NFL Game Summary - Buffalo at Tampa Bay
Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Bobby Rainey rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 27-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Mike Glennon completed just 9-of-25 passes for 90 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Tampa Bay (4-9), which has won four of its last five after dropping eight in a row to start the year. Vincent Jackson caught three passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and Timothy Wright had two catches for 21 yards and a score.
Rookie E.J. Manuel never got into a rhythm in this one, completing 18-of-33 passes for 184 yards and a career-worst four interceptions as Buffalo (4-9) lost for the fifth time in six tries. Dan Carpenter was good on both of his field goal attempts in the setback.
The scoring started early for Tampa Bay when Rainey found a hole off tackle and raced for an 80-yard touchdown just 18 seconds into the contest.
Buffalo put the next points on the board with 8:07 left in the first quarter, driving 36 yards on seven plays for a Carpenter 40-yard field goal.
On the ensuing march, Tampa Bay answered when Jackson caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to cap a 9-play, 80-yard drive. Four plays earlier, Jackson made a 22-yard catch to take Tampa Bay into Bills territory.
The teams combined for three interceptions in a span of seven plays to start the second quarter. Manuel's second interception during that sequence led to Rian Lindell's 53-yard field goal for a 17-3 Tampa Bay lead with 10:45 left in the half.
On their next drive, the Buccaneers went three-and-out but Bills returner Leodis McKelvin fumbled after calling for a fair catch on the punt and Dashon Goldson recovered for Tampa Bay at the Buffalo 21-yard line.
Glennon tried to find Jackson two plays later, but came up just short and Stephon Gilmore pulled in an interception for the Bills at their own three.
The Buccaneers' next drive took them 57 yards on 10 plays and Glennon hit Wright in the middle of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in the half for a 24-3 advantage heading into the locker room.
Buffalo went 52 yards in nine plays after the second-half kickoff and got a 46-yard field goal from Carpenter, but the next Bills series ended when Manuel threw his third interception of the day on a controversial play. Mason Foster made a diving catch and appeared to juggle the ball, but the ruling was upheld on video review.
The next Bills drive also ended in a Manuel turnover. He threw a pass to Robert Woods but he was immediately crushed by Darrelle Revis. The ball was jarred loose on the hit and was ruled an interception as it never touched the ground and Lavonte David came up with his second pick of the day.
The interception was returned for 32 yards to the Bills' 12-yard line. A TD pass from Glennon to Jackson was overturned on review and Lindell kicked a 32- yard field goal in the closing seconds of the third quarter.
C.J. Spiller had an 83-yard touchdown on a screen pass negated by a holding penalty by center Eric Wood 35 seconds into the fourth quarter and the Bills never seriously threatened again.