Despite a laundry list of injuries, the 2-0 Buccaneers head into their matchup against the Jets with confidence, relying on depth and a belief that the playbook remains wide open.
TAMPA, Fla. – The 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers go into Sunday’s matchup against the NY Jets banged up. You would think that with all the injuries the Bucs are dealing with, especially on the offensive line, confidence would be wavering. No, so says QB Baker Mayfield.
“By Sunday, whoever is out there, they’ll be ready,” Mayfield said, speaking about all the injuries on the offensive line. “That’s the big part about this offense, next man up, throwing them in there, really getting them ready for it, overcommunicating, being on the same page. Then just going out and playing ball.”
The Bucs are already without starting tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke, now right guard Cody Mauch is dealing with a knee injury and center Ben Bredson and left tackle Graham Barton are playing out of position. Does this mean the playbook will be shortened for this Jets game?
“No, the playbook is fully open,” Mayfield said.
On defense, the Bucaneers will be without defensive line stud Calijah Kancey, which could mean head coach Todd Bowles will have to do more rotating of players on that defensive line vs the Jets.
“Depending on the scheme, it probably changes each week, ” Bowles said. “So, we’re still sorting through that.”
The saving grace is that the Bucs are 2-0, and the Jets are 0-2, and the Jets will be starting backup QB Tyrod Taylor in place of the injured Justin Fields. Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr says it does not change their mindset or defensive game plan.
“No not at all, still the same game plan,” Winfield Jr. said. “Tyrod (Taylor) does everything well. He can run as well, just as good as Justin Fields, so the same game plan is going in.”
The Bucs’ ground game was highly successful in their win over the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. Rachaad White had 10 carries for 65 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Bucky Irving had 17 carries for 71 yards and 6 catches for 50 yards. Regardless of what the offensive line will look like come Sunday, Irving likes to keep it simple.
“It’s just being able to trust our guys up front, trust our coaching staff to put together a great game plan and go out there to execute.”
The Bucs are saying all the right things, it’s another thing to do it.
Tampa Bay is the only team in the NFL to start 2-0 in each of the past four seasons.
“The fact is, we haven’t been 3-0,” Bowles said. “So that’s a problem we’ve got to try to solve.”
The Bucs will be wearing their 1976 throwback “Creamsicle” uniforms Sunday. You may see some new Bucs players in those uniforms on Sunday with all these injuries.
LISTEN: Rock Riley: Tampa Bay Bucs Guard Cody Mauch On Year 3 And Blocking For Baker & Bucky
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