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Bucs run past Bills

Dec 9, 2013 - 2:11 AM Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Bobby Rainey rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 27-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Mike Glennon completed just 9-of-25 passes for 90 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Tampa Bay (4-9), which has won four of its last five after dropping eight in a row to start the year. Vincent Jackson caught three passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and Timothy Wright had two catches for 21 yards and a score.

"Good team victory, one that the guys will enjoy here and then we got a huge challenge to try to win four straight at home here to end the season, that's something that our players really want to do and we got to work to get that accoplished." said Tampa Bay head coach Greg Schiano.

Rookie E.J. Manuel never got into a rhythm in this one, completing 18-of-33 passes for 184 yards and a career-worst four interceptions as Buffalo (4-9) lost for the fifth time in six tries. Dan Carpenter was good on both of his field goal attempts in the setback.

The scoring started early for Tampa Bay when Rainey found a hole off tackle and raced for an 80-yard touchdown just 18 seconds into the contest.

"They're a really good defense. They're leading the league in sacks and to only give up one sack shows how well our offensive line did," said Glennon. "Some of those balls we'd like to have back but we'll look to see what happened but overall our offensive line played great. To get that first big run set the whole tone and then to hold the No. 1 team in the league in sacks to one sack that was really important for us."

Buffalo put the next points on the board with 8:07 left in the first quarter, driving 36 yards on seven plays for a Carpenter 40-yard field goal.

On the ensuing march, Tampa Bay answered when Jackson caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to cap a 9-play, 80-yard drive. Four plays earlier, Jackson made a 22-yard catch to take Tampa Bay into Bills territory.

The teams combined for three interceptions in a span of seven plays to start the second quarter. Manuel's second interception during that sequence led to Rian Lindell's 53-yard field goal for a 17-3 Tampa Bay lead with 10:45 left in the half.

On their next drive, the Buccaneers went three-and-out but Bills returner Leodis McKelvin fumbled after calling for a fair catch on the punt and Dashon Goldson recovered for Tampa Bay at the Buffalo 21-yard line.

Glennon tried to find Jackson two plays later, but came up just short and Stephon Gilmore pulled in an interception for the Bills at their own three.

The Buccaneers' next drive took them 57 yards on 10 plays and Glennon hit Wright in the middle of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in the half for a 24-3 advantage heading into the locker room.

Buffalo went 52 yards in nine plays after the second-half kickoff and got a 46-yard field goal from Carpenter, but the next Bills series ended when Manuel threw his third interception of the day on a controversial play. Mason Foster made a diving catch and appeared to juggle the ball, but the ruling was upheld on video review.

The next Bills drive also ended in a Manuel turnover. He threw a pass to Robert Woods but he was immediately crushed by Darrelle Revis. The ball was jarred loose on the hit and was ruled an interception as it never touched the ground and Lavonte David came up with his second pick of the day.

"We just have to figure out what's going on with this team. I think we really have to find an identity as a team, being that we have three games left, we really need to finish strong moving on to the offseason, that's probably the biggest thing about that meeting." said Manuel about the Bills.

The interception was returned for 32 yards to the Bills' 12-yard line. A TD pass from Glennon to Jackson was overturned on review and Lindell kicked a 32- yard field goal in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

C.J. Spiller had an 83-yard touchdown on a screen pass negated by a holding penalty by center Eric Wood 35 seconds into the fourth quarter and the Bills never seriously threatened again.

Game Notes

Stevie Johnson had five catches for 67 yards and notched his 300th career reception for the Bills ... Buffalo rushed for just 67 yards, as Spiller and Fred Jackson combined for 16 carries and 34 yards ... The Bucs outgained the Bills, 246-214 ... Tampa Bay leads the all-time series, 7-3.