After a much-needed bye week, the 4-6 Bucs return to the field on Sunday for a must-win Week 13 matchup against the 2-8 Giants at MetLife Stadium. If Tampa Bay is going to turn its season around and make a push for another NFC South title or an NFC Wild Card spot, the run has to start now.

The Bucs come out of their bye week with a 1.5-game deficit in the division race, though it’s more like 2.5 games considering the Falcons hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Tampa Bay is also 2.5 games out of the NFC’s No. 7 seed, so there’s plenty of work to be done. Fortunately for Todd Bowles and Co., they’re getting healthier for this stretch run, plus the final seven games come against teams with a combined record of 24-47.

Bucs RB Rachaad White and 49ers ILB Fred Warner – Photo by: USA Today

These next three games are crucial for the Bucs, as beating the 2-8 Giants, 3-7 Panthers and 2-8 Raiders will get them back above .500 at 7-6 and could really restore some of their confidence after a four-game losing streak.

As usual, there are other storylines to follow in this Week 12 contest, 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 Bucs are moving toward.

In Week 10, Rachaad White passed Doug Martin for the seventh-most receiving yards by a running back in franchise history while Cade Otton passed Jackie Harris for the sixth-most receptions by a tight end in team history. Lavonte David also played his 191st game as a Buc, which is the third-most all-time. He now trails only Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks.

Here’s where everything stands heading into Week 12:

Baker Mayfield

Sunday will mark Mayfield’s 100th career regular season game.

With one passing touchdown, he can join Tom Brady (2020-22) as the only quarterbacks in Bucs history with 25+ passing touchdowns in consecutive seasons. That passing touchdown would also tie him with Brady (2022) and Josh Freeman (2010) for the 8th-most single-season passing scores in team history (25).

Bucs WR Mike Evans and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Two passing touchdowns would tie Mayfield with Brad Johnson (2003) for the 7th-most by a Buccaneer quarterback in a single season (26). With three, Mayfield can tie Freeman (2012) for 6th-most in a single season (27).

With three total touchdowns, Mayfield can tie himself (2023) and Jameis Winston (2016) for the 4th-most single-season offensive touchdowns in franchise history.

Mike Evans

Assuming he’s able to make his return to action against the Giants, Evans will get right back to chasing history. He is 47 receiving yards away from passing Derek Mason (12,061) for 29th-most in NFL history.

Evans is 69 receiving yards away from passing Hines Ward (12,083) for 28th-most in league history, and he needs 132 more to pass Charlie Joiner (12,146) for 27th-most.

One more receiving touchdown will move Evans ahead of Tim Brown and Steve Largent (100) for sole possession of 9th-most in NFL history. And one touchdown of any kind would see Evans pass Largent (101) for sole possession of 23rd-most total touchdowns in league history.

Evans unfortunately faces an uphill battle when it comes to extending his streak of 1,000-yard receiving seasons to 11, which would tie Jerry Rice for the longest streak in NFL history. Over the final seven games, Tampa Bay’s all-time leading receiver would have to average 95 yards per game to break 1,000.

Sunday will be Evans’ 162nd game, leaving him two behind John Lynch (164) for 7th-most in Bucs history.

Rachaad White

White needs one more receiving touchdown to pass Warrick Dunn and James Wilder (9) for second-most by a running back in Buccaneer history. Only Mike Alstott (13) has more.

White is also 61 receiving yards away from passing Charles Sims (1,190) for 6th-most all-time by a Buccaneer running back.

Cade Otton

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today

Otton is six receptions away from passing Tim Wright (54 in 2013) for 7th-most by a Tampa Bay tight end in a single season. With seven catches, he’ll pass Rob Gronkowski (55 in 2021) for 6th-most, and with nine, he can pass Cameron Brate (57 in 2016) for 5th-most.

With 78 receiving yards, Otton will pass Calvin Magee (1,379) for the 9th-most by a tight end in Bucs history.

Will Gholston

Gholston is set to play his 180th game with the Bucs, leaving him three behind Paul Gruber (183) for 5th-most in franchise history.

Lavonte David

David needs three more sacks to pass David Logan (39.0) for 6th-most in team history. He is also six passes defensed away from passing Carlton Davis III (73) for 4th-most in Tampa Bay history.

Sunday will mark David’s 192nd game with the Bucs, which is 3rd-most behind Derrick Brooks (224) and Ronde Barber (241).

Jamel Dean

Dean needs six more passes defensed to pass Aqib Talib (54) for 7th-most in franchise history.

Antoine Winfield Jr.

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Winfield is one sack away from tying Keith Bostic (17.0) for 14th-most by a defensive back since sacks became an official stat in 1982. He needs two more to tie Adam Archuleta, Bill Bates and Roman Harper (18.0) for 11th-most, while three more will tie him with Charles Woodson (20.0) for 10th-most.

He needs three more forced fumbles to pass Hardy Nickerson (13) for 7th-most in Bucs history.

With one more fumble recovery, Winfield will tie Lee Roy Selmon (10) for 4th-most all-time by a Buccaneer defender.

Chase McLaughlin

McLaughlin needs one more field goal from 50+ yards to set a new franchise record for most 50+ yard field goals.