TAMPA — Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels engineered three consecutive scoring drives to rally the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from a 9-0 halftime deficit to a 16-15 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium, pushing the Bucs to 2-0 in the preseason.
Daniels completed 9 of 14 attempts for 71 passing yards and added 19 rushing yards after entering the game in the third quarter. He connected with tight end Ko Kieft on a 2-yard touchdown pass and later sparked a drive that ended with running back Sean Tucker punching in a 1-yard touchdown rush in the fourth quarter. On his first scoring drive, Daniels went 5-for-5 for 39 passing yards and 10 rushing yards, including a precise sideline throw to wide receiver Dean Patterson IV for a 24-yard pickup that Patterson secured with a toe-tap catch.
Patterson and fellow wide receiver Kam Johnson each led the team with 56 receiving yards. Backup quarterback Jake Browning, who relieved starter Baker Mayfield, completed 9 of 12 passing attempts for 84 yards and added 14 yards on the ground. Mayfield completed two of four attempts for 10 yards across two opening drives, while running back Bucky Irving rushed for 14 yards on three carries in the run-heavy early script.
The Buccaneers’ defense set the tone from the start, forcing two consecutive three-and-outs against Kansas City’s offense. Defensive end Anthony Nelson posted 1.5 sacks, including a strip sack of Chiefs quarterback Justin Fields in the first quarter. Nelson later combined with Mohamed Kamara to bring down Fields on a flush from the pocket. Rueben Bain Jr. and Yaya Diaby led the defensive charge on the opening possessions.
The pivotal play came in the fourth quarter with Tampa Bay trailing 15-10. Cornerback Roman Parodie intercepted a bobbled pass, reading the play and positioning himself to snare the ball out of the air. The Bucs capitalized on the turnover to take their first lead of the game and never relinquished it, as the defense held firm on Kansas City’s ensuing possession.
The Chiefs built their 9-0 halftime advantage on three field goals while Tampa Bay’s offense was held scoreless through the first two quarters. The Buccaneers’ preseason schedule continues as the team prepares for its Week 3 exhibition before finalizing the 53-man roster ahead of the regular season.