It’s time for Scott Reynolds’ post-game 2-Point Conversion column, which features two big statements, two probing questions and two bold predictions. The Bucs improved to 2-0 by beating the Bears, 27-17, at Raymond James Stadium in the team’s home opener.

Chicago quarterback Justin Fields was sacked six times and threw two interceptions, while Baker Mayfield helped keep Tampa Bay’s offense turnover-free for the second week in a row. The Bucs offense came to life, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown, while out-gaining the Bears, 437-236.

2 BIG STATEMENTS

STATEMENT 1. Bucs Experiencing Some Baker Mayfield Magic

A few years ago, the Tampa Bay area experienced some magic from its new quarterback – an NFL journeyman. Filling in for suspended starter Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick delivered some Fitzmagic at the start of the 2018 season, helping the Bucs to a 2-0 start thanks to averaging over 400 yards per game.

Fitzpatrick used his mobility to escape pressure, scramble for key first downs and play efficient football to electrify the Bucs fan base at the start of the season before his magic fizzled after back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh and Chicago before Winston regained his starting job.

Years later, the Bucs have a new magician in town in the form of another NFL journeyman at quarterback. In the span of one calendar year, Baker Mayfield went from being the face of the Browns’ franchise to being on his fourth team as the Bucs’ starter this season. Like Fitzpatrick, Mayfield has the Bucs off to a 2-0 start, thanks to some magic of his own.

In the first two weeks of the season, Mayfield has looked like the great escape artist Houdini – disappearing from sacks and squeezing out of trouble. Mayfield has only been sacked once, which came in Week 1, and has used some magical improvisational ability to keep plays – and drives – alive in Tampa Bay.

The highlight clip below of Mayfield eluding pressure and throwing a sidearm strike to tight end Cade Otton is just one example from Sunday’s game against Chicago. Mayfield also shuffled the ball to Otton and pitched it underhand to running back Rachaad White on other, similar plays.

Like any good magician, Mayfield does his best work under pressure with everyone watching. Mayfield finished the game completing 26-of-34 passes for 317 yards with one touchdown.

Mayfield also scrambled six times for 17 yards against the Bears, including a key 9-yard run that drew a personal foul after he was hit late out of bounds.

According to Next Gen Stats, Mayfield finished Sunday’s game 14-of-17 for 223 yards and a TD under pressure, tied for the most passing yards under pressure in a game over the last four seasons (since 2020). The Bears pressured Mayfield 17 times without recording a sack, tied for the 6th-most pressures without a sack since the start of last season.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Mayfield’s magic was also on display Sunday when he recovered David Wells’ red zone fumble in the fourth quarter. The loose ball bounced 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage right to Mayfield, who pounced on the fumble. It was almost as if Mayfield was a ball magnet on that play.

Then on the next snap on third-and-14, Mayfield hit Mike Evans for a 32-yard touchdown to give the Bucs a 20-10 lead. Voila!

And now for Mayfield’s next act – trying to escape a dangerous Eagles pass rush that led the NFL with 70 sacks last year, while improving the Bucs’ record to 3-0 with an upset on Monday Night Football.

If that happens, cue the #MayfieldMagic hashtag on X next Monday night.

STATEMENT 2. Bucs Defense Has Plenty Of Playmakers

No wonder head coach Todd Bowles wanted to continue calling plays on defense this year. He has so many fun toys to play with.

After having co-defensive coordinators Larry Foote and Kacy Rodgers call the defense in the preseason against the Steelers and the Jets, respectively, Bowles resumed his play-calling duties in the preseason finale against Baltimore and decided he would continue it during the regular season.

Bowles knows he has a roster full of play-makers on the defensive side of the ball and was pushing all the right buttons in Tampa Bay’s 27-17 win over Chicago on Sunday. The Bucs defense recorded six sacks and two fourth-quarter interceptions.

Through two weeks, here are all of the play-makers on defense who have at least half a sack or a takeaway.

FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – 1 sack, FF, FR
OLB Anthony Nelson – 1 sack
NCB Christian Izien – 2 INTs
OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – 2 sacks, FR
OLB Shaq Barrett – 1 sack, INT, TD
NT Vita Vea – 1.5 sacks
OLB Cam Gill – 1 sack, FF
DT Logan Hall – 0.5 sack

Bucs CB Christian Izien Photo by: USA Today

Instant replay also robbed cornerback Zyon McCollum of his first career interception on Sunday. And inside linebacker Devin White was a split-second away from getting his first strip-sack of the season before instant replay ruled that Justin Fields’ arm was moving forward and it was ruled an incompletion on the play.

And it was Izien, who already has two picks in two games, who was the one to recover the fumble on the White strip-sack. Had that play not been overturned, Izien would have had his third takeaway in the first two games of his rookie season.

