The Buccaneers’ 0-3 start got worse in a hurry Sunday, and not just because of the scoreboard.
Tampa Bay fell to the Vikings, 23-16, at home, dropping to 0-3 for the first time since 2014. The offense never found a rhythm, with the line having a hard time handling Minnesota’s front seven and Baker Mayfield looking out of sync with his receivers for much of the afternoon.
Then came the final drive, and with it a bigger concern than another loss.
Mayfield appeared to suffer what looked like a significant hand injury while scrambling on fourth down in a last attempt to keep the Buccaneers alive. It was the same hand that seemed to bother him earlier in the game, but he pushed through it before taking another hit to the issue late.
After throwing the interception on his final pass, Mayfield could be heard screaming in agony during the FOX broadcast. He then headed to the locker room, and at that point the tone around Tampa Bay shifted from frustration over the offense to real uncertainty about what comes next.
The extent of the injury is still unknown, and Todd Bowles is not expected to have an immediate explanation. For now, the Buccaneers are left waiting on further testing and wondering whether they may have to turn to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels.
Mayfield’s final line reflected the struggles all around him: he completed 17 of 34 passes for 217 yards, threw one touchdown, and finished with the interception on his last throw.
In Other News...
Bucs Loss Exposed A Bigger Problem Than Fans Wanted To See
The Buccaneers 23-16 loss to the Vikings in Week 3 was more than just a one-score setback. Tampa Bay kept bumping into the same problems on both sides of the ball, with the offense never finding much rhythm under coordinator Zac Robinson and the defense undone at key moments, including an 86-yard punt return touchdown that tilted the game in Minnesotas favor.
Baker Mayfield finished with a 50% completion rate, one touchdown and one interception, then added a right hand injury late in the game to an already frustrating night. There were also rough stretches for players such as cornerback Jacob Parrish and right tackle Luke Goedeke, leaving the Bucs with an uncomfortable reminder that the issues exposed Sunday go well beyond a single bad sequence or a single phase of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Injury Just Raised The Stakes For A Reeling Bucs Team
Tampa Bays rough Week 3 got even messier late in the loss to Minnesota, when Baker Mayfield dislocated his thumb near the end of the game. The Buccaneers were already dealing with the sting of another defeat, and the injury to their starting quarterback quickly became the biggest concern coming out of the night.
Todd Bowles said Mayfield will undergo an MRI to get a better read on the injury, leaving the team waiting on a clearer update. Mayfield was replaced by rookie Jalon Daniels after leaving the game, and for a Bucs team trying to steady itself, the timing of the setback only adds to the pressure heading into the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Loss Exposed Problems Fans Wont Stop Arguing About
The Buccaneers latest loss did more than dent the standings - it reopened the same arguments that have followed this team for weeks. Between the defenses uneven stretches, the offenses uneven rhythm and a special teams sequence that left plenty of second-guessing behind, the game against Minnesota became the kind of all-around mess that forces a closer look at how Tampa Bay is being coached and why so many drives still seem to stall at the wrong time.
Todd Bowles now has a familiar debate on his hands, because the scrutiny is not just about one bad afternoon but about how the Bucs handled key moments through the first three quarters. Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving and a few others had their moments, but the bigger issue is whether the teams decisions and execution can keep matching up against good opponents when the game starts tightening. [Read more 🡒]