Alex Anzalone gave the Buccaneers something they had been waiting to see in Week 3: a clean, useful, steady linebacker performance.
That matters because the first two weeks were rough. Anzalone had been a weekly problem for Tampa Bay, piling up missed tackles, busted coverages, and even an unnecessary roughness penalty that fit the tone of his early-season struggles.
The criticism came hard from the fanbase, and it came with reason. Through two games, he had been the weakest link on the defense.
Sunday looked different. Against the Minnesota Vikings, Anzalone turned in his best outing of the season by a wide margin.
It was still a small sample, and the bar had been set low, but the linebacker at least looked like the player Tampa Bay believed it was getting when it signed him to a two-year deal in free agency. That was especially important with standout rookie Josiah Trotter out because of injury.
The production was there, too. Anzalone finished with five total tackles, tying for the team lead, and added a sack on Kyler Murray.
His Pro Football Focus grade jumped from a miserable 29.5 in Week 1 and 30.1 in Week 2 to a strong 74.7 in Week 3. Every graded area moved in the right direction, and he posted season highs across the board on defense.
That kind of turnaround is exactly what Tampa Bay needed from the veteran spot in the middle. The Buccaneers were not asking him to be a star. They needed stability, especially in pass coverage, after the linebacker position had become a recurring problem in recent seasons.
Todd Bowles never wavered publicly, either. Even as Anzalone stumbled early, Bowles stood by his team captain and kept insisting he would be fine, saying the team had great confidence in him.
That support looked a lot more reasonable after Week 3. With Bowles under pressure and the defense still searching for answers, Anzalone’s rebound arrived at the right time. One strong game does not wipe away the bad start, but it does give Tampa Bay a path forward if he can keep stacking performances like this.
In Other News...
Vikings Win May Have Changed The Buccaneers Season Fast
Baker Mayfields thumb injury has put the Buccaneers in an early-season spot they hoped to avoid after a Week 3 matchup with the Vikings that now carries more weight than the final score. Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb and is expected to miss at least three weeks, leaving Tampa Bay to move ahead without its starting quarterback while the offense adjusts on the fly.
Rookie backup Jalon Daniels finished the game after Mayfield went down and now steps into the spotlight as the fill-in. Todd Bowles and Bruce Arians have both weighed in publicly on the injury and on Mayfields playing style, adding another layer to a situation that could quickly shape how the Buccaneers navigate the next stretch of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Offense Just Took Another Hit They Couldnt Afford
The Buccaneers offense has already been stretched thin by Baker Mayfields thumb injury, and now it has taken another hit with wide receiver Jalen McMillan expected to miss 6-8 weeks after an MRI revealed a sprained PCL. Tampa Bay has been trying to keep its attack afloat without its starting quarterback, and losing another key pass catcher only adds to the pressure on a unit that has had to absorb one setback after another.
McMillans injury is a frustrating one for both the team and the player, especially with his early career already marked by missed time. For a Buccaneers offense trying to stay steady while Mayfield is out for at least three weeks, the timing could hardly be worse, and it leaves even more uncertainty around how the group will hold up in the coming stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Make Necessary Roster Move To Avoid A Safety Depth Squeeze
The Buccaneers made a practical early-season move at safety by signing Ifeatu Melifonwu to a one-year contract after using him on the practice squad and elevating him for the first three games. With the NFL limiting how many times a player can be elevated from the practice squad, Tampa Bay had to get Melifonwu onto the active roster if it wanted to keep him in the mix.
A roster spot cleared up with wide receiver Jalen McMillan likely headed to injured reserve, giving the Bucs the flexibility to make the switch without creating another squeeze elsewhere. For a team trying to manage its depth carefully in the opening stretch, keeping Melifonwu around became the priority, and the timing of McMillans status made the move possible. [Read more 🡒]