Tampa bay buccaneers vs houston texans match player stats
The tampa bay buccaneers vs houston texans match player stats from September 15, 2025 tell the story of a tight 20-19 Tampa Bay victory in Houston. The Buccaneers finished with 360 total yards compared with Houston’s 266, while also controlling possession for 37:09. Baker Mayfield completed 25 of 38 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. C.J. Stroud produced 207 passing yards and one touchdown, but Houston could not maintain enough offensive consistency to protect its late lead.
The result was especially notable because Houston led 19-14 late in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive that covered 16 plays in just 2:04, turning a five-point deficit into a one-point win.
Tampa bay buccaneers vs houston texans match player stats
The game produced several useful statistical contrasts. Tampa Bay was more productive overall, especially on the ground, while Houston generated fewer possessions and fewer first downs.
| Category | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Houston Texans |
| Final score | 20 | 19 |
| Total yards | 360 | 266 |
| Passing yards | 191 net | 182 net |
| Rushing yards | 169 | 84 |
| Offensive plays | 72 | 46 |
| First downs | 25 | 12 |
| Third down | 6/14 | 2/9 |
| Fourth down | 1/1 | 0/1 |
| Time of possession | 37:09 | 22:51 |
| Touchdowns | 3 | 2 |
| Sacks allowed | 4 | 3 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 0 |
| Red-zone efficiency | 2/3 | 0/2 |
The biggest difference was offensive volume. Tampa Bay ran 72 offensive plays, while Houston ran only 46. That 26-play gap gave the Buccaneers more opportunities to sustain drives and eventually produce the decisive fourth-quarter possession.
Baker Mayfield’s performance
Baker Mayfield was the most important Tampa Bay player from a quarterback perspective.
He completed 25 of 38 passes for 215 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt. Also he threw two touchdowns and no interceptions, producing a 98.0 passer rating.
He was also under pressure. Houston recorded four sacks for 24 yards, meaning the Texans’ pass rush created problems even though it did not generate a turnover.
Mayfield’s efficiency was more important than his raw yardage. Tampa Bay did not need a huge passing total because the running game provided consistent support.
The quarterback’s performance also mattered in the final drive. Tampa Bay moved 80 yards on 16 plays to take the lead, completing the comeback after Houston had moved ahead 19-14.
Mayfield passing line
| Statistic | Baker Mayfield |
| Completions | 25 |
| Attempts | 38 |
| Completion rate | 65.8% |
| Passing yards | 215 |
| Passing touchdowns | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| Sacks | 4 |
| Sack yards | 24 |
| Passer rating | 98.0 |
The zero-interception performance stands out because Houston’s defense generated four sacks. Mayfield absorbed pressure without giving the Texans the turnover they needed to finish the game.
C.J. Stroud’s performance
C.J. Stroud finished with fewer completions but still delivered a solid statistical passing performance.
He completed 13 of 24 attempts for 207 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions. His passer rating was 97.0.
His 8.6 yards per attempt was higher than Mayfield’s 5.7, showing that Houston’s passing attack produced more yardage per attempt when it connected.
However, the Texans struggled to create enough overall offensive possessions. Houston had only 12 first downs and ran 46 offensive plays.
Stroud passing line
| Statistic | C.J. Stroud |
| Completions | 13 |
| Attempts | 24 |
| Completion rate | 54.2% |
| Passing yards | 207 |
| Passing touchdowns | 1 |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| Sacks | 3 |
| Sack yards | 25 |
| Passer rating | 97.0 |
Stroud also contributed as a runner. He carried the ball four times for 27 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry, with a long gain of 19 yards.
That rushing contribution helped compensate for Houston’s limited traditional running production.
Tampa Bay rushing statistics
The Buccaneers’ rushing attack was arguably the biggest statistical advantage of the game.
Tampa Bay finished with 169 rushing yards on 30 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt. Houston managed only 84 rushing yards on 19 attempts.
