Buccaneers Not Worried About Lack of Passing Game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles walks toward the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Buccaneers Not Worried About Lack of Passing Game

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Nov 3, 2026 4:45 PM ET

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won their last two games against NFC South opponents. They've done so in quite an unusual way.

The Bucs have thrown just 14 passes in their last two games for 64 yards — quarterback Baker Mayfield didn't complete a pass at all in a 16-0 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Mayfield is recovering from a thumb injury, but over the past two weeks, he hasn't had to test it at all.

Now, the Bucs are facing off against the 6-2 Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football. The Bears just traded for one of the best defensive tackles in football in Jeffrey Simmons and knocked off the defending Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks. It's probably safe to say that the Bucs won't be able to win on the run game alone for the third week in a row.

So, are the Bucs confident that their quarterback can throw the ball if needed? Head coach Todd Bowles certainly seems to be.

Todd Bowles Knows Bucs Passing Game Will Be There When Needed

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bowles spoke to the media on Monday, and during his time, he stressed that the conditions are mainly what caused the Bucs to abandon the pass entirely.

"I've seen it in practice. Like you said, the conditions [didn’t require it]," Bowles said. "Carolina just got away in the second quarter, and we kind of got ahead. Yesterday, it was kind of impossible to throw, especially early on. In the last part of the ballgame, we had the lead and we really didn't have to throw the ball. You saw what happened when they threw the football."

Despite that, though, Bowles is confident that the Bucs can pass the ball if they need to. Mayfield may be recovering from a thumb injury, but Bowles believes his recent practices have shown he can accurately throw the ball when it's necessary.

"But we see it every day in practice, [I am] very confident. I thought Baker [Mayfield] had a great week of practice throwing the football, but we knew what the conditions were going to be," Bowles said. "Obviously, as they turned out, it was pretty much a monsoon most of the ballgame, so we didn't have to throw it. We kind of [grinded] it out, but [I'm] very confident our passing game will be fine."

The Bucs will likely have to throw against the Bears, who are looking more like a Super Bowl contender every week. It will be cold, but conditions will be much more favorable to throwing the football on Sunday night.

The Bucs play the Bears at 8:20 on Nov. 8. When they do, it might be time for Mayfield to put his thumb to the test.