As the Bucs look to wrap up Sunday afternoon with an NFC South division title, they will also look to build upon and work through the struggles of the offense failing to put points up on the board. 

The struggles to this point have been well-documented, as the Bucs are only averaging 17.7 points per game. To put that into context among division leaders across the league, the Bucs are fortunate to remain in the playoff picture. Through 15 games, the team has scored 266 points. A division leader’s next lowest point total this season is 353 points from the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. 

While the ship has been able to stay afloat thanks to the defense keeping them in games and some late fourth-quarter and overtime Christmas magic, the way the Bucs have won this season is not sustainable come playoff time. To have any chance to advance further into January, they need to recapture the ability to put points up as they did in 2020 and 2021. 

Bucs WR Godwin: “I Really Feel Like It Could Be Any Moment”

Count wide receiver Chris Godwin among the believers that this change can still occur. Godwin, beginning to see the fruits of his labor pay off from his ACL injury, has been the featured option for a Bucs offense that relies on screens and quick passes to move the chains. 

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

He leads the team in receptions by 21 over running back Leonard Fournette (89 to 68). He also paces the team in targets (126) and ranks second in receiving yards (848). Regardless of these numbers, however, his focus remains on having an impact and being consistent. 

“I try not to focus too much on stats – I really try to look at everything as my impact on the team and I try to look at the game as a whole and see if I made a positive impact or not,” Godwin said. “If I didn’t, how can I be better? I think just being as consistent as I can is something I can try and hang my hat on. I want to be a reliable guy for my team so that whenever the ball is thrown my way, they expect that the plays are going to be made.”

Does Godwin still believe that the offense is right around the corner from putting up 30 points a game as they did in 2020 (30.8) and 2021 (30.1)? 

“I think it still is [around the corner], I really do,” Godwin added. “I really feel like it could be any moment it clicks for us and whatever that missing piece is… I think it’s right there. It’s not going to just happen, right? We’ve got to make it happen, we’ve got to go out there and work together.”

Bucs QB Brady: “I’ve Got To Make Better Throws”

Talking on Thursday, quarterback Tom Brady acknowledged the reality that the team has not met expectations from the beginning of the season. Getting on the same page as receiver Mike Evans has turned into an unlikely season-long issue, an issue he puts on himself. 

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

“I think everything has been a little…this year, it just hasn’t been as good as we would have probably all hoped from the beginning of the year, but that’s the reality of where we’re at,” Brady said. “I love Mike. I love playing with Mike, I love being out there with him. He’s a fighter, he’s a warrior, he’s so tough, he’s talented, and I’ve got to make better throws. At the end of the day, I’ve got to do a better job getting him the ball.”

In the final two games of the season, now is the time to put all of the pieces together. Oftentimes, the offense has looked like trying to mash puzzle pieces where they do not belong in the bigger picture. To use a famous idiom, it has been like trying to put a square peg in a round hole. When the offense has completed (or executed) the puzzle properly, it has shown to be a masterpiece. It will not just line up perfectly, as Godwin alluded to.

It is all about capitalizing on the opportunity to close out the season with momentum and enter the playoffs hot at the right time. That starts at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. 

“We have an opportunity now to do something really positive, and that’s beat a team that’s been playing well,” Brady said.

He added: “It’s a big challenge, it’s a great opportunity and you don’t take it for granted. You just go out there and you cut it loose and you play your best. That’s what this team has an opportunity to do.”