PASSING GRADES
Bucs win in last minute after Dolphins’ Tannehill starts well
MIAMI GARDENS — Ryan Tannehill completed passes on the first four plays in his return from two serious injuries to his left knee, sparking a 40-yard drive that ended with a missed field goal in his only series, and the Miami Dolphins lost their exhibition opener to Tampa Bay 26-24 Thursday night.
Tannehill, seeing his first action since December 2016, was off-target on his final two throws and finished 4-for-6 for 32 yards.
New Buccaneers kicker Chandler Catanzaro made a 26-yard field goal with 23 seconds left to cap a 67-yard drive and give them the win.
Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston played the second quarter against Miami’s second team and led a group of reserves to 10 points on drives of 32 and 40 yards. He went 11-for-13 for 102 yards in four series.
Winston is suspended for the first three games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Bucs on a 57-yard, six-play touchdown drive on their first possession. It was capped by Peyton Barber’s 4-yard run.
Miami’s David Fales, battling Brock Osweiler for the backup QB job, led the second-string offense to a field goal against the Buccaneers’ first-team defense. Fales also directed a 75-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, and he finished 8-of-11