That created an 85-yard advantage for Tampa Bay on the ground.
Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving led Tampa Bay with:
- 17 carries
- 71 rushing yards
- 4.2 yards per carry
- 10-yard long
- 0 rushing touchdowns
Irving provided volume and helped Tampa Bay keep its offense balanced.
His 17 carries represented more than half of Tampa Bay’s team rushing attempts. That workload helped the Buccaneers maintain possession and reduce the pressure on Mayfield to win the game through the air.
Rachaad White
Rachaad White added:
- 10 carries
- 65 yards
- 6.5 yards per carry
- 1 touchdown
- 16-yard long
White was particularly important in the scoring department. His touchdown gave Tampa Bay another reliable option in the red zone.
The combination of Irving’s workload and White’s efficiency helped Tampa Bay average 5.6 yards per rushing attempt as a team.
Houston rushing statistics
Houston’s ground game was less productive.
The Texans finished with 84 rushing yards on 19 attempts, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
Nick Chubb led Houston’s traditional rushing attack.
Nick Chubb
Chubb recorded:
- 12 carries
- 43 yards
- 3.6 yards per carry
- 1 touchdown
- 25-yard long
The 25-yard run was Houston’s longest rushing play listed in the supplied statistics.
Chubb’s touchdown gave the Texans an important scoring contribution, but the overall rushing production was not enough to match Tampa Bay.
Stroud’s rushing contribution
Stroud added 27 rushing yards on only four attempts.
His 6.8-yard average was actually higher than Chubb’s 3.6-yard average. His longest run went for 19 yards.
This illustrates an important point when reading quarterback statistics. A quarterback can contribute meaningful offensive yardage without producing a large rushing workload.
Tampa Bay receiving statistics
Mike Evans was Tampa Bay’s leading receiver by yardage.
He finished with:
- 5 receptions
- 56 receiving yards
- 11.2 yards per reception
- 22-yard long
- 11 targets
His 11 targets were the highest among Tampa Bay’s listed receiving leaders, showing that Mayfield consistently looked his way.
The Buccaneers also received a touchdown from Emeka Egbuka.
Emeka Egbuka
Egbuka recorded:
- 4 receptions
- 29 yards
- 1 touchdown
- 15-yard long
- 7 targets
Although his yardage total was modest, the touchdown gave him direct scoring value.
Tampa Bay receiving team totals
The Buccaneers completed 25 receptions for 215 yards, averaging 8.6 yards per reception.
They had:
- 36 targets
- 25 receptions
- 215 receiving yards
- 2 receiving touchdowns
- 22-yard longest reception
The 25 completions also match Mayfield’s completion total, providing a straightforward picture of Tampa Bay’s passing distribution.
Houston receiving statistics
Nico Collins led Houston in receiving yardage and also scored a touchdown.
He finished with:
- 3 receptions
- 52 yards
- 17.3 yards per reception
- 1 touchdown
- 29-yard long
- 9 targets
His 29-yard reception was Houston’s longest listed reception among its leading receivers.
Woody Marks also produced a notable explosive play, catching one pass for 37 yards. That single reception gave him a 37.0-yard average and represented Houston’s longest reception.
Houston receiving team totals
Houston finished with:
- 13 receptions
- 207 receiving yards
- 15.9 yards per reception
- 1 receiving touchdown
- 23 targets
- 37-yard long
The Texans’ receiving efficiency was impressive. Their 15.9 yards per reception was much higher than Tampa Bay’s 8.6.
However, Houston’s passing volume was significantly lower. The Texans completed only 13 passes compared with Tampa Bay’s 25.
That difference helped explain why Houston could post strong yards per reception numbers while still producing only 266 total yards.
The importance of first downs
First downs provide one of the clearest explanations for the final result.
Tampa Bay recorded 25 first downs.
Houston recorded only 12.
That is a difference of 13 first downs.
