Buccaneers snap three-game losing streak with 20-17 win over Cardinals

It wasn't the prettiest performance of the year for the Buccaneers offense, but their defense stood tough late and they got enough points to pick up their first win since Week 8.

After a Bucs punt, the Cardinals took control of the ball on their own 9-yard line with 1:49 to play. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed a couple of check downs, but the Bucs defense forced a pair of incompletions that allowed Baker Mayfield to kneel out a 20-17 home win.

The win moves Tampa to 8-4 on the season and ensures that they'll remain all alone at the top of the NFC South heading into Week 14. They'll be hosting the Saints, which makes for a good chance to ensure that they'll finish the year with a winning record.

Mayfield is playing with a left shoulder sprain and was just 18-of-28 for 194 yards on the afternoon. He hooked up with left tackle Tristan Wirfs for a touchdown late in the first half and running back Bucky Irving found the end zone on a 13-yard run in the third quarter. Irving, who was playing for the first time since Week 4, had 17 carries for 61 yards to go with two catches for 20 yards. The end result of the offensive effort was just 279 yards overall and that number will have to go up if the Bucs are going to pull clear of the Panthers in the NFC South once and for all.

The Bucs led 17-3 at one point, but Brissett led a pair of touchdown drives that made things interesting late. Brissett ended the day with 301 passing yards, so he has now thrown for more than 250 yards in all six of his starts this season.

Brissett also threw an interception to kill a scoring chance in the first half, however, and running back Bam Knight lost a fumble to open the second half. The Bucs sacked Brissett twice and forced a turnover on downs earlier in the fourth quarter.

Those miscues helped make it a fourth straight loss for the Cardinals and they'll wait to find out if wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will be able to play against the Rams next Sunday. Harrison left the game with a heel injury in the second half and did not return.