Baker Mayfield knows the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to turn the corner, and he’s not pretending the 0-4 hole never happened.
After Tampa Bay blanked the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 behind a franchise-record 324 rushing yards, Mayfield said the message inside the locker room is simple: keep building, keep stacking wins, and don’t let the rough opening define the season. The victory also made the Buccaneers the first NFL team to win a game on zero completions, but the bigger takeaway was a second straight win over a top NFC South opponent.
Last week, Tampa Bay handled the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers 43-13.
That puts the Buccaneers at 3-5 after their ugly start, good for second place in the division. They’re just a half-game behind Carolina, and they still have a home game against the Panthers left on the schedule before the end of November.
Mayfield, who came back last week against Carolina after missing three games with a thumb injury, laid out what the turnaround has looked like from his perspective.
"I mean it’s a long season," Mayfield told reporters after the game. "Obviously you guys have seen in the past where we started out really hot and gone to the midseason low.
So it’s all about getting hot at the right time and continuing to get better as the season goes on, since it is a long season. So for us, it’s not how we not how we wanted to start.
Don’t get me wrong, but we’re continuing to improve and come together as a team and as a unit.
"So playing more complementary football and playing for each other, which is good to see," Mayfield continued. "When stuff’s hitting the fan, guys are coming together and not spreading the part, pointing fingers at each other. We’re trying to figure it out and make it work."
The wins have come with Tampa Bay leaning hard on its trenches and a ground attack powered by Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell, not simply on Mayfield’s return. Since he’s been back, the Buccaneers are 2-0, and both victories have come against division rivals.
With one game left against Carolina and another against Atlanta, Tampa Bay is in position to make a run at the NFC South for the fifth time in the past six seasons. The next test comes in Week 9, when the Buccaneers host the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.
In Other News...
Bucs Defense Just Turned A Lost Season Into A Real NFC South Race
After an 0-4 start, the Buccaneers have dragged themselves back into the NFC South conversation by leaning on a defense that has suddenly started to look like a strength instead of a liability. The turnaround has shown up in turnovers and a much sturdier run defense, and it was on display again in a recent shutout of Atlanta that tightened the race at the top of the division.
Tampa Bay now sits close enough to first place that the path is easy to see, even if it is still narrow. The Bucs believe winning the rest of their division games could be enough to carry them into the playoffs, which gives every NFC South matchup a little more weight from here on out. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Secondary Is Forcing A Much Bigger Conversation
The Buccaneers defense has spent enough time near the top of the league this season to make the secondary a real talking point, not just a supporting cast. Tampa Bay currently ranks first in expected points added per play allowed, and a big part of that surge has been the play of cornerback Jacob Parrish, whose coverage and run support have stood out as the unit has tightened up behind an improving pass rush.
Parrishs value has been easy to see on tape, especially in how he handles receivers at the line and stays disciplined once the play develops. Todd Bowles has singled out those traits while the rest of the defense keeps rounding into form, with contributions coming from several rushers, including Rueben Bain Jr. and Yaya Diaby. The bigger question now is how high this group can climb if the back end keeps playing at this level and the pressure up front keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Face A Yaya Diaby Problem In Playoff Push
The Buccaneers pass rush took a hit at a bad time, with head coach Todd Bowles confirming that Yaya Diaby is dealing with an MCL sprain and is currently sidelined. Diaby has been one of the more important pieces of Tampa Bays defensive front, and his absence adds another layer of pressure as the team tries to keep its playoff push on track.
For now, the Bucs are leaning on younger and less established options to help fill the gap, including rookie Reuben Bain Jr. and David Walker. Tampa Bay has managed to keep moving, but the next stretch will say plenty about how well the defense can absorb the loss if Diabys recovery takes longer than hoped. [Read more 🡒]