Keep in mind that we have only seen disruptive defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, the team’s first-round pick, for just 11 plays so far. He missed practice last week and sat out against the Bears to rest his calf to make sure it doesn’t get re-injured. Just imagine what happens to this Bucs defense when Kancey is back in action, which should be next Monday against the Eagles.

2 PROBING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1. What’s The Most Important Aspect Of The 2023 Bucs Defense?

Scoring defense. The Bucs are tied with the Falcons for eighth in the league, allowing an average of 17 points per game. Tampa Bay was 15th in the league in scoring defense last year, allowing an average of 21.6 points per game.

Sacks and takeaways are great for any defense – and Tampa Bay has started off the season with a bunch.

Bucs DT Greg Gaines – Photo by: USA Today

With a pair of picks on Sunday against the Bears, including Shaq Barrett’s game-clinching pick-six, the Bucs now have five takeaways in the first two games of the season after collecting just 20 all of last year. And with six sacks of Justin Fields, the Bucs have eight sacks on the season, which is tied with Indianapolis for the third-most in the league right now.

But points win games, and for the second straight week, Todd Bowles’ defense only surrendered 17 points. Seventeen points or less is the Bucs’ goal heading into every game.

“That’s our limit, that’s what we strive not to give up, you know,” Bowles said after Sunday’s win. “I don’t think we’ve even gotten close to who we should be right now, but to do that while we are trying to get there is pretty good.”

Of course Bowles was still pleased with the amount of pressure his defense got on Fields, which contributed mightily to keeping the Bears to just 17 points.

“It was good this game,” Bowles said. “Obviously, the last two weeks – last week it was more in the turnover category. This week it was more in the sack category. Either way, you get pressure. You want turnovers first, that’s the biggest thing. Once you get the sacks or the pressure, after that, you know, that comes with it. The guys understand the game plan and they help each other out.”

Another stat working in the Bucs’ favor when it comes to pressuring quarterbacks into sacks and mistakes? Stopping the run.

Tampa Bay held the mobile Fields to just three yards on four carries. Chicago ran the ball just 16 times for 67 yards and one touchdown. The Bucs have the league’s second-best run defense in the league through two games, allowing an average of just 54 yards on the ground

QUESTION 2. What’s The Weirdest Thing About The Bucs’ Week 2 Win?

Yet another pick-six. Week 2 has become “Pick-Six Week” for the Bucs for some reason in recent years.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: USA Today

In a 48-25 home win over Atlanta in Week 2 in 2021, Mike Edwards had a pair of pick-sixes in the fourth quarter against Matt Ryan to seal the win. Last year in a 20-10 win at New Orleans, Edwards had another pick-six in the fourth quarter to put the nail in the Saints’ coffin. This year, Edwards could not help the Bucs with another pick-six in Week 2 because he’s playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.

So outside linebacker Shaq Barrett had to fill in for the departed Edwards and collect a Week 2 pick-six for the third year in a row. Barrett got the Bucs’ sack party started with his first of the year in the first quarter, then finished off the Bears with his fourth-quarter pick-six from the Chicago 4-yard line.

After the score, he paid tribute to his daughter, Arrayah, who passed away from a drowning accident at the family’s home on April 30.

“It’s unbelievable,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said. “You can’t even fathom going through something like that. To see him go through it and come out on the other side – I am sure he still has days, but to play like he is playing right now, to be where he is right now, it’s unbelievable.”

2 BOLD PREDICTIONS

PREDICTION 1: Bucs Will Be 3-1 At The Bye

Will the Bucs pull off a home upset against the Eagles on Monday Night Football next week? It will be a battle of two 2-0 teams, and while I think Tampa Bay can beat Philadelphia, I’m not ready to say that the Bucs will do that. Let’s see how this week shakes out with injuries first. But one thing I will say is that I do see the Bucs entering the bye week with a 3-1 record.

Whether that comes from beating Philly and losing at New Orleans or losing on Monday Night Football and winning on the bayou remains to be seen.

PREDICTION 2: Chris Godwin Shines On MNF

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

Mike Evans will draw plenty of attention from the Eagles secondary after his hot start to the season. Evans has 12 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns following his six-catch, 171-yard, 1-TD performance against the Bears on Sunday. The Eagles’ top cornerback, Darius Slay, will be matched up on Evans for most of next week’s game.

But the Eagles lost their top slot cornerback Avante Maddox to a season-ending pectoral injury on Thursday night against the Vikings. With middle linebacker Nakobe Dean on injured reserve with a foot injury and safety Reed Blankenship also out last week, it could make the middle of Philly’s defense susceptible to a good old-fashioned Chris Godwin slot attack.

Godwin has had a modest start to the season with 10 catches for 109 yards through two games. But against the Eagles, he could be featured in the slot like he was in Bruce Arians’ offense and have a big night on Monday Night Football. Look for Godwin to have his first touchdown of the season in prime time.