The scoreboard at Raymond James Stadium didn't lie, even if Commanders fans really wanted it to. When the clock hit zero, the Washington Tampa Bay score sat at a definitive 37-20 in favor of the Buccaneers. It wasn't just a loss. It was a reality check. You've seen these games before where a rookie quarterback looks like a world-beater in preseason, only to run into a Todd Bowles blitz packages that look like they were designed by a mad scientist. That’s basically what happened to Jayden Daniels in his debut.
Tampa Bay didn't just win; they dismantled the Washington secondary. Baker Mayfield played like a man who had found his permanent home, throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns. Honestly, he looked comfortable. Too comfortable. While the hype train for Washington was moving at full speed heading into September, this game acted as the emergency brake.
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Breaking down that 37-20 Washington Tampa Bay score
If you look at the box score, you might think Washington stayed competitive. They didn't.
The game started with Tampa Bay methodical and clinical. Chase McLaughlin knocked down a field goal, then Mayfield started finding Mike Evans in the end zone like it was routine practice. By the time the third quarter rolled around, the Bucs were up 23-7. Washington’s defense, under new head coach Dan Quinn, looked surprisingly porous. They struggled with communication in the backfield. Benjamin St-Juste and the rest of the cornerbacks were frequently out of position, allowing Chris Godwin to feast on intermediate routes. Godwin caught eight balls for 83 yards. He was the chain-mover that Washington simply couldn't account for.
Jayden Daniels? He was the bright spot, sorta. He ran for 88 yards and two scores. But he only threw for 184 yards. The Buccaneers' defensive front, led by Vita Vea, made sure the pocket was never a happy place for a rookie.
Washington had no rhythm.
Every time they seemed to claw back, Mayfield would launch a strike to Mike Evans or Jalen McMillan. The 37-20 final felt indicative of the gap between a team that knows its identity and a team that’s still trying to find its keys in the dark.
The Mayfield Factor and the Commanders' Secondary Woes
Baker Mayfield's resurgence is one of the more interesting stories in the NFL over the last couple of years. In this specific matchup, he posted a 146.4 passer rating. That's nearly perfect. He didn't turn the ball over once. When you look at why the Washington Tampa Bay score got so out of hand, it starts with the lack of pressure from Washington’s defensive line. Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne were supposed to be the anchors, but they were largely neutralized by a Buccaneers offensive line that played way above their expected grade.
The Commanders' secondary was the real casualty.
They gave up three touchdowns through the air in the second half alone. It was a schematic nightmare. Joe Whitt Jr., Washington’s defensive coordinator, tried to mix in man coverage and zone looks, but Mayfield shredded both. It felt like the Bucs knew what was coming before the ball was even snapped.
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What the rushing stats don't tell you
Washington actually outrushed Tampa Bay 138 to 112.
Usually, if you win the battle on the ground, you're in the game. Not here. Most of Washington's rushing yards came from Daniels scrambling for his life rather than a coordinated rushing attack. Brian Robinson Jr. had a decent touchdown run, but the ground game was secondary to the fact that Washington couldn't stop the bleeding through the air.
Tampa, on the other hand, used Bucky Irving and Rachaad White to keep the clock moving. They weren't explosive on the ground, but they were efficient. They stayed "on schedule," as coaches love to say. That kept the Washington offense off the field and exhausted a defense that was already struggling with the Florida humidity.
Misconceptions about Jayden Daniels’ debut
A lot of people looked at the Washington Tampa Bay score and immediately started worrying about Daniels. That’s a mistake.
While the score was lopsided, Daniels became the first player in NFL history to rush for 80+ yards and two touchdowns in his professional debut. He didn't throw an interception. He didn't look "scared," he just looked like a guy playing behind an offensive line that was getting beat at the point of attack. The offensive line surrendered two sacks and multiple hits, but the real issue was the lack of separation from the wide receivers. Terry McLaurin was held to just two catches for 17 yards. When your WR1 is invisible, the score is going to reflect that.
Tampa Bay's defense is legit. Todd Bowles is notorious for making life miserable for young quarterbacks. He disguises his looks until the very last millisecond. For a rookie in his first ever regular season game, surviving that without a turnover is actually a win in the "development" column, even if it was a loss in the "standings" column.
Defensive lapses that defined the game
Why did Washington give up 37 points? It wasn't just talent; it was discipline.
- Multiple third-down penalties extended Buccaneer drives.
- Blown assignments in the red zone led to easy Mike Evans scores.
- A lack of a consistent pass rush allowed Mayfield to scan the field for 4-5 seconds at a time.
You can't give a veteran like Mayfield that much time. If you do, he will pick you apart. Every. Single. Time.
The Commanders came into this game with a lot of new faces. New ownership, new front office, new coaching staff, and a new QB. Sometimes, the "newness" results in a lack of cohesion. That was painfully evident in Tampa. The communication on defensive switches was non-existent. There was one play in the fourth quarter where Chris Godwin was so open it looked like a blown coverage in a high school game. That shouldn't happen at this level.
Historical context of the Washington vs. Tampa Bay rivalry
These two teams don't play every year, but when they do, it's usually eventful. Remember the 2020 Wild Card game? Taylor Heinicke diving for the pylon and nearly upsetting Tom Brady? That game cemented a certain type of gritty expectation for Washington. This 2024 opener was the antithesis of that. It felt lopsided.
In the grander scheme of the NFC, this game set the tone for both seasons. Tampa Bay proved they weren't just a fluke after Brady left. Washington proved they had a massive mountain to climb. The Washington Tampa Bay score of 37-20 actually matches some of the worst opening-day losses in Washington's franchise history, echoing the struggles of the early 2010s.
Real-world takeaways for bettors and fans
If you were looking at the betting lines for this game, the Bucs were only 3.5-point favorites at many books. The final margin of 17 points was a massive "cover" for Tampa. It served as a reminder that the public often overvalues rookie hype and undervalues veteran stability.
For Washington fans, the takeaway wasn't "we suck." It was "we're young."
There's a difference. A team that sucks has no path forward. A team that's young has a quarterback who can run for two touchdowns while the rest of the roster figures out how to play together. The offensive line remains the biggest concern. If they can't protect Daniels, the scoreboards in the future won't look much better than this one did in Tampa.
Actionable steps for analyzing future Commanders games
To understand if Washington is actually improving since that Week 1 blowout, you need to look at three specific metrics.
First, check the "Time to Throw." In the Tampa game, Daniels was holding the ball too long because nobody was open. If that number drops, the offense is evolving.
Second, look at "Target Share." In the Tampa Bay game, Terry McLaurin was a non-factor. For Washington to win, he needs at least 8-10 targets a game.
Third, monitor the defensive "Success Rate" on third downs. Tampa Bay converted 61% of their third downs in that game. That is an atrocious number for a defense. If that doesn't get below 40%, Washington will continue to lose games by double digits.
The Washington Tampa Bay score was a wake-up call. It was a loud, humid, 37-point reminder that the NFL is a league of execution, not just potential. The Buccaneers executed. The Commanders practiced.
Moving forward, the focus for Washington has to be the secondary. They’ve since looked at the waiver wire and explored trade options because the performance in Tampa showed that the current room wasn't up to the task of stopping elite NFC South passing attacks. Whether they can bridge that gap mid-season is the million-dollar question.
Watch the tape. The score tells you who won, but the third-down conversions tell you why. Until Washington fixes the "why," the "who" will stay the same.