The Buccaneers defeated the Jets 13-6 in preseason Week Two. Things got off to a slow start for both teams offensively as the Buccaneers and Jets traded punts on their first drives at MetLife Stadium, respectively. On the second drive for the Bucs, Kyle Trask was sacked for a loss of nine yards on third down and the ball came out. Cade Otton landed on the ball at the Tampa Bay 30-yard line, forcing a punt.
After three-straight drives without points on the scoreboard, the Bucs put up three midway through the second quarter. Trask's pass was incomplete to David Wells on third down, forcing a Rodrigo Blankenship 35-yard field goal. On the ensuing drive, Tampa Bay's luck shifted. A 26-yard Sean Tucker run off a counter on fourth-and-one, set up a touchdown. Trask launched a 33-yard pass into the end zone to a tightly-covered Trey Palmer. Palmer leapt up and tipped the ball with one hand over the defender, bringing in the sensational grab. That play gave the Bucs their first point advantage of the night, 10-6, in the Meadowlands. Trask finished the first half completing 16-of-23 attempts for 122 yards and the lone touchdown to Palmer for a 96.6 quarterback rating.
The Bucs nagged a takeaway in the third quarter, building momentum for Tampa Bay. Tim Boyle's pass was deflected and was intercepted by Dee Delaney at the goal line. The pass was initially ruled an incompletion, but the call was reversed. However, the Bucs were not able to capitalize with seven. Blankenship missed a 55-yard field goal, maintaining the Bucs four-point lead.
John Wolford came in at quarterback for the Bucs in the third quarter, but after taking a hard hit on a sack, was put on an immobilizing board and was carted off the field near the end of the period. Trask came back in for the Bucs to begin the fourth quarter. Things stalled for the Bucs as missed opportunities materialized. As a microcosm of that sentiment, Dee Delaney intercepted Tim Boyle, but a defensive pass interference penalty on Avery Young nullified the momentum-shifting play with under three minutes to play in regulation. Overall, the Bucs concluded the game with 331 total net yards, including 72 rushing and 259 passing on 67 offensive plays.
The Bucs defense did not allow a single touchdown during the 60-minute exhibition game, with Delaney serving as the catalyst. He spearheaded the unit with a team-high five tackles and an interception (almost two).
