Bucs Lead Dolphins at Halftime of Preseason Finale

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finish off the exhibition portion of the 2024 schedule on Friday night against the in-state rival Miami Dolphins at Raymond James Stadium. Both teams have plenty to work on before the regular season, and at the half, the Bucs lead the Dolphins 17-7 behind a Rachaad White touchdown run and a Kyle Trask scoring pass.

The Bucs played some of the starters in the final tune-up before the regular season, including quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield got the offense going early with a touchdown on the first drive of the game on a four-yard run by Rachaad White . The scoring play was set up by a 28-yard connection between Mayfield and rookie wideout Jalen McMillan that put the ball at the Miami 4-yard line. The Bucs' running game did the rest from there for a 7-0 lead over the Dolphins.

Mayfield went 3-for-3 for 57 yards on the drive while White carried four times for 16 yards and caught one ball for 17 yards.

The defense held on Miami's first possession, restricting the Dolphins to a 3-and-out as Mike White got the call under center for the Dolphins.

Mayfield and White appeared to be done for the night as Kyle Trask came into the game under center on the next possession alongside rookie running back Bucky Irving.

Neither could spark the offense, however, with a 3-and-out of their own.

That's largely how the entire rest of the first quarter went. After that Dolphins possession, the Bucs went 3-and-out then punted, Miami went 4-and-out and punted, Tampa Bay went 5-and-out then punted, and to end the first quarter, the Dolphins turned the ball over on downs after five plays.

Trask finished the first quarter 4-of-6 for 38 yards, while White was 4-of-6 for 35 yards.

The Bucs still led 7-0 as the second quarter started, and found points again on a Chase McLaughlin 51-yard field goal that ended a six-play, 24-yard drive to begin the new frame.

Tampa Bay found the scoreboard again on its next possession with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Trask to wideout Ryan Miller to push the Bucs' lead to 17-0 midway through the second quarter.

The Dolphins finally found the scoreboard on a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Skylar Thompson to wideout Hayden Rucci just before the two-minute warning for a 17-7 advantage by the Bucs. That score topped off a seven-play, 70-yard drive by Miami that saw Thompson go 5-for-5 for 58 yards.

The Bucs were driving with under two minutes remaining and, faced with a 3rd and 5 from their own 35-yard line, the Dolphins called their final timeout hoping for a defensive stop and to steal a possession at the end of the half.

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But the Bucs converted and ran the clock out to get to halftime with the 17-7 lead. The Dolphins will receive the ball first to start the second half.

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