The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in deep, deep trouble. They just fell to a brutal 0-3 on the season after a 23-16 loss to the undefeated Minnesota Vikings, and now their quarterback Baker Mayfield might face an extended absence from a late-game thumb injury. Can you believe it? The team everyone tabbed as the one to beat in the NFC South is winless, and things are looking incredibly bleak for head coach Todd Bowles.
Bowles Is Running Out of Time, And the Offense Isn’t Helping
Three straight losses, all close games, but close doesn’t mean a win on the scoreboard, does it? The Bucs are 0-3, and Todd Bowles is practically out of rope. His defense actually played well against the Vikings, but another big special teams mistake, mixed with an offense that looked absolutely uninspired, sealed their fate. It’s a rough scene, especially when you remember they went into the year as the supposed top dog in their division. If it was tough to win with Mayfield under center, imagine the uphill battle with undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels potentially starting. Bowles’ job felt shaky last year when the Bucs lost seven of their last nine to miss the playoffs, and now they’re 3-11 in their last 14 games overall. Even in a bad division, that kind of sustained losing just doesn’t fly.
Kyler Murray Is Back, But the Vikings’ D Is Stealing the Show
The Minnesota Vikings, on the other hand, are riding high at 3-0. Kyler Murray made his return at quarterback and helped them to that 23-16 victory. But let’s be real, it wasn’t some offensive masterpiece, with only 230 total yards. The real story for Minnesota continues to be their impressive defensive performance, carrying them to victory after victory. On the receiving end, things were a mixed bag. The Vikings brought in Jauan Jennings from the 49ers, thinking they’d have a stacked receiver trio with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Jefferson missed most of Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, leaving the door open for others. Addison stepped up big on one drive, making a fantastic 30-yard sideline catch and then punching in a 41-yard touchdown. But after that? He had only 14 yards the rest of the game, and Jennings snagged a single 1-yard catch, his only contribution in three games. Sounds like a lot rests on Jefferson’s ankle, even if he might play next week against the Dolphins.
The Buccaneers have a brutal stretch coming up. They’ll try to avoid their third home loss in as many weeks when the Green Bay Packers come to town. As bad as the Packers have been, that’s a game the Bucs and Bowles absolutely have to win. Then, it’s a short week on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. If they lose both of those and fall to 0-5, you gotta wonder if the Glazer family, who’ve never changed coaches mid-season in 30 years, finally makes that major change during the mini-bye. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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