Todd Bowles didn’t dance around the issue after Tampa Bay’s Week 1 loss to Cincinnati. The Buccaneers moved the ball well enough to stay in the game, but four fumbles - three of them from Baker Mayfield - helped turn a competitive 33-27 defeat into a mess the Bucs couldn’t overcome.
Mayfield’s ball-security problems were front and center in Bowles’ Monday press conference, especially after those giveaways directly led to 17 Bengals points. Bowles said the veteran quarterback understands the assignment and knows he has to protect the football.
"Well, he knows he's got to take care of the football, and we don't want the turnovers," said Bowles of Mayfield. "He doesn't want them either.
We've got to get better at that and understand there are times you just have to get down - understanding the play call and knowing when you've got the first down, knowing when the game's on the line, and knowing when it's not. So, obviously we don't like the turnovers, and he'll be better this week."
Mayfield has built a reputation for playing on the edge, and that’s part of the package the Buccaneers have lived with since he arrived in 2023. He was one of the league’s most productive passers in 2024, throwing 41 touchdown passes, which ranked second in the NFL. But the fumbles have piled up too: Mayfield leads the league with 33 since joining Tampa Bay.
Bowles did offer some context on the breakdowns, noting that not every turnover can be pinned entirely on the quarterback.
“One or two of them was scramble,” Bowles said. “The one in the pocket already held a little bit, but the one behind him he didn’t see.
He was running, trying to make a play. But we’ve got to hold onto the Ball.
Bucky [Irving] as well.”
Even with the turnovers, Tampa Bay’s offense showed some life in its first game without Mike Evans. The longtime franchise leader in receiving is now with the San Francisco 49ers, and the Buccaneers still finished above last season’s scoring average.
That’s the part Bowles is focusing on as Tampa Bay turns to its home opener against the Cleveland Browns. The mistakes were costly, but the coach still sees a unit with enough juice to be dangerous if it cleans things up.
"We scored 27 [points] and still had the turnovers, so we've got to do a better job not turning it over," said Bowles of Tampa Bay's offense. "We just want to be effective and have positive plays, and I think we can be an effective offense."
In Other News...
Bucs Loss Took On New Meaning After What Happened To Joe Burrow
The Buccaneers walked off the field in Week 1 with a loss to Cincinnati, but the game took on a different tone once Joe Burrows postgame soreness became part of the conversation. Burrow guided the Bengals to a 33-27 win over Tampa Bay, throwing for 254 yards and a touchdown while also taking off for 20 yards, even as he absorbed two significant hits along the way.
For Tampa Bay, the result now sits beside the bigger question of Burrows condition after back tightness and shoulder discomfort showed up in practice later in the week. Burrow has said he expects to play against Houston in Week 2, which only sharpens the sense that the Bucs were part of a hard-fought opener that may have left a lasting mark beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Evans Already Got What He Was Missing In Tampa
After 12 seasons in Tampa Bay, Mike Evans has quickly found the kind of role he was looking for with the San Francisco 49ers. In his first game with his new team, he was targeted often on third downs, caught six passes for 49 yards and a touchdown, and immediately looked like a player the offense intended to lean on rather than fit in around.
For Evans, the move was about chasing another Super Bowl while staying central to the game plan, and early signs suggest the 49ers are willing to make that happen. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already praised the way Evans has fit and pointed to an offense built to play to his strengths, which makes the next stretch worth watching for anyone who followed his long run in Tampa. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Just Got An Early Test Their Pass Rush Needed
The Buccaneers are getting an early measuring stick for a defense that has plenty to prove up front. Browns coach Todd Monken said Deshaun Watson is expected to start in Week 2 against Tampa Bay, giving the Bucs a chance to see how their pass rush stacks up against a quarterback who kept his offense moving in the opener even while taking a beating in the pocket.
Watson completed more than 70 percent of his passes for 205 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Week 1, but he was sacked five times, a number Tampa Bay will notice. For the Buccaneers, the task is straightforward enough: turn that kind of pressure into a lasting advantage and show their pass rush can set the tone before the game gets away from them. [Read more 🡒]