The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began the 2016 NFL season on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. This game marked the first game for the Buccaneers under newly hired head coach Dirk Koetter, which ended in a score of 17-9 and a loss for the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers received the ball to start the game off. However, kick returner Kenny Bell fumbled the ball and the Eagles recovered it. The Eagles drive ended with a running score from Eagles back Ryan Matthews.

After replacing Bell with WR Donteea Dye on kick returns, the Buccaneers offense took the field, led by QB Jameis Winston.

After both teams punted on the following two possessions, the Buccaneers began their second drive on offense. The drive ended quickly after Winston fumbled the ball on the first play, with Philadelphia recovering it.

The Eagles offense finished their next drive with QB Chase Daniels scoring a three-yard rushing touchdown, putting the score at 14-0 with 10:07 left in the first quarter.

Winston then led the Buccaneers to a touchdown, scoring on a 26-yard pass to WR Russell Shepard. The Buccaneers did not get the extra point, due to rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo hitting the left field goal post in his first NFL kick.

Winston finished the day with 97 yards while completing seven out of nine passes along with the touchdown, doing so all in the first quarter.

Back up QB Mike Glennon led the offense beginning in the second quarter and played through the quarter and into the third. He finished the game with 83 yards and an interception, which occurred in the second quarter while avoiding a sack.

The rookies for Tampa Bay made plays during the first half. DE Noah Spence was constantly putting pressure on the opposing QB. CB Vernon Hargreaves had a close interception that bounced off of his hands before going incomplete on third down. As for the team as a whole, the Buccaneers had four total sacks among the defensive line during the first half.

In the third quarter, Buccaneers’ CB Isaiah Johnson intercepted Eagles rookie QB Carson Wentz.

Moving into the fourth quarter, both teams traded field goals, with kickers Caleb Sturgis for the Eagles and Aguayo for the Buccaneers making 42 and 38 yarders. This put the score at 17-9, which would end up being the final score after third string QB Ryan Griffin threw an interception in the end zone with 52 seconds left in the game, which could have tied the game had the Buccaneers then completed a two point conversion.