The Bucs come into their Week 9 game against the Texans needing a win. They’ve lost three games in a row since their Week 5 bye and four of their last five dating back to Week 3. At 3-4, Tampa Bay is a half-game back in the NFC South, trailing the Falcons and Saints. But there’s plenty of football left to be played.

The Bucs need to stop the bleeding on Sunday, though, and they’ll be facing a team in a similar spot as them. The Texans are also 3-4 and it feels like this week’s result could swing their season in one direction or the other as well. So, there’s certainly plenty at stake as these two teams square off for the first time in a regular season game since December 2019.

Beyond the standings and potential implications this game will have on Tampa Bay and Houston’s respective seasons, there are — as always — individual records and milestones on the line. Some Bucs will be chasing history on Sunday, while others will continue their climbs in the history books.

Last week, Mike Evans tied Jimmy Graham (86) for the 17th-most receiving touchdowns in NFL history, while Chris Godwin tied Cameron Brate (33) for third-most receiving touchdowns in Bucs history. Will Gholston also tied Tony Mayberry for the seventh-most games played in team history and Jamel Dean passed John Lynch (42) for eighth-most passes defensed in franchise history.

Now, let’s see where things stand heading into Week 9.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

Mike Evans

Evans is one receiving touchdown away from tying Andre Reed (87) for 16th-most in NFL history, while two more will tie him with Don Maynard (88) for 15th-most. He is three away from pulling even with Davante Adams (90) for 14th, though Adams is obviously still active and adding to that total.

With 68 more receiving yards, Evans will become the first Buc to reach 11,000 receiving yards with the team.

Sunday will be the 10th-year receiver’s 145th game, leaving him three behind Shelton Quarles (148) for 10th-most in team history.

And finally, Evans is 63 points away from breaking Martin Gramatica’s franchise record for points scored (592).

Chris Godwin

Godwin finally reached the end zone last week, doing so for the first time since Dec. 18, 2022. He now needs just one more receiving touchdown to pass Cameron Brate (33) for third-most in team history while tying Jimmie Giles (34) for second-most.

Godwin’s touchdowns from scrimmage total is up to 34, which is tied with Giles for fourth-most in franchise history. So, one more score of any kind would move him ahead of the Bucs Ring of Honor member.

With 16 more receptions, Godwin will join Mike Evans as the only receivers in Tampa Bay history with 500-plus receptions with the team.

Bucs DE Will Gholston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Will Gholston

Gholston will play his 161st game as a Buc on Sunday in Houston, moving him ahead of Tony Mayberry for seventh-most in team history. He will then only be three behind John Lynch (164) for sixth-most.

Shaq Barrett

With 13 more sacks, Barrett will pass Gerald McCoy (54.5) for fourth-most in Bucs history.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old pass rusher is also just one forced fumble away from passing Hardy Nickerson (13) for sixth-most in team history. Two more forced fumbles will tie him with Ronde Barber and Warren Sapp (15) for fourth-most in team history.

Lavonte David

Bucs LB Lavonte David NFL – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

David needs just 18 tackles to pass Ronde Barber (1,428) for second-most in Bucs history. He would then trail only Derrick Brooks (2,198) for the most all-time.

Sunday’s game in Houston will be David’s 174th with Tampa Bay, leaving him nine behind Paul Gruber (183) for fourth-most in team history. It will also be the legendary linebacker’s 174th start, which is nine behind Gruber (183) for third-most of any Buc ever.

David needs 2.5 more sacks to pass Brad Culpepper (33) for eighth-most in Tampa Bay history, and four more passes defensed will move him ahead of Donnie Abraham (64) for fifth in team history.

Carlton Davis III

Davis is 17 passes defensed away from moving ahead of Derrick Brooks (84) for third-most in franchise history.

Jamel Dean

Dean moved up on the Bucs’ all-time passes defensed leaderboard last week, and now he’ll begin his chase for seventh place on that list. He needs 12 more to pass Aqib Talib (54) for that spot.