Seahawks Fall to Buccaneers in Last-Second Thriller

SEATTLE (AP) — In a dramatic finish, the Seattle Seahawks lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-35 on Sunday at Lumen Field. The game ended with Lavonte David‘s interception of Sam Darnold followed by Chase McLaughlin‘s game-winning field goal as time expired.

Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers’ quarterback, tied the game with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard with just over a minute left. The Seahawks, who were leading 35-28, had a chance to seal the victory but Darnold’s pass was deflected and intercepted, handing the ball back to Tampa Bay.

“You have to stay composed in these situations,” Darnold said. “I wasn’t aiming enough and it cost us the game.” After Kupp’s short reception, Darnold’s interception occurred while attempting to throw under pressure.

The game saw impressive performances from both quarterbacks. Mayfield completed 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns. Darnold, who finished with four touchdown passes, ended the day with 341 yards on 28 completions.

Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tampa Bay’s Emeka Egbuka, former Ohio State teammates, both had standout games. Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 132 yards, while Egbuka recorded seven catches for 163 yards and a touchdown.

During the match, Tampa Bay had to navigate injuries to several key players, including star wide receiver Mike Evans, who was sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Seattle’s defense faced challenges as well, playing without several starters.

Despite the loss, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald praised his team’s resilience, stating, “We showcased our ability to play under pressure. However, we need to work on our execution.”

As Seattle prepares for its next matchup, they will need to regroup after this heartbreaking loss, while Tampa Bay looks to build momentum as they head into their next game.