Irving rushes for 142 yards as Buccaneers beat Steelers 23-14

Tampa, FL - Bucky Irving rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-14 in Week 6, handing Pittsburgh its fifth consecutive loss.

Irving carried 22 times and broke a 31-yard run during a performance that headlined Tampa Bay's 209 rushing yards. Quarterback Baker Mayfield added 58 yards on five attempts, including a 34-yard run, as the Buccaneers finished with 379 offensive yards and 21 first downs.

Pittsburgh, which arrived in Tampa on a four-game losing streak, finished with 236 offensive yards and 12 first downs. The Steelers rushed for 120 yards and produced 116 passing yards, leaving a 143-yard difference between the teams in overall offensive production.

"I tried to stay patient and be decisive when I had the ball," Irving said. "You want to make every carry count, but the main thing is that we finished the day with a win."

Mayfield completed 18 of 31 passes for 183 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His longest completion went for 39 yards, and Tampa Bay's passing game featured a 100-yard performance from Ted Hurst III. Hurst caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, accounting for the Buccaneers' only 100-yard receiving effort.

"There are some throws I'd like to have back, and I know I can be cleaner," Mayfield said. "But we had different guys contributing, and Bucky gave us a lot of production on the ground. We'll take the result and keep working."

Tampa Bay's offensive yardage did not translate into consistent red-zone touchdown production. The Buccaneers reached the red zone four times but scored one touchdown on those trips. Pittsburgh made two red-zone visits and scored touchdowns on both, giving the Steelers a sharp efficiency contrast despite their lower yardage total.

Chase McLaughlin made a 44-yard field goal for Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers finished 4-for-12 on third down, while Pittsburgh converted 3 of 10 third downs and its only fourth-down attempt.

Aaron Rodgers completed 14 of 25 passes for 132 yards and was intercepted twice, finishing with a 37.4 passer rating. He also ran twice for 36 yards, with a long of 23. Tampa Bay's defense recorded three sacks in addition to its two interceptions.

"I can't turn the ball over twice," Rodgers said. "That's my responsibility. We had two red-zone trips and finished both of them, but we didn't have enough overall production to get the result we needed."

Rico Dowdle was one of Pittsburgh's most productive skill players. He rushed 11 times for 48 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for 47 yards, including a 40-yard catch. His 95 yards from scrimmage represented a significant share of the Steelers' offense.

Pittsburgh's defense generated some notable individual production despite allowing 379 offensive yards. Alex Highsmith recorded 1.5 of the Steelers' two sacks and made their lone interception, returning it 14 yards. Tampa Bay nevertheless finished with nine more first downs and 89 more rushing yards.

Hurst's seven catches gave Mayfield a consistent receiving option, while Irving's 22 attempts represented the largest workload on either team. The combination left Tampa Bay with advantages in passing yards, rushing yards, offensive yards and first downs, even as the Buccaneers finished with only one touchdown across four red-zone opportunities.

"The catches are good and getting over 100 is something you appreciate, but the win is what gives it meaning," Hurst said. "There are still areas where we can be better, especially when we get opportunities near the end zone."

The victory gave Tampa Bay consecutive wins, while Pittsburgh dropped its fifth straight game.

Up Next

Tampa Bay will travel to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 7 looking to build on the victory, while Pittsburgh heads to the New Orleans Saints seeking to rebound from another loss.