Tampa Bay produced nine first downs through rushing, 12 through passing and four through penalties. Houston recorded three rushing first downs, seven passing first downs and two from penalties.
This was not simply a matter of one or two big plays.
Tampa Bay repeatedly extended drives.
That allowed the Buccaneers to maintain possession and keep Houston’s offense on the sideline.
Third-down performance
Third-down efficiency was another major advantage.
Tampa Bay converted 6 of 14 third downs, a 42.9% success rate.
Houston converted only 2 of 9, or 22.2%.
This difference matters because third-down conversions help determine whether an offense can continue a drive after its initial set of downs.
Tampa Bay’s 42.9% rate allowed the offense to stay on the field more often.
Houston’s 22.2% rate contributed to shorter possessions and reduced offensive opportunities.
The possession numbers reflected this difference. Tampa Bay controlled the ball for 37:09, while Houston had it for only 22:51.
Fourth-down execution
Tampa Bay was also perfect on its only fourth-down attempt.
The Buccaneers converted 1 of 1.
Houston went 0 of 1.
The numbers are small, but the difference illustrates Tampa Bay’s ability to stay alive on an important possession while Houston failed in its only fourth-down opportunity.
In a one-point game, individual conversion situations can become especially significant.
Defensive player statistics
The defensive numbers show that Houston actually generated more overall tackling activity.
Houston recorded 68 total tackles, including 53 solo tackles.
Tampa Bay recorded 46 total tackles, including 36 solo tackles.
Henry To’oTo’o led Houston with 11 tackles, including seven solo tackles and one tackle for loss.
For Tampa Bay, Tykee Smith led the defense with:
- 6 tackles
- 4 solo tackles
- 1 sack
- 2 tackles for loss
Tampa Bay’s defense also recorded three sacks and six quarterback hits.
Houston produced four sacks and six quarterback hits.
So, the Texans’ defense was not ineffective. In fact, it generated more sacks and more total tackles.
The bigger problem was what happened around those defensive plays.
Houston’s defensive pressure
Houston’s four sacks were a clear positive.
The Texans held Mayfield to 215 passing yards and recorded 24 yards of sack losses.
Yet Tampa Bay continued to move the ball.
The Buccaneers produced 360 total yards despite allowing those four sacks.
That is an important distinction when evaluating a defensive performance.
Pressure can be statistically strong while still failing to stop an opponent from sustaining enough drives to win.
Tampa Bay’s defensive pressure
Tampa Bay recorded three sacks against Stroud.
The Buccaneers also produced six quarterback hits and five tackles for loss.
Stroud was therefore under meaningful pressure throughout the game.
Still, Houston’s passing attack avoided interceptions.
That made the game much closer than the total-yard difference might suggest.
Special teams comparison
Special teams also produced several useful statistical differences.
Tampa Bay recorded:
- 3 kickoff returns for 68 yards
- 1 punt return for 6 yards
- 5 punts for 253 yards in the supplied player data
- 0 made field goals on 1 attempt
- 2 extra points on 2 attempts
Houston recorded:
- 4 kickoff returns for 107 yards
- 3 punt returns for 67 yards
- 4 punts for 203 yards
- 2 field goals on 2 attempts
- 1 extra point on 1 attempt
Houston’s return game was particularly productive.
The Texans averaged 26.8 yards per kickoff return and 22.3 yards per punt return.
Their longest punt return reached 53 yards.
Ka’imi Fairbairn also made both of his field-goal attempts, including a 53-yard kick.
Chase McLaughlin did not make his only field-goal attempt but converted both extra-point attempts.
Red-zone efficiency
Red-zone execution was one of the most important differences.
Tampa Bay went 2-for-3 in the red zone, producing a 67% touchdown rate.
Houston went 0-for-2.
That means Houston entered the red zone twice without scoring a touchdown on either possession.
Tampa Bay was not perfect either, but it converted enough opportunities to make the difference.
