Tampa Bay Buccaneers Lead the Houston Texans 14-10 At Halftime Of “Monday Night Football”
It was an exciting first half of football in Houston, Texas. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the Houston Texans 14-10 at the half. How did the first half of this marquee matchup unfold?Â
Both Offenses Were Great To Begin the First Half
The Houston Texans went right down the field and cut through Tampa Bay’s defense like a hot knife through butter on their opening drive. A connection between Quarterback C.J. Stroud and Wide Receiver Nico Collins helped the Texans take an early 7-0 lead. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Baker Mayfield, not to be outdone, led Tampa Bay on an opening drive touchdown of their own. Mayfield hit Wide Receiver Ryan Miller for a 20-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7.
Houston’s second drive also started well, but a penalty inside the red zone forced them to settle for a field goal. The Texans led 10-7 late in the opening quarter. Tampa Bay’s second drive was another lengthy one. The 14-play drive culminated in a touchdown reception by Emeka Egbuka.
Each team’s defense got fatigued in the first half. The Texans and Buccaneers held the ball for long periods this evening. The first four drives of the contest took about 20 minutes of game time. The rest of the first half saw each defense find its footing. There were no more points scored. Mayfield went 10-of-13 for 94 yards with a pair of passing touchdowns in the first half. Stroud was 6-0f-8 for 125 yards and a passing touchdown.
 What Must the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Do In the Second Half To Win?
Both of these head coaches, Todd Bowles and DeMeco Ryans, are defensive-minded. They both will make adjustments in the locker room to ensure their defenses can keep this success going in the second half. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will receive the second half kickoff. The Buccaneers are looking to start the season 2-0, while the Texans are hoping to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start. If the second half is as exciting as the first half, this game will be a classic.
