Mike Tomlin likes what he sees in Tampa Bay.
The former head coach, now part of NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage, said the Buccaneers have settled into a winning identity after back-to-back victories that have changed the look of their season. After opening 1-5, Tampa Bay has beaten two NFC South opponents in a row and now sits just a half-game behind first place.
That turnaround has put the Bucs squarely in the middle of the conversation with the NFL trade deadline set for next Tuesday. Tampa Bay suddenly looks like one of the league’s most interesting teams to watch, because the front office has a real choice to make.
The team can push in and try to build on its recent surge, or it can stand pat, something The Athletic believes it should do. The view here is different: standing pat would be the worst move.
Tomlin made it clear he thinks the Bucs have found something that works.
“You got elite defense and the best kicker on the planet right now, you know, chew with your mouth closed. And get out of stadiums with W’s… I think they’ve found their formula in terms of engineering victory.
And that’s probably what’s most important, particularly at this stage of the journey as you go into November. You got to have a mode of operation if you want to win and win consistently and stack wins.
Certainly over the last month, I think they’ve discovered that.”
And he’s not wrong. Over the last two games, Tampa Bay has leaned on its defense and run game, and the results have been loud. The Bucs beat the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons by a combined 59-13, a stretch that pulled them back into the NFC South race.
The defense looks capable of holding up the rest of the way, even with YaYa Diaby expected to miss a few weeks because of a knee injury. That said, there’s a ceiling here if the passing game doesn’t show up.
The numbers from the last two wins tell the story. Against Atlanta, Tampa Bay became the first team in over 50 years to win a game without completing a pass. In the 43-13 win over Carolina, Baker Mayfield completed only seven passes for 64 yards.
That kind of formula can get you through a short stretch. It’s a lot harder to live on it for long.
Tampa Bay has found a way to win, and that matters. But if the Bucs want this push to last, they’re going to need more than defense and timely kicking. They’ll need a more balanced offense to go with it.
Tomlin’s praise carries weight. He knows football, and he knows what a team looks like when it has found its footing.
Tampa Bay has done that much. The bigger question is whether it can build on it before Tuesday arrives.
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If Wirfs is unable to go, the next man up would likely be Ben Chukwuma at left tackle, a significant development for an offensive line that has to help keep the game plan on schedule. Todd Bowles is expected to update Wirfs status in the coming media sessions, and for now the Buccaneers are left waiting on one of their most important players. [Read more 🡒]