben Shelton, of the United States, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Alexander Zverev, of Germany, celebrates after he won the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Ben Shelton, of the United States, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Alexander Zverev, of Germany, reaches to return the ball to Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, returns the ball to Alexander Zverev, of Germany, during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, spins his racket during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns the ball to Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Alexander Zverev, of Germany, serves the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, reacts after he won his match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, hits balls to audience after he won his match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)