Bucs edge Texans 20-19 in Houston, flipping the script from 2023 and escaping with a late touchdown drive after a pair of injury-riddled halves. Tampa Bay moves to 2-0, headlined by a fourth-quarter march capped by a Rachaad White score, while Baker Mayfield navigates a battered line and Emeka Egbuka shines on a crucial screen completion.

Houston pressed with a late momentum swing—Jaylin Noel’s punt return set up a Nick Chubb TD and a 19-14 lead—but the Buccaneers answered in the final minutes, aided by a late defensive stand and a Key field goal run, sealing the comeback at NRG Stadium. The win leaves Tampa Bay eyeing Week 3 with momentum and health concerns for several linemen.

Injuries dominated the storyline: Luke Goedeke exited early for Tampa Bay, Calijah Kancey left later, and the defense still found lanes to pressure Stroud. The Texans showed resilience, but the Bucs prevailed, improving mood around the division and setting up a nationally watched home matchup with the Jets.

Shilo Sanders was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a preseason ejection against the Bills, clearing waivers and facing an uncertain NFL path. The 25-year-old safety took four tackles in three exhibition games and expressed gratitude for the Buccaneers’ support, framing the setback as part of a larger story of growth and faith.

TB’s safety depth—Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith, and Christian Izien—made Sanders expendable, leaving him to chase another opportunity. The piece highlights his work ethic and resilience as he looks for a new team and a possible late-career spark in the right system.

Shilo Sanders’ ejection in Tampa Bay’s final preseason game against Buffalo heightens the safety depth issue for the Buccaneers. With J.J. Roberts sidelined by injury and Winfield Jr. and Smith inactive, Merriweather and Wisdom are set to anchor a thin group, elevating the stakes for Sanders’ roster hopes. A disciplinary misstep compounds the uphill battle to secure a spot, or even practice-squad consideration, as the Bucs weigh in-house options for their back-end defense.

The sequence with Zach Davidson adds a reminder that even in preseason, every play can influence rosters and depth charts. If the ejection derails Sanders’ case, Tampa Bay may lean more on Merriweather and Wisdom, while cornerbacks might be pressed into expanded roles in the second half of the finale.

Shilo Sanders faces an uphill climb as an undrafted free agent with Tampa Bay, as a discerning depth chart at safety could leave him out of the final 53. The Buccaneers’ roster projection lists J.J. Roberts, Kaevon Merriweather, Christian Izien, Tykee Smith, and Antoine Winfield Jr. as the safeties likely to make the team, leaving Sanders off the cut line. Sanders has impressed teammates and fans with his work ethic, and a recent preseason stint against the Titans yielded a tackle and a quarterback hit that drew praise from Todd Bowles for his readiness to step up. With two preseason games remaining against AFC contenders Pittsburgh and Buffalo, Sanders has a final window to prove he belongs, including value on special teams. The August 27 deadline looms, and the Sanders family history of defying odds adds a narrative edge to his odds-of-roster storyline.