The Tampa Bay Buccaneers love to do things the hard way. After narrowly winning a game that required overtime last week, the Bucs let the Raiders get too close for comfort for too long before sealing the deal on Sunday. After quickly taking a 14-0 lead, the Bucs let the Raiders get back into the game before finally winning the game after a stagnant two quarters.

However, with the win, the Bucs are finally back above .500 at 7-6 and are back atop the NFC South Division thanks to the Vikings, who handled their business against the Falcons. See who shined and who struggled in the Bucs’ 28-13 win over the Raiders.

RB Rachaad White

White got off to a strong start, scoring a touchdown on the Bucs’ second drive of the game. He finished the day with a 90-yard run and scored late in the fourth quarter to extend the Bucs’ lead after a stagnant two quarters. White was also involved in the receiving game, hauling in two receptions for 19 yards, including a five-yard score. Since Bucky Irving was out during the game with a back injury, he was tasked with carrying the rock. White entered and will likely prove to be a contender for Angry Runs after cornering Decamerion Richardson with a nasty stiff arm.

LB Lavonte David

Vintage Lavonte was sidelined on Sunday as he played a crucial role in the Bucs’ victory over the Raiders. His first big play of the day came with a sack of Aidan O’Connell on third down on Las Vegas’ first drive, dropping him for a loss of ten yards. In the second quarter, he managed to recover a fumbled snap to give the ball back after they had just turned the ball over and was instrumental in limiting Brock Bowers to just 49 yards rushing.

S Tykee Smith

Smith returned for his first game since Week 9 and was a big factor in the Bucs’ win. He finished the day with three tackles, but it was an interception at the end of the drive that was the highlight of the day for the rookie safety. He was credited with helping stop rookie tight end Brock Bowers, and he did his part, holding the electric player to just three possessions and 49 yards on five targets – one of which he intercepted.

QB Baker Mayfield

It wasn’t a good day for Baker Mayfield on Sunday against the Raiders. He handled the ball irregularly, held it for too long and simply couldn’t find any rhythm in his passing game. He had two interceptions and was sacked four times, including a strip sack. He missed open receivers, danced in the pocket, took pressure, and didn’t make good progress on his reads. However, he came through when it mattered most in the fourth quarter, but his erratic play could have cost the Bucs a lot of time.

Offensive line

It wasn’t a great game for the offensive line, although the running game totaled 152 yards on the ground. While they opened up some holes for some big runs, they regularly struggled to get a solid push in the run game. It was largely the same in pass protection. The Raiders chose a game plan that the Bucs’ linemen had difficulty defending, which accounted for multiple pressures on the day. And while some of the pressure came from Mayfield holding onto the ball for too long, it wasn’t the performance we’ve come to expect from the line in recent weeks.

Third-down efficiency

The Buccaneers once again struggled to sustain their drives, scoring a paltry 5-12 on third down. For the second week in a row, the Bucs dropped the ball at the crucial point, allowing the Raiders to get back into the game in the second quarter and stay there until they finally broke through in the fourth quarter and found opportunities to score. It was enough for a win this week, but against a team like the Los Angeles Chargers and in the playoffs, teams will pay if they can’t sustain their offense on the field.

READ MORE: Buccaneers beat Raiders 28-13 to take first place in NFC South

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