The Bucs are in a disastrous position — in more than one way.

While head coach Todd Bowles was quick to point out that they are only one game out in the NFC South, that is a laughable assessment of just how bad things are in Tampa Bay right now. Not only did the team fall to 0-3, but Bowles revealed that quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb late in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.

Suddenly, things have gone from bad to worse, with no end in sight.

Mayfield struggled throughout the game, and he got injured trying to play hero ball while scrambling backward before getting pummeled. Now, the keys to the offense will likely be given to undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels.

Pewter Report caught up with Daniels briefly after the game to discuss his late-game action and how he is preparing for Week 4 against the Packers in a game he is now in line to start in just seven days.

Jalon Daniels Reacts To First NFL Snaps, Preparing To Start In Week 4

If things were not already going poorly, losing Baker Mayfield is a catastrophic turn of events.

Even though Mayfield was not playing anything like a $55 million quarterback, the Bucs will be forced to find out what is behind door number two. Three games into Zac Robinson’s playcalling, and the results reflect an offense that is lost.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Mayfield has failed to get into any sort of rhythm, and the run game took a step back and is one-dimensional. No wide receiver has emerged as the main guy. The offensive line is literally holding the team back. Adding to all these elements is thrusting a rookie quarterback into the mix and expecting him to turn things around for the immediate future.

Jalon Daniels was electric throughout training camp and the preseason, which allowed him to win the backup job over veteran Jake Browning. Daniels was put into extremely difficult circumstances at the end of Sunday’s game down 23-16 and needing a touchdown to tie it. All he could do is chuck a Hail Mary down the field as the game concluded with an interception.

How did he react after the game?

“I mean, obviously, we want to win a football game,” Daniels said. “That’s always going to be the number one thing, especially at the quarterback position. When I went into the game, I was just trying to do everything that I could to be able to get some points on the board. You never know if we were going to try and go for two to win the game, or if we were going to try and tie it up to go to OT. For me, whenever my number was called, I was trying to go out there and operate.”

Mayfield will have an MRI Monday to determine the severity of his right thumb injury, but such an injury carries a multi-week timeline unless he plays through the pain (and you can never count that out). At a minimum, it does look like Daniels will get his number called to make at least one start given what we know Sunday night.

While he looked the part in the preseason, the regular season is a different beast with a heightened level of competition and playing when the bullets are flying. Getting an extended look did give Daniels valuable reps he will draw from.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Learning the offense and being able to learn how to communicate with everybody on the team,” Daniels said about what playing in the preseason taught him. “Going to be depending on those preseason reps. Going forward, we’re going to see what’s next.”

Will it get any better? Daniels was blunt about what occurred at Raymond James Stadium in Week 3.

“Obviously, we lost. At the end of the day, I think as an offense you want to put up more on other teams,” he said. “We weren’t able to do that today, so we’re going to own what’s on film and try to get better next week.”

The organization has believed in him ever since signing him as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas, and it isn’t just the higher ups who will have Jalon Daniels’ back.

Left tackle Tristan Wirfs also spoke about what the rookie can bring.

“Coming into a situation like that, we all had his back,” Wirfs said. “We told him just let it rip. What else can he do, really? Tough situation to come into, cadence was good, play call was great. Played a lot in the preseason, he launched a Hail Mary. Did what he had to do. I thought that was a first down on the scramble, but I don’t know… I thought he did a good job.”

The Bucs do not have much certainty about what the future holds, but one thing does look certain.

It’s Jalon Daniels time in Tampa Bay.