There’s a lot on the line for the 6-5 Bucs as they return home to Raymond James Stadium Sunday afternoon to host the 3-8 Cardinals. This team was once 5-1 and had a 2.5-game lead in the NFC South, but after four losses in five games — including three straight defeats since the bye week — that lead in the division is down to a half-game as December draws near.

Before the calendar slips to December, Tampa Bay will look to avoid a winless November with Arizona in town for Simeon Rice’s Ring of Honor induction day.

Outside of trying to snap a three-game losing streak and avoiding a fourth straight loss and a winless November, the Bucs have a big opportunity in Week 13. They could get back on track and start building their NFC South lead back up. Because if they can beat the Cardinals and the Panthers lose to the red-hot Rams as expected, the lead goes back to a more comfortable 1.5 games.

Then, if Tampa Bay can beat 2-9 New Orleans next week while Carolina is on its bye, it can add another half-game to its lead and hold a two-game lead in the division heading into Week 15. From there, the Bucs face the Falcons, the Panthers, the Dolphins and the Panthers again while the Panthers have to see the Bucs twice and face the Seahawks late in December as well.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, yes, this Sunday’s game carries a lot of wait for Todd Bowles’ struggling Tampa Bay team. But as usual, there will be other storylines to follow in this late-November matchup, and that’s the reason we’re here right now. As we do every week here on PewterReport.com, it’s now time to take a look at what else is on the line during this week’s game. Of course, we’re talking about some of the records and milestones that some key Bucs are moving toward.

Last week, Baker Mayfield passed Brad Johnson for the seventh-most passing yards in team history, while Tez Johnson caught his fifth touchdown of the season, which stands as the second-most in NFL history by a rookie selected in the seventh round of the draft (since the 1970 merger).

Now, let’s see where things stand heading into Sunday’s game at Ray Jay.

Bucs Record Watch: Week 13 vs. Cardinals

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield is still searching for that elusive 26th win as the Bucs’ starting quarterback, a 26th win that would tie him with Brad Johnson for the fifth-most in team history.

Mayfield also remains one 300-yard passing game away from passing Doug Williams (10) for the fourth-most 300-yard passing games in franchise history.

With 45 more completions, Mayfield will pass Brad Johnson (1,040) for the sixth-most in Buccaneer history.

Bucky Irving

In what is expected to be his first game action since Week 4, Irving will have a chance to make some history. With 56 scrimmage yards against the Cardinals, he will reach 2,000 for his career in his 22nd game. The only running backs drafted since 2018 to do that are Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Taylor. So, Irving has an opportunity to join some elite company.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Plus, if he gets those 56 scrimmage yards, Irving will also become the third Buc to reach 2,000 scrimmage yards in his first 25 career games, joining Warrick Dunn and Doug Martin.

Rachaad White

For White, one more touchdown would move him ahead of Errict Rhett (25) for the fifth-most touchdowns from scrimmage by a running back in Bucs history.

With two more receiving touchdowns, White would tie Mike Alstott (13) for the most by a running back/fullback in team history.

Chris Godwin Jr.

Godwin remains six touchdowns away from passing James Wilder (46) for the third-most touchdowns from scrimmage in franchise history.

With 290 scrimmage yards, Godwin can pass Warrick Dunn (7,690) for the third-most in team history.

Sunday will mark Godwin’s 115th game as a Buc, which moves him into the top 25 in franchise history while tying him with Karl “The Truth” Williams for the 25th-most of any Tampa Bay player.

Emeka Egbuka

Egbuka needs one more receiving touchdown to pass O.J. Howard (6 in 2017) for the fifth-most by a rookie in franchise history. He would also tie Michael Clayton (7 in 2004) for the fourth-most.

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka and LG Michael Jordan – Photo by: USA Today

Two receiving touchdowns would tie Egbuka with Jalen McMillan (8 in 2024) for the third-most by a Bucs rookie.

With 70 more receiving yards, the 2025 first-round pick can pass Lawrence Dawsey (818 in 1991) for the fourth-most by a rookie in franchise history.