The Buccaneers’ ability to turn two of three red-zone trips into touchdowns helped offset Houston’s successful field-goal kicking.
How the fourth quarter changed the game
The final quarter provides the clearest explanation of the result.
Houston initially moved from a 14-10 deficit to 19-14.
The Texans scored a field goal and then a touchdown, putting Tampa Bay in a difficult position.
The Buccaneers responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive.
The drive lasted 16 plays and 2:04.
That possession produced the final scoring change of the game.
Tampa Bay finished the comeback with 20 points, while Houston ended with 19.
The sequence demonstrates why box-score totals need context.
Houston had some efficient passing plays and strong special-teams returns. Tampa Bay, however, controlled more possessions and eventually produced the drive that mattered most.
What the numbers say about Tampa Bay’s victory
The supplied tampa bay buccaneers vs houston texans match player stats show that Tampa Bay’s victory was based on sustained offensive production rather than overwhelming passing efficiency.
Three numbers stand out.
1. The 169 rushing yards
Tampa Bay gained twice as many rushing yards as Houston.
That created a stable offensive foundation.
2. The 25 first downs
The Buccaneers moved the chains repeatedly.
Houston had only 12 first downs.
That difference explains why Tampa Bay could control possession for more than 37 minutes.
3. The 360 total yards
Tampa Bay generated 94 more total yards than Houston.
The difference came largely from rushing production and offensive volume.
These numbers make the one-point result easier to understand.
Houston was competitive, but Tampa Bay consistently created more opportunities.
What the numbers say about Houston’s performance
Houston’s statistics were more complicated.
The Texans showed several areas of strength.
Stroud threw no interceptions.
The receiving group averaged 15.9 yards per reception.
The defense recorded four sacks.
Special teams produced strong return numbers.
Fairbairn made both field goals.
Yet Houston struggled to turn those positive plays into sustained offensive possessions.
The Texans converted only two third downs.
- They generated 12 first downs.
- They ran only 46 offensive plays.
- They also went 0-for-2 in the red zone.
That combination made it difficult to close out the game after taking a 19-14 lead.
A closer look at offensive efficiency
One interesting feature of the game is that Houston averaged more yards per passing attempt than Tampa Bay.
Stroud produced 207 passing yards on 24 attempts.
Mayfield produced 215 yards on 38 attempts.
Houston’s passing attack therefore created more yardage per attempt.
But passing efficiency alone does not determine the winner.
Tampa Bay compensated with rushing production.
The Buccaneers also ran 26 more offensive plays.
That gave Mayfield and the running backs more chances to accumulate first downs and points.
This is a useful lesson when interpreting player statistics.
The most efficient individual metric is not always the metric that decides the game.
Player impact beyond raw yardage
Mike Evans’ 56 receiving yards were not a massive total.
However, his 11 targets indicate how central he was to Tampa Bay’s passing structure.
Bucky Irving’s 71 rushing yards were also not an extraordinary single-game total.
His 17 carries, however, provided consistent rushing volume.
Similarly, Nico Collins’ 52 yards do not fully explain his influence.
His touchdown and 29-yard long reception gave Houston an important source of explosive offense.
The best player analysis therefore combines volume, efficiency, scoring and situational importance.
Key statistical winners
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield gets the quarterback edge because he produced two touchdowns, avoided interceptions and guided the winning fourth-quarter drive.
Bucky Irving
Irving supplied Tampa Bay with 17 carries and 71 yards, helping establish the running game.
Rachaad White
White provided an important rushing touchdown and averaged 6.5 yards per carry.
Mike Evans
Evans led Tampa Bay in receiving yards and targets.
Nico Collins
Collins led Houston’s receiving group in yardage and scored a touchdown.
Henry To’oTo’o
To’oTo’o led all listed defenders with 11 tackles.
Tykee Smith
Smith led Tampa Bay’s defense with six tackles and added a sack and two tackles for loss.
