Report card grades from the Buccaneers Week 13 win over the Cardinals

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers handled their business on the scoreboard with a 20- 17 win over the Arizona Cardinals, but the tape told a much more uncomfortable story. Tampa Bay controlled stretches of the game, yet allowed Arizona to hang around far longer than they should have. Defensive lapses, penalty trouble, and missed opportunities kept this one tight until the final series. A late fourth-and-two stop saved it. Here is how each unit graded out.

Quarterback – Grade B

Baker Mayfield delivered a clean, controlled performance overall. He finished 18 of 28 for 194 yards and a touchdown to Tristan Wirfs while adding 27 yards with his legs. His pocket movement helped save multiple broken plays, and he avoided forcing throws into traffic. The early sack fumble and a late slide instead of finishing a run cost him, along with a few missed chances to close the door entirely. Efficient, steady, and just short of dominant. Mayfield was also aware enough to slide on plays to avoid further hurting himself as he returned from injury.

Running Back – Grade B -

Bucky Irving returned and once again provided the energy in the backfield with 61 rushing yards, a touchdown, and 20 yards through the air. Rachaad White was mainly quiet as a runner but delivered key checkdown conversions that kept drives alive. He also would have had a touchdown if not for a questionable penalty from wideout Tez Johnson. Tampa Bay finished with only 95 rushing yards and several negative plays that, at times, disrupted the offense's rhythm. Productive, but not consistently controlling drives. Not bad enough to cost them the game, but not essentially something that won Tampa Bay the game.

Wide Receiver – Grade C +

Chris Godwin led the room with 78 yards and set up points with the 31-yard strike, but his near touchdown drop nearly flipped the game. Emeka Egbuka made tough catches in traffic but disappeared for stretches, as he has in recent weeks. The room struggled to maintain separation late and failed to ice the game with consistent chain moving. Far too quiet when it mattered most.

Tight End – Grade C

Cade Otton and Payne Durham combined for only three catches and 20 yards. Durham delivered one crucial sideline catch, and the tight end disguise on the Wirf's touchdown was perfectly executed. However, holding and alignment penalties from this group erased key plays, including a touchdown. Functional, but not a difference-making unit this week.

Offensive Line – Grade B -

The offensive line had an uneven day. Two sacks, multiple pressures, and pre-snap penalties sometimes placed the offense behind schedule early. Still, the unit created the lane for Irving's 13-yard touchdown and held firm on the short field goal drives. The execution of Wirfs as an eligible target was a momentum saver and a phenomenal play. Sloppy early, clutch late.

Defense – Grade C +

The defense produced highs and lows in equal measure. The front held the Cardinals to 95 rushing yards and forced several stalled series. Antoine Winfield Jr grabbed the early interception, and both Vita Vea and YaYa Diaby recorded sacks. But the secondary leaked badly and was bailed out by inaccurate throws from the Cardinals' offense. Jacoby Brissett threw for 301 yards, and Arizona totaled 386 yards. Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr consistently found space, but Harrison left the game early with an injury. The unit survived on timely stops, not sustained control.

Special Teams – Grade B

Special teams delivered one of the strongest performances of the day. Chase McLaughlin nailed field goals from 25 and 57 and was perfect on extra points. Ryan Dixon averaged 48 yards per punt with three inside the 20, including the late momentum flipper that forced Arizona to go the long way. Coverage had minor leaks but no catastrophic breakdowns; reliable and clutch.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Report card grades from the Bucs Week 13 win over the Cardinals