Todd Bowles drops truth bomb on Buccaneers eyeing 3-0 start
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are firing on all cylinders to start this 2024-25 season. They continue to prove their critics wrong, dating back to their 2023 Wild Card blowout win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2024, the Buccaneers are 2-0 and have the No. 4 scoring offense in the NFL with 28.5 point per game. Head coach Todd Bowles has acknowledged that his team is playing great football, but the job is far from finished.
A cross-conference clash with the Denver Broncos is up next. The Buccaneers look for their first 3-0 start since the 2005 season under Jon Gruden, who went on to eventually win the NFC South at 11-5.
"This is the big game for us," Bowles said on Friday, per ESPN's Jenna Laine. "We've only played two games. We can't look ahead for anything. Not good enough. We got a lot of work to do."
Bowles is not letting up. Tampa Bay is gunning for its fourth consecutive NFC South crown, and the New Orleans Saints appear to be a serious impediment to their path. The Buccaneers will meet their division rival in Week 6, but for now, they need to remain focused on the current task at hand.
Baker Mayfield is leading the charge offensively . His connection with All-Pro veteran Mike Evans and Chris Godwin has been impressive, and it's been a major issue for opposing secondaries. Mayfield is rolling with the on-to-the-next mantra, as he recalls the Buccaneers' collapse in the 2023-24 season where they lost six out of their last seven games.
"Yeah, 2-0 is 2-0. But a lot of ball left," Mayfield said. "We know last year we started out 3-1 and hit the opposite turn."
The Buccaneers are in a very winnable situation in Week 3, facing off against Denver's rebuilding offense.
Buccaneers have a top passing offense in NFL, but defense must improve
The Buccaneers are in the NFL's bottom-five in passing yards allowed (381.0), but have done a good job holding their opponent in crunch time to give their offense the best chance to win. They've allowed only six points in the fourth quarter this season.
The unit has been bogged down by injuries to Calijah Kancey (calf) and Vita Vea (knee) . They were also without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and their top two reserve cornerbacks in Bryce Hall (IR) and Josh Hayes (ankle).
As the defense attempts to get healthy, they will have to find some resilience in the tougher games ahead. For now, though, they look like they can beat anybody in the NFL with this current Mayfield-Evans-Godwin trio.