Why the final score was so close
A 360-to-266 advantage in total yards might suggest a comfortable Tampa Bay victory.
It was not.
Houston benefited from several factors.
The Texans made two field goals.
They produced strong return yardage.
Their passing attack averaged 15.9 yards per reception.
Their defense recorded four sacks.
Most importantly, Houston led 19-14 in the fourth quarter.
Tampa Bay’s advantage came from consistency.
The Buccaneers created more first downs, ran more plays, controlled possession and dominated the rushing yardage.
That combination eventually overcame Houston’s explosive plays.
The most useful stats for evaluating this matchup
For readers comparing the teams, these are the numbers worth remembering:
- Tampa Bay total yards: 360
- Houston total yards: 266
- Tampa Bay rushing yards: 169
- Houston rushing yards: 84
- Tampa Bay first downs: 25
- Houston first downs: 12
- Tampa Bay third-down conversion: 42.9%
- Houston third-down conversion: 22.2%
- Tampa Bay possession: 37:09
- Houston possession: 22:51
- Tampa Bay sacks: 3
- Houston sacks: 4
- Tampa Bay red-zone efficiency: 67%
- Houston red-zone efficiency: 0%
These statistics provide a more complete picture than the final score alone.
Tampa bay buccaneers vs houston texans match player stats: final assessment
The tampa bay buccaneers vs houston texans match player stats show two teams that won different statistical battles.
Houston’s biggest strengths were explosive passing efficiency, defensive pressure and special teams.
Tampa Bay’s strengths were rushing production, first downs, possession time and sustained offensive volume.
Mayfield finished with the stronger overall quarterback result because he produced two touchdown passes without an interception and helped lead the final comeback.
Stroud was efficient with his opportunities, but Houston’s offense did not create enough possessions.
The most decisive difference was Tampa Bay’s ability to sustain drives.
The Buccaneers ran 72 offensive plays to Houston’s 46. They produced 25 first downs to Houston’s 12. They also gained 169 rushing yards compared with Houston’s 84.
Those advantages eventually gave Tampa Bay enough opportunities to overcome a late deficit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Buccaneers vs Texans game in 2025?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Houston Texans 20-19 on September 15, 2025.
How many yards did Baker Mayfield throw for?
Baker Mayfield completed 25 of 38 passes for 215 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
How many passing yards did C.J. Stroud have?
C.J. Stroud completed 13 of 24 passes for 207 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Who led Tampa Bay in rushing?
Bucky Irving led Tampa Bay with 71 rushing yards on 17 carries. Rachaad White scored Tampa Bay’s rushing touchdown.
Who led Houston in receiving?
Nico Collins led Houston with 52 receiving yards on three catches and scored one touchdown.
Which team had more total yards?
Tampa Bay had 360 total yards, while Houston had 266.
Conclusion
The September 15, 2025 matchup was a strong example of how football games are decided by more than quarterback passing totals.
Tampa Bay won because it consistently created more offensive opportunities. The Buccaneers produced 25 first downs, rushed for 169 yards, ran 72 plays and controlled possession for more than 37 minutes.
Houston had its own statistical advantages. The Texans recorded four sacks, averaged 15.9 yards per reception and received strong special-teams production. Stroud also avoided turnovers.
However, the Texans struggled on third down and failed to score touchdowns on either red-zone possession.
The final 20-19 score therefore reflects a game in which Houston remained dangerous throughout, but Tampa Bay controlled enough of the underlying numbers to produce the winning fourth-quarter drive.
The most important takeaway from the player statistics is the balance of Tampa Bay’s offense. Mayfield provided two touchdown passes, Irving supplied rushing volume, White added a rushing touchdown and Evans remained a major target.
For Houston, Collins provided an important receiving touchdown, Chubb scored on the ground and Stroud produced 207 passing yards without an interception. The problem was not a complete lack of individual production. It was the team’s inability to turn enough of that production into sustained drives and red-zone touchdowns.
