It wasn’t pretty, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers broke their three-game losing streak with a 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals. 

The Bucs got some major contributors back on both sides of the ball with Bucky Irving and Ben Bredeson returning on offense and Jamel Dean and Haason Reddick coming back on defense. However, while it resulted in a win, it didn’t have the impact the Bucs were hoping for, as they barely eked out the win. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers remain on their heels with an impressive win over the Rams this weekend. 

As the season enters December, every game is a playoff game for the Bucs, who hold just a half-game lead over the Panthers and still have two games against them to help decide the NFC South. Tampa Bay cleaned up some of its issues this week, and at times it felt like the offense would be able to get back to where it was last year, but there’s still more work to do. The return of Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Calijah Kancey will certainly help, but the Bucs need to fix their issues quickly if they want to make a late-season run. Here is the good, bad, and ugly in the Buccaneers’ win over the Cardinals. 

Good WR Chris Godwin

After a pitch count last week, Chris Godwin was back to his normal self on Sunday. The veteran wideout came away with two big explosive plays on the day. His first came on a 35-yard grab on third down during the Bucs’ first drive. He was back at it again in the second quarter with a 35-yard catch that set the offense up inside the 10-yard line. However, three plays later, Godwin had an uncharacteristic drop in the back of the endzone that forced them to settle for a field goal. 

S Antoine Winfield Jr.

Winfield Jr was back to being everywhere on Sunday. He had a big tackle on Bam Knight in the first quarter that saved a touchdown. Then, on the next drive, he came away with a huge interception in the red zone when the Cardinals were putting together a strong drive after being backed up. He had a free pressure in the middle of the second quarter to force a throwaway and bring up third down, and ended the day with seven tackles. 

LT Tristan Wirfs

BIG MAN TOUCHDOWN!!!

📺: #AZvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/APnDzCrYQB

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 30, 2025

RB Bucky Irving

Irving came back and made his presence felt right away with 81 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. His ability to make defenders miss was on clear display and something the Bucs offense has been lacking in his absence. He carried the ball 17 times on Sunday and looks to be all the way back as the season ramps up towards the playoffs. 

Bad RG Dan Feeney 

The Bucs have four of their intended five starting offensive linemen in their starting lineup. They won’t get Cody Mauch back this season, and after shuffling several players at the position, Dan Feeney seems to have won the job. However, Feeney has struggled over the past few weeks and struggled again today, letting up one of Josh Sweat’s two sacks on the day. The play came in the first quarter on a third and eight, where Sweat looped back around on a stunt, leaving Feeny grasping for air. 

Second-half defense

The Bucs’ second-half defense made some big plays, but also allowed the Cardinals to move the ball with much more ease. After holding Trey McBride to just 17 yards on three catches in the first half, they allowed him to record two explosive receptions and tally five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown. The flat was consistently attacked with Bam Knight and Michael Carter, combining for eight catches for 83 yards and a score. 

UglyRed Zone Offense

While the Bucs did eventually get in the endzone on Sunday from inside the 20-yard line, it was a struggle getting there. Their first trip to the red zone saw them get stopped on the seven-yard line and settle for a field goal. Then, just before the half, the Tampa Bay offense had two scores nullified by penalties, the first on a questionable offensive pass interference call on Tez Johnson that turned a score into 3rd and 13.

The Bucs converted a fourth down on the drive only to have another touchdown wiped out due to a holding call on Payne Burham. The Bucs eventually got into the end zone on a two-yard Wirfs touchdown, but the process was longer than it needed to be.

READ MORE: Bucs star Bucky Irving speaks for first time after injury

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