The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Washington Commanders in dominating fashion on Sunday afternoon. The Bucs offense trampled the Commanders in a seventeen-point victory. This surprised people as many thought the Bucs offense would take a step back after the loss of Dave Canales. This was not the case because the Bucs started the game by scoring thirteen unanswered points. Of course, this does come against a team with the worst defense in the league a year ago. However, I think this proved that the Bucs are a legitimate offense. The Bucs' running game already looks improved with the addition of offensive coordinator Liam Coen. His scheme works well, and the additions to the offense this offseason fit in perfectly. They ran the ball for 112 yards, over twenty yards more than they averaged last season.
The Commanders were blown out of this game, but I think they still look like a young and talented team. Dan Quinn certainly has some work to do with this defense, but they faced a tough week one opponent. Emmanuel Forbes continued to struggle and had one play where he committed two fouls; the edge rushers had some decent showings. (Clelin Ferrell had a sack in this game, and Jamin Davis had a TFL). The defense won't be perfect overnight, but I think they'll steadily improve as the season progresses. The biggest star for Washington on Sunday had to be Jayden Daniels. Though not spectacular, he still looked like he belonged and was undoubtedly athletic enough to play at this level.
The Franchise QB's
The most extensive discussion after the game ended was the play of both teams' quarterbacks, particularly Baker Mayfield. Mayfield finished the day throwing for 289 yards with an 80% completion percentage and four touchdowns. Mayfield was magical in this game, and Washington had no answer for him. He added to these efficient passing stats by running for 21 yards on only three attempts. Mayfield looked like a top-five QB in the league on Sunday, and his performance even had many Browns fans missing him. The Browns let go of the former number-one overall pick in favor of Deshaun Watson, who looked like a JV quarterback against the Cowboys. Not only did they trade three first-round picks for Watson, but they're also paying him $230 million. On the other hand, Mayfield is making less than half the money that Watson is making. It's funny how things have turned, and now Baker Mayfield has serious MVP consideration after this opening win.
Jayden Daniels's NFL debut wasn't spectacular, but he showed some promise. Daniels finished the game with 184 passing yards and didn't throw any touchdowns. He completed 17/24 passes, a 71% completion percentage, but was sacked twice. His quarterback rating (QBR) was a measly 41.9, well below average as a passer. However, Daniels shined with his legs. He led the Commanders in rushing with 88 yards and added two rushing touchdowns.
The comparisons between Lamar Jackson and Michael Vick were immediately evident as Daniels sometimes ran around the entire Bucs defense. This comes with the caveat of injury risk. He has the potential to rush for well over 1,000 yards this season if he's healthy; he needs to care for his body more. Daniels still doesn't slide as often as he should and took a pretty good beating on Sunday. He also had three fumbles, none recovered by the defense, but still a significant number. I felt, at times, that he was even looking to run before even making a second read on a passing play. All of this is normal for a rookie QB, but the hope is that the 23-year-old Daniels will be able to adjust faster than your average rookie. I believe that Daniels can be a good QB for the Commanders, but this will be an essential learning year for him.
Bucs Rookies Soar in Debut
In my team and game preview for the Bucs, I discussed the potential of a few rookies on this team, and I was proven right on Sunday. For starters, Graham Barton made his NFL debut at starting center and helped pave the way for 37 points and nearly 400 yards of offense. He looked like you would hope your first-round pick would look. He wasn't perfect and had issues while playing a new position, but he showed great promise. Barton displayed great movement in space and strength while blocking defenders. Then there was rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan. McMillan blossomed in camp and won the trust of Baker Mayfield early. We saw more of that on Sunday as McMillan scored his first NFL touchdown. McMillan only had one catch in this game, but he made it count by taking it to the house. He would've had another if he hadn't been brutally fouled by a Washington cornerback. The pass interference set up a first and goal, which the Bucs converted into a touchdown.
McMillan also had his share of rookie struggles. On one play, he made great separation but dropped the wide-open pass. If it were caught, he would waltz into the endzone 100 times out of 100. These things will be worked on, and I expect McMillan to have more touchdown catches in the future.
