The Bucs were nearly unstoppable on Sunday against the Eagles in the team’s 33-16 bounce-back win. Tampa Bay scored on four of its first five drives and averaged 3.3 points per drive though their 10th drive (they were not trying to score on their final drive of the game).

Here are my tape notes from the game.

First Half Notes

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

  Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen adapted from past struggles and changed his gameplan up, passing on first down early and often. On neutral first downs (outside of two-minute warning and within 10-90% win probability) the Bucs threw 67% of the time on first down.

• Game plan looked to minimize potential impact of their pass rush and ease the responsibility of the Bucs offensive line.
  • Per Next Gen Stats Baker Mayfield had a 2.22 time-to-throw, which was the second lowest of his career.
  • Team focused on hitches, screens, swings, sticks, flats and slants.
  • Coen showed more faith in backup RT Justin Skule w/less chips and 5-man protections shaded to his side vs. week 3.
• The Eagles secondary consistently struggled to match the Bucs receiving threats in man coverage. Philly struggled to get safeties from depth to the flats to handle backs and navigate traffic on mesh/switch concepts.
• Bucs’ first four runs were all gap schemes.
  • Pin and Pull for 17 yards.

1st run of the game. NOT on 1st down and NOT a zone run.

Pin and Pull Sweep on 2nd and 2. An explosive for Chaad. pic.twitter.com/LvwlBqzjvY

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) September 30, 2024

• • Power from gun for four yards.
  • Duo for 13 yards.
  • Power for 15 yards.
• Rachaad White makes great play on tipped pass on rail route for 22-yard gain to the Eagles low red zone.
• Baker Mayfield had several fantastic plays early.
  • Tight window post to Trey Palmer for a TD.
  • Third-and-15 under pressure starts to bail from pocket, but regains composure to make good throw over the middle to Cade Otton.

This may be my favorite play of the game because it highlights the real difference between Week 3 and Week 4 with regards to pressure and sacks.

Baker starts to bail, but this time he keeps his eyes downfield, resets his feet and finds a throwing window. Good play by Bake. pic.twitter.com/4ySw1MnDek

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) September 30, 2024

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

  Payne Durham shows to be a better run blocker than Cade Otton.

• Mayfield executed zone read for rushing TD well.
• Mayfield executed from multiple arm angles.
• Coen’s low red zone pass concepts were torching Eagles man coverage.
• Sterling Shepard looked really good.
  • First target was easy catch on corner route as he had CB out leveraged on corner.
  • Second target got in Slay’s blind spot pushing vertical on fade. Then cuts route to curl. Baker just skipped throw due to pressure hitting his arm on release.
  • Third target was quick speed out.
  • Fourth target open in Cover 2 hole, throw was just a tad late.
  • Fifth target jukes Quinyon Mitchell on a wicked corner-post double move for 30 yards.
• Justin Skule had a good game.
  • He got beat by Josh Sweat on nasty swipe-rip move, but otherwise played well.
• Drops took points off board several times.
  • Kameron Johnson in the end zone.
  • Evans and Otton on final drive of 1st half
• Huge bounce back game for Mayfield. Stood in when pressured and found throwing lanes on good reads to give receivers a chance to make plays.
  • 4-of-8 under pressure for 41 yards and no turnover-worthy plays.
  • 9-of-14 for 113 yards against blitz.
  • Owned the intermediate part of the field where he was finding receivers on outs/sails/digs/slants.
    • 7-of-9 for 114 yards and a touchdown.
• 

  Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: USA Today

  O-line had a good game in pass-obvious situations – especially Tristan Wirfs/Graham Barton/Cody Mauch/Justin Skule.

  • Ben Bredeson continues to be weak link in both pass pro and as a run blocker.
    • Struggles to execute reach blocks that hold up Wirfs on climbs in zone.
    • Several losses in Pass Pro that did not go as pressures bc ball got out quick.
  • Per Pro Football Focus pressures allowed by O-line.
    • Wirfs – 0
    • Bredeson – 3
    • Barton – 2
    • Mauch – 1
    • Skule – 2

Bucs Offense 2nd Half

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  Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today

  Stayed aggressive after the Eagles scored to open the second half.

  • First three plays were all pass calls.
• Mike Evans left two catches and over 31 yards on the field due to drops, including a fade on a good ball from Mayfield.
• Cade Otton had a bad game overall – drops and blocking were not up to par.
• Final tally on zone vs gap runs.
  • Zone – 12 carries, 34 yds, 2.83 avg, 58% success rate.
    • Success rate was high because they were being run in short yardage situations.
  • Gap – 8 carries, 60 yards, 7.5 avg, 50% success rate.
  • One carry was a swing pass and not charted.
• Short passing game opened up shots.
  • Corner-post to Sterling Shepard.
  • Bucs barely missed on several shots.
  • Play-action go route to Evans in end zone underthrown.
  • Cover 2 hole shot to Shepard,
• Drops uncharacteristically plagued several receivers.
• Feels like a level-up game for Graham Barton.
  • Eyes were noticeably quicker.
  • Was looking for and finding stunts/loops.
  • Very few losses.
  • Strong in run game against high-level competition.