The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Top 2024 Moments

The Buccaneers started this season with a real chance to make the playoffs, and some people are backing them as a dark horse to get all the way to the Super Bowl.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in decent form and there is always a chance of them doing something special. The season is really in its infancy and nobody is being too bold with the predictions yet (well, in the wider championship, some are discussing the fact the Chiefs look like a runaway train…).

Tampa Bay has already had some interesting moments in this season and people who are betting on the NFL may be exploring the stats and looking in with some level of interest in what the rest of the season might hold.

Commanding the Commanders

The opening-day victory against the Commanders was special. Baker Mayfield led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an impressive 37–20 victory over the Washington team, throwing for an impressive 289 yards and four touchdowns. His dynamic performance propelled Tampa Bay to their fourth consecutive season-opening win, marking the longest streak of first-day wins in the franchise’s history.

Mayfield’s passing was sharp from the start, connecting on key plays that allowed the Buccaneers to maintain control of the game. Two of his touchdowns passes found star wide receiver Mike Evan, who was integral to the offensive surge.

Evans’ ability to break through Washington’s defensive line repeatedly showcased the connection between him and Mayfield. His two touchdown catches added to his already stellar resume and showed that he remains a dominant force within the Buccaneers’ offense.

Another significant moment for Tampa Bay came through rookie Jalen McMillan. The young wide receiver caught his first career NFL touchdown. He is making an immediate impact in the NFL.

Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels had a solid outing despite his team’s overall struggles, but it was the Bucs fans who went home happiest that day.

A win at Detroit

Tampa Bay squared off against Detroit in a highly anticipated rematch of the previous season’s divisional playoff. Quarterback Baker Mayfield played a key role (yet again) in the Buccaneers’ 20–16 victory. Mayfield’s recent injury scare left a lot of fans fearing the worst but he seems okay to continue to play a big part.

Mayfield connected with Chris Godwin on a 41-yard touchdown pass during the first half in Detroit, giving Tampa Bay an early lead. Later, in the third quarter, Mayfield extended the lead by scoring on an 11-yard designed quarterback run, displaying his versatility and helping his team maintain control of the game.

This win marked the Buccaneers’ second victory of the season, improving their record to 2-0. Despite some strong performances by Detroit, including from defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who recorded an impressive 4½ sacks, the Lions were unable to capitalize on key moments. Mayfield did throw one interception but the Lions’ mistakes ultimately cost them the game.

One of Detroit’s biggest “D’oh” moments came in the closing seconds of the first half. The Lions were attempting to spike the ball and stop the clock for a potential field goal, but the kicking team mistakenly ran onto the field too early. This led to a costly penalty for having too many men on the field, derailing their scoring opportunity and leaving the drive empty.

What can the Buccaneers achieve?

Plenty of fans – whether they are looking to gamble on the outcome or are just interested – will be discussing what they think the Bucs might be able to achieve this year.

The Buccaneers squad is one of the strongest we’ve seen in a while. SI reporter JC Allen explained that this does not mean that they aren’t underdogs, and a lot of people like to write off the team before the season has truly got under way: “You won’t find that same type of optimism among national media outlets that all have the Bucs falling short of a fourth straight NFC South crown to the hot new Atlanta Falcons.”

The Falcons did beat the Bucs in the early season fixture but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be progress as the season goes on.

Playoffs should be an aim for the Bucs, and with a relative level of stability, there will be fans hoping that the team can even go all the way. It’s not likely – but neither is it impossible.

Conclusion

Betting on the Bucs can be a tricky business, as they sometimes thrive on having underdog status. The seasonal predictions have been pretty mixed and so has the season’s start, but we have already seen some interesting moments as the Tampa Bay team tries to build on last year’s achievements.

Whether this could be a playoff team once more, only time will tell. They play the Falcons and the Chiefs in the coming weeks, and these could prove to be good challenges. Fans will really be able to get to grips with where the team is after watching these matchups.