The Bucs won the toss to start the game, electing to receive as they have all season. It paid off after a well-balanced 3:30 drive helped out by a roughing the passer penalty went for a touchdown. It was running back Ronald Jones, getting the start, who scored on a handoff from eight yards out, giving the Bucs an early 7-0 lead with 11:30 left in the first quarter.
The Seahawks answered right back, moving the ball down the field almost exclusively through the air. The result was a 19-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Tyler Lockett as Seattle evened the score at seven apiece with 8:23 left in the first quarter.
Tampa Bay would come up empty on their next drive as they tried to keep the ground game going but the defense made sure to return the favor. A couple pass breakups followed by an immediate tackle of tight end Jacob Hollister by Bucs safety Jordan Whitehead forced the Seattle punt.
The following drive would prove fruitful, if not a little bit lucky, for the Buccaneers. They drove down the field, with a little bit of help from a defensive pass interference penalty on Mike Evans, but found themselves facing third-and-11 inside the red zone. Winston took the snap and scrambled, looking for an open man and fired one off to Evans in the end zone. He was well-covered and the ball popped up in the air only to have wide receiver Breshad Perriman come down with it for the Tampa Bay score. It gave the Bucs a 14-0 lead just before the expiration of the first quarter.
The Bucs were able to hold Seattle back again and get the ball in time to go right back down the field. Largely by the hands of both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, they put together a 63-yard drive that took six-and-a-half minutes off the clock resulting in a five-yard touchdown pass to Evans. The Bucs subsequently took a 21-7 lead with 4:32 left in the half.
The Seahawks would again be denied behind back-to-back sacks. The first was a loss of seven as Beau Allen and Shaq Barrett got their hands on Russell Wilson inside. It was then followed up by Devin White and Jason Pierre-Paul, who dropped Wilson for a loss of 10 on third-down – forcing the Seattle punt.
This time, the Seahawks' defense would be the ones to return the favor as the Bucs came up empty on their next drive.
The next drive was kind to the Seahawks, who went down the field with some help from penalties by the Bucs' defense. They got into the end zone on a one-yard pass to tight end Jacob Hollister but missed the point after, cutting the Bucs' lead to 21-13.
But the Bucs' weren't done yet. They drove down the field in the remaining seconds of the first half for a field goal attempt. Unfortunately, Matt Gay would miss the 50-yard attempt to leave the score where it was, 21-13, at the half.
Seattle opened the second half on offense but a 14-yard sack from Lavonte David on third down would force another Seahawks punt. The Bucs punted the ball right back, backing the Seahawks up to their own 26-yard line.
A 59-yard run by Carson would get Seattle immediately into striking distance. It would have been a touchdown had inside linebacker Devin White not caught up to him and punched the ball out. Unfortunately the ball went out of bounds so the Seahawks retained possession and punched the ball in on a two-yard pass to Lockett. They went for two and got it to tie the game at 21-all with just over eight minutes left in the third quarter.
The Bucs were forced to settle for a 41-yard field goal on their next drive that saw them get right on the Seattle 20-yard line. It still gave the Bucs a 24-21 lead with 3:18 remaining in the third quarter.
Seattle answered right back with a field goal of their own. It was a credit to the Bucs' defense though, who held them as the Seahawks got as close as the Tampa Bay 19-yard line. Seattle tied it at 24-24 with a 41-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Bucs came up empty again on their next drive, punting it away. They'd nab themselves a takeaway though as Devin White forced a fumble in Seattle territory. It took a challenge by the Bucs to get it called as such but they took over at the Seahawks' 40-yard line. The Bucs' offense wouldn't get very far unfortunately, after Jadeveon Clowney stripped Winston of the ball to take it right back for Seattle.
Seattle got as far as the Bucs' four-yard-line but the defense held and the Seahawks settled for the chip-shot field goal. It gave Seattle a 27-24 lead with 8:22 left in the game.
The Bucs mustered a game-tying 45-yard field goal on their next drive. Kicker Matt Gay tied it up at 27-27 with 5:22 remaining.
Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf turned on the burners for Seattle on the next drive as Wilson hit him from 53 yards. Metcalf skirted into the end zone to give the Seahawks a quick seven-point lead with 4:25 left in the fourth.
Tampa Bay got into Seattle territory on their next drive and were faced with a fourth-down and five at the Seahawks 25-yard line. A big completion to Evans got the Bucs to the one-yard line where running back Dare Ogunbowale would pound it in. Gay was good with the point after and the Bucs tied it up at 34-all with 46 seconds remaining in the game.
Seattle was able to get down the field to the Bucs' 22-yard line. With nine seconds on the clock, Myers came on to attempt a 40-yard game-winning field goal... and he missed, sending the game into overtime.
The Seahawks won the toss and got as far as the six-yard line. They'd be able to convert on a touchdown to tight end Jacob Hollister and end the game, with a final score of 40-34.