Tez Johnson

Johnson already has the second-most receiving touchdowns by a rookie drafted in the seventh round with five. He needs three more this season to tie Marques Colston (8 in 2006) for the NFL record.

Cade Otton

Otton needs one more receiving touchdown to pass Ron Hall (10) for the ninth-most by a tight end in team history. That score would also tie him with Alex Smith and Calvin Magee (11) for the seventh-most.

Vita Vea

Week 6 was the last time Vea was in the sack column, as he notched a half-sack in the win over the 49ers. He needs another half to pass Jason Pierre-Paul and Brad Culpepper (33.0) for the ninth-most in team history. With 1.5 more sacks, he’ll tie Chidi Ahanotu (34.5) for eighth-most.

Sunday will be Vea’s 107th game as a Buc, tying him with Adam Hayward for the 36th-most in franchise history.

Anthony Nelson

Nelson is set for his 104th game with Tampa Bay, which would tie him with Hardy Nickerson for the 40th-most in Bucs history.

Lavonte David

Once again, much of the same remains true for David. However, he did notch a tackle for loss last week, which means he needs only one more to pass Aaron Donald (176) for the third-most since TruMedia data is available dating back to 2008.

Beyond that, David still needs one more takeaway to reach 35 for his career, which would see him join Pro Football Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher as the only players with 40+ sacks and 35+ takeaways since at least 1982.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

David is also one interception away from earning his place in another elite group. His next pick would be his 15th, and he would join Hall of Famers Ray Lewis, Charles Woodson and Brian Dawkins as the only players since 1994 to record 15+ interceptions, 15+ forced fumbles and 15+ fumble recoveries in their careers. He would be just the 17th player in NFL history to reach those marks, too, joining the aforementioned three players as well as Mike Merriweather, Steve Nelson, Carnell Lake, Reggie Williams, Joey Browner, Rod Woodson, Wes Hopkins, Bill Romanowski, Cris Dishman, Dennis Smith, Ronnie Lott, Wilber Marshall and Nesby Glasgow.

David is still five sacks away from passing former teammate Shaq Barrett (45.0) for the fifth-most in Bucs history.

David also needs two passes defensed to move ahead of another former teammate, Carlton Davis III (73), for the fourth-most in team history.

Sunday will be No. 54’s 210th game and 210th start with the Bucs. He will be 14 behind Derrick Brooks (224) for the second-most games played in team history and 11 behind Brooks (221) for the second-most starts of any Tampa Bay player ever.

Jamel Dean

Dean needs seven passes defensed to pass Donnie Abraham (64) for the sixth-most in franchise history.

Bucs CBs Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With one more interception, Dean would tie Dwight Smith, Jeris White and Mark Robinson (12) for the 13th-most in team history. He is three away from tying Lavonte David (14) for the 12th-most.

Zyon McCollum

McCollum needs three passes defensed to pass Dwight Smith (34) for the 13th-most in Bucs history.

Antoine Winfield Jr.

Winfield needs one more sack to break a tie with Adam Archuleta, Bill Bates and Roman Harper for the 11th-most by a defensive back since 1982.

With two more strip sacks, Winfield will tie Quintin Mikell for the most by a defensive back since at least 2000.

Winfield’s next forced fumble will tie him with Jairus Byrd, Cedric Griffin, Chris Harris, Sammy Knight, Michael Lewis, Troy Polamalu and his father, Antoine Winfield Sr. (13), for the 16th-most by a defensive back since at least 2000. That forced fumble would also tie him with Hardy Nickerson (13) for the seventh-most in team history.

Winfield needs one more fumble recovery to pass Lee Roy Selmon (10) for the fourth-most in Bucs history and tie Cecil Johnson and John Cannon (11) for the third-most.

With three more passes defensed, Winfield will pass Sunday’s Ring of Honor inductee, Simeon Rice (37) for the 11th-most in franchise history.

Winfield still needs 10.5 more sacks to break Ronde Barber’s franchise record for a defensive back (28.0) and reach the second-most sacks by a defensive back in NFL history.

Chase McLaughlin

McLaughlin is six field goals away from passing Ryan Succop (84) for the sixth-most in team history.