Finally, we have Bucky Irving, the savior of the Bucs' running game. Irving played an amazingly efficient game, and I was on the edge of my seat every time he touched the ball. He only had nine carries but ran for 62 yards—an average of almost seven yards per carry. That is an absurd number for an NFL running back. This made him the leading rusher for the Bucs by a wide margin. Rachaad White had fifteen carries but ran for half the yards Irving did. This new zone-run offense is perfect for Irving, and I expect him to get even more touches in the next game. I still think the Bucs will roll with White as their starter, but I like the explosiveness and efficiency that Iriving offers. White has always struggled as a rusher but adds a lot in the passing game. White only averaged two yards a carry but also garnered 75 receiving yards. Not to say Irving can't replicate that, as he also had a couple of catches for fourteen yards, but for now, he's not entirely on White's level as a receiver. There is a world where they coexist on this offense; I hope it's Irving as the primary runner and White as the third-down receiving back.
Bucs Defense Suffers the Injury Bug
The Buccaneer's defense did well at slowing down the Washington Commanders' passing attack, but it came at a cost. The Bucs were already very thin at cornerback, but that got even worse on Sunday when Bryce Hall was carted off. It was further revealed on Monday morning that Hall had suffered a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle, ending his season. Now the Bucs must look for even more help at corner. Another corner also got hurt in this game as Zyon McCollum left early with a concussion. McCollum was seen as the Bucs' number two guy behind Jamel Dean, so this is another huge loss. Though McCollum will return much faster than Hall, it's still unclear if he'll be ready to play next week. Then, to top it all off, star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. also got banged up. He hurt his ankle late in the game and was seen walking around in a boot afterward. On Monday afternoon, it was revealed that his ankle injury will sideline him for at least two weeks.
The loss of the first-team All-Pro will put a massive hole in this defense. It's horrible timing, as the Bucs face the pass-heavy Detroit Lions next week. Luckily, the Bucs have a lot of faith in rookie safety Tykee Smith. Smith had two tackles in his NFL debut, but those numbers will go up if he gets the start next week. Jordan Whitehead is still healthy, as he had a solid game. Whitehead led the Bucs in tackles with eight, and he'll need to continue this performance next week with the secondary looking slim.
The Bucs' pass rush looked great against a good Commanders' offensive line. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and SirVocea Dennis both had sacks. Seeing both young guys contribute excellently to the win was pretty encouraging. Last year's rookie standout, YaYa Diaby, didn't fill out the stat sheet, but he put multiple pressures on Daniels. Diaby was credited with four quarterback pressures but couldn't quite bring Daniels down for a sack. Diaby will still be a force to reckon with all season long for offensive tackles and will get his first sack soon. To summarize the Bucs' defense on Sunday, I would say they were good, not great, and they have a big test next week.
Up Next: The Detroit Lions
The Lions and Buccaneers played in the divisional round of the playoffs last year, and the Lions won 31-23. The rematch will return in Detroit, but the Bucs hope for a different result. Both teams won their week one game and had strong offensive performances. With the Bucs' secondary being significantly injured, they'll have to hold on against the high-flying attack of the Detroit Lions. The Lions threw the ball 43 times in their last matchup, and that number will probably be similar next week. The Bucs must also get busy in the passing game to counter the Lion's attack. I expect to see a great duel between the two former number-one overall picks, Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield. Both are now on different teams than they were drafted to, but both are at the peaks of their careers. All eyes will be on the Bucs and Lions on Sunday at 1 P.M. Eastern, which could be a classic.
Final Score: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37, Washington Commanders 20
Bastable's Three Stars
1st Star - Baker Mayfield (24/30, 289 Passing Yards, 21 Rushing Yards, 4 TDs)
2nd Star - Mike Evans (5 Receptions for 61 Yards and 2 TDs)
3rd Star - Rachaad White (15 Carries for 35 Yards, 6 Receptions for 75 Yards)
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