The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed plenty of heart but not enough execution in a 44-32 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday, a defeat that shrinks their NFC South lead to just a half-game.

Despite flashes of offensive life, Tampa Bay simply couldn’t keep pace with Josh Allen, who delivered a historic six-touchdown performance on his home turf.

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Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for three more, becoming the first player in NFL history with multiple games featuring at least three scores both through the air and on the ground. His brilliance overshadowed a spirited outing from Baker Mayfield and a Buccaneers offense that fought to keep things competitive into the fourth quarter.

Tampa Bay had its opportunities. After Allen tossed an early interception deep in his own territory, the Bucs failed to capitalize, settling for a short field goal. Later, an Emeka Egbuka potential touchdown target sailed incomplete, forcing another stalled drive. Those missed chances loomed large as the game progressed.

Mayfield threw for 173 yards with a touchdown to Sean Tucker and added a rushing score, but an interception and a late fumble killed Tampa Bay’s hopes of a comeback. Tucker, however, shined with 106 rushing yards and two long touchdown bursts of 43 and 28 yards.

Todd Bowles praised his team’s effort but acknowledged what truly cost them.

“Our fight is outstanding. Our execution needs to be cleaned up,” the Bucs head coach said.

Defensively, Tampa Bay struggled to slow down Buffalo’s downfield passing and Allen’s power running, allowing three passing touchdowns of 25 yards or longer. The Bills’ revived offense rarely looked uncomfortable, even in gusty 30 mph winds.

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Cornerback Jamel Dean exited early with a hip injury, further thinning a secondary already stretched by recent absences.

Now 6-4, the Buccaneers must regroup quickly with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday. While the fight remains, the margin for error continues to shrink, and Sunday’s missed opportunities may linger as the NFC playoff race tightens.