Scouting the Enemy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

At an early glance, this year's Denver Broncos appear to be the same as last year's. At least as far as records go with an 0-2 start. After dropping their first two games of the season, the team travels to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3.

If the Broncos can't find a way to win on the road and drop to 0-3, it will be a duplicate of their 2023 campaign—and that's not going to sit well with Broncos Country. Make no mistake, the Buccaneers are a formidable opponent coming off a big road win against the Detroit Lions .

It'll be a tough matchup, but not all hope is lost for the Broncos. Let's take a deeper look at the Buccaneers and what to watch for on Sunday.

The Buccaneers won the NFC South in 2023 with a 9-8 record and secured a playoff berth. It was a valiant effort by Head Coach Todd Bowles and his crew, but their '23 campaign ended with a loss to the Lions in the NFC Divisional Round. Their defense ranked 7th in points allowed and 28th in yardage allowed. On offense, the Buccaneers were below-average ranking 20th in points scored and 23rd in total yards.

This offseason, the Buccaneers made it a point to reward quarterback Baker Mayfield who inked a three-year deal worth up to $100 million dollars. Veteran wide receiver Mike Evans also got a significant pay raise, getting a two-year extension worth $52 million. They also brought back linebacker Lavonte David who has been a staple in their defense since being drafted in 2012.

Safety Jordan Whitehead, cornerback Bryce Hall, and offensive guard Ben Bredeson were a few of their bigger outside additions in free agency. All three are starters, but unfortunately, Hall suffered an ankle injury in their Week 1 game and has been placed on injured reserve.

Graham Barton of Duke was picked in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and is their starting center. They also added wide receiver Jalen McMillan and running back Bucky Irving on offense to give Mayfield more weapons. There is no doubt the Buccaneers are a more talented than last year's team.

The Buccaneers Offensive X-Factor: Baker Mayfield, QB Sometimes a change can make all the difference in a player's development in trajectory. For Mayfield that's precisely the case. Once thought as a bust with the Cleveland Browns , he finally found consistency with the Buccaneers. That's what a good coaching staff and stable organization can provide. But it's also a testament to him as a player getting the confidence to rise above the chaos that plagued his early years in Cleveland.

Mayfield's performance last season was the most productive of his career. He threw for over 4,000 yards, had 28 touchdowns, and a 64.3-percent completion percentage. All of them his highest marks to date. It earned him Pro Bowl honors and he was third in the AP's Comeback Player of the Year Voting.

With him leading the charge, the Buccaneers offense is fourth in the league in points scored and much more efficient than last year. Another large part of that success is prolific wide receiver duo of Chris Godwin and the aforementioned Evans. Patrick Surtain II, Ja'Quan McMillian and Riley Moss certainly have a big test in front of them. Generating pressure on Mayfield to force him into bad decisions will be crucial. The Broncos are going to need a turnover or two to keep pace with their high-powered offense.

The Buccaneers Defensive X-Factor: Lavonte David, LB Defensive tackle Vita Vea or safety Antoine Winfield Jr. would have been my primary choices here, but neither have participated in practice this week leading up to Sunday's game. With them out, I felt that giving a shoutout to Lavonte David was in order.

Durable, reliable, and dependable come to mind with David. I'd also throw in underrated . Ever since 2012, he has been a key cog in the Buccaneers' defensive efforts. He has played and started 183 games, amassed 1,492 tackles, and 33.5 sacks. His athleticism and speed gave him the tools to have a Hall of Fame caliber career with three All-Pro appearances to his name.

I was a big fan of his coming out of Nebraska and thought he would have been a terrific pick for the Broncos. Rumor has it Brian Xanders was a big fan of his in the Broncos' building too, but Elway got the final say and opted for Brock Osweiler instead. Tampa Bay took David with the next pick. It's one of my favorite What If's in Broncos history to think about.

At the age of 34, David is still playing at a high level and roaming sideline to sideline. If the Broncos want to try and jumpstart their rushing attack they will have to stop him.

How the Broncos secure victory against the Buccaneers The Broncos can't run the ball. They are going to have to get that going to stand a chance against the Buccaneers. Bo Nix has had to throw the ball too much and it can't all be on his shoulders.

Tampa Bay has some key players injured who may miss the game. Moreover, they have been vulnerable in giving up yards and some chunk plays—so those are a few things going in the Broncos' favor. They have to play mistake free football and capitalize on opportunities. Field goals won't cut it in Florida.

Denver will also need to have a lot less penalties. Through two games they already have 17. They have been undisciplined and their own worst enemies. Will that change? We'll have to wait and see, but I'm not optimistic about their chances on Sunday.