Tampa Bay Buccaneers bold predictions for Week 4 vs. Eagles
Gosh, what happened to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3 ? They went from looking like a legit challenger for the NFC South, even as the New Orleans Saints led the league in points scored in Week 2, to the type of team that handed the Denver Broncos their first – and maybe only – win of the year.
Did their game simply fall off? Or did they simply fall into the trap of overlooking a Broncos team that few thought could secure the win and dropped it as a result? Well, in the opinion of Barkler Mayfield, Tampa Bay simply didn't prepare for the game adequately , as he explained to reporters after the game.
"There are a few things that we need to look at the tape and get fixed," Mayfield said via The AP. "This is a good lesson for our team overall. You have to prepare like you're playing in a playoff game every week, or this can happen. It's a good lesson for the young guys who haven't seen it before of what you need to be prepared for, how detailed we need to be."
Fortunately for fans in Tampa Bay, it's clear the Buccaneers won't be overlooking the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, as they are one of the premier teams in the NFC, but that doesn't necessarily mean the results will be much different, as Nick Sirianni's team has a few tricks up their sleeves that could make for an uncomfortable afternoon.
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On paper, Todd Bowles has a chance to really make the Eagles' offense one-dimensional in Week 4, as Jalen Hurts will be without three of his top four wide receivers and forced to rely on a hodgepodge of outside options headlined by trade addition Jahan Dotson, rookie sixth-round pick Johnny Wilson, and Parris Campbell, who is technically still on the practice squad. Show single coverage on the outside, stack the box to eliminate short passing yards and runs between the tackles, and see if the $225 million quarterback can truly live up to his contractual pedigree.
And yet, no matter how hard teams have tried in 2024, no one has been able to slow down Saquon Barkley in his pursuit of rushing greatness in South Philadelphia, with his low-water mark coming in Week 2, when he just ran for 95 yards in the Eagles' loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Facing off against a Buccaneers team that has allowed 413 rushing yards so far this season , a mark that ranks 25th in the NFL, the Buccaneers have been gashed on the ground routinely in 2024 despite having largely avoided facing a truly elite rusher so far this season, with the closest amalgamation coming in Week 2 via the one-two punch of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Even with an elite nose tackle like Vita Vea in place, who has been playing for Bowles for years now, the Buccaneers have allowed the second-most rushing yards of any team in the NFL and have struggled to make their opponents one-dimensional, with each game featuring at least 130 rushing yards allowed.
So what happens when you pit an irresistible force like Barkley against a very moveable object like the Buccaneers' defense? You get another 100-yard game by the Penn State product, with former teammate Chris Godwin watching on in horror as one of the premier running backs in the NFL puts in work.
Through the first three games of the 2024 NFL season, Mayfield has been sacked 13 times. Now granted, he's been able to largely overcome this unfortunate reality to remain one of the premier passers in the NFL, recording a 2-1 record while completing 74.4 percent of his passes with a 6:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but when you consider he's been sacked on 13.68 percent of his passing attempts, it's tough to really get into a consistent rhythm.
Fortunately for Mayfield, the Eagles are one of the least effective pass-rushing teams in the NFL, with just four sacks on the season split between Zach Baun (two), Milton Williams (one), and "Big" Jordan Davis (one) from the nose tackle position. Granted, the Eagles have gotten pressure, at least somewhat, especially in Week 3 when Vic Fangio transitioned to a five-man front, but that has been the exception, not the rule, as in general, Philly's pass rush has been anemic, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete a high percentage of their passes and pick apart the short-to-intermediate parts of the field typically covered lightly in a "Fangio defense."
Bad news for the Birds? You bet, but it's good news for the Bucs, as Mayfield should be afforded a chance to operate from a clean pocket for much of the game, face light boxes as Fangio attempts to limit deep passes with his two-deep safety looks, and hopefully turn in another elite performance as a passer, as, after throwing for 280 yards in Week 1, he's been held below 150 in Weeks 2 and 3. If Mayfield is able to outduel Hurts on the final stat line, which isn't a lock but is very possible, it won't necessarily guarantee a win for the Buccaneers, but it will certainly improve their odds, as the more teams pressure the Eagles' defense, the more yards they usually give up through the air.
After turning in just seven points in Week 3, some have wondered if the Buccaneers were fool's gold through Week 2, with strong performances against the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions having more to do with good luck and positional advantages than being a better team overall. They scored just seven points against one of the worst teams in the NFL, and Mayfield was s omehow outdueled by Bo Nix , who has looked borderline unplayable at times this season.
Could the Buccaneers put it all together in Week 4, take down the Eagles, and look like serious challengers for the NFC South once more? Sure, but they could also come up short once more and leave more questions than answers about their overall season. If Barkley can dominate on the ground despite having a brutal receiving corps around him, it's safe to bet the Eagles will leave September with a 3-1 record while Bowles' defense evens things up at 2-2.
