Lavonte David had been waiting all afternoon for a chance to make a difference. With the game on the line and less than a minute remaining, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ veteran linebacker slid toward the middle of the field just as teammate Antoine Winfield Jr. closed in on Sam Darnold.
What happened next sealed one of the most thrilling finishes of the NFL season so far. Darnold’s hurried throw deflected off defensive end Logan Hall’s helmet, and David snagged the fluttering pass out of the air with 58 seconds left. His interception set up Chase McLaughlin’s 39-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Buccaneers to a 38-35 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
The win pushed Tampa Bay to 4-1, marking their fourth win by three points or fewer — a feat no team in NFL history had previously achieved.
In a game featuring two quarterbacks once written off by the franchises that drafted them — and briefly teammates in Carolina — Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold put on an aerial show.
The pair combined for 720 passing yards and completed all but 10 of their 67 total attempts.
Mayfield was surgical, completing 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns, posting an 87.9% completion rate — the highest by any quarterback in a single game this season.
He needed every bit of that efficiency to pull Tampa Bay back from a seven-point deficit in the closing minutes. Down 35-28, Mayfield engineered a lightning-quick drive, capping it with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard with 1:08 remaining to tie the game.
That left just enough time for Darnold and the Seahawks — until David’s timely pick ended the comeback bid.
Darnold, meanwhile, was nearly flawless until that final throw, finishing 28 of 34 for 341 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. His fourth-quarter strike to rookie receiver Tory Horton from 21 yards out had briefly given Seattle a 35-28 lead.
Seattle entered the week boasting the NFL’s third-ranked scoring defense, but the unit was missing key contributors in DeMarcus Lawrence, Julian Love, and Devon Witherspoon. The absences showed — Tampa Bay converted 7 of 11 third downs and piled up 463 total yards.
The Buccaneers jumped ahead 13-0 late in the first half behind McLaughlin’s two field goals and one of Rachaad White’s two rushing touchdowns, but the Seahawks stormed back behind Zach Charbonnet’s 5-yard TD run and a hot stretch from Darnold to take a brief 14-13 lead.
From there, the teams traded blows until the final whistle, combining for 889 yards of total offense.
White helped the Bucs salt away the final moments after David’s interception, rushing three straight times for 15 yards to position McLaughlin for the game-winning kick.
It was a big afternoon for a pair of former Ohio State receivers. For Tampa Bay, rookie Emeka Egbuka continued his outstanding debut season, catching seven passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. He now leads all NFL rookies with 445 receiving yards.
Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba nearly matched him, hauling in eight receptions for 132 yards and a score, often serving as Darnold’s most reliable target on third down.
“Emeka’s the most prepared rookie I’ve ever been around,” Mayfield said. “He sees the field like a veteran already.”
Second-year tight end AJ Barner also continued his breakout season for Seattle, catching seven passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns. The former Michigan standout now has four TD catches, already matching his total from 2024.
With veteran Noah Fant released in the offseason, Barner has seized his opportunity. “I just wanted to prove I could be that guy,” Barner said. “Darnold’s trust means everything.”
McLaughlin, who was listed on the Bucs’ injury report Saturday with an illness, showed no signs of weakness Sunday. He went 3-for-3 on field goals, including the clutch game-winner as time expired.
“It wasn’t the easiest week,” McLaughlin said with a grin, “but I wasn’t missing that one.”
The Buccaneers (4-1) will look to maintain their momentum when they host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6.
The Seahawks (3-2) return home to face the Los Angeles Rams, hoping to regroup after letting a late lead slip away in Tampa.
