Bucs Have Their Money Kicker Back Again

Several Bucs fans were calling for McLaughlin to be cut, or at least for the Bucs to bring in another kicker and have some competition. McLaughlin may have been bailed out going into Week 3 against the Jets because the Bucs were on a shorter week and didn't have as much time to bring someone in. A lot of attention was on McLaughlin for Sunday's home opener, and he delivered tenfold.

If there wasn't enough pressure already with the groaning of Tampa Bay fans throughout the week, lining up for his first field goal of the day from 54-yards out was no easy task. And McLaughlin nailed it.

This signified that the old Money McLaughlin was back.

Bucs Kicker Chase McLaughlin Has Bounced Back

Chase McLaughlin went on to hit five field goals on six attempts in the game as Tampa Bay won 29-27. His lone miss was blocked as Jets defender Will McDonald leaped over Elijah Klein and got right in front of the kick not long after it came off of McLaughlin's foot. Not much he could do there.

But that just further showed McLaughlin's bounce back ability as he did not allow the magnitude of the previous kicking situation impact his final kick of the game as it was decide whether the Bucs won or lost. Lining up from 36-yards away, two yards closer than a missed yarder from a game ago, McLaughlin hit it right down the middle.

Overall, McLaughlin connected from 54, 33, 28, 55 and 36 while also making two extra points. We can put any worries about his kicking to the side.

"The confidence the team had in me was really reassuring," McLaughlin said about his bounce back performance. The whole thing was just giving glory to God throughout everything, no matter what happened [in] that game, giving it to Him and being able to pull through. Just like Todd [Bowles] said after the game, it doesn't matter how you get a win. We're 3-0 and that's all that matters."

Bucs Will Need Chase McLaughlin Against Eagles

Points will be at a premium when the 3-0 Bucs host the 3-0 Eagles on Sunday in a matchup of two undefeated teams. It might be tougher for Tampa Bay to score with Mike Evans out for the game. And even with a potentially returning Tristan Wirfs at left tackle and Chris Godwin Jr. at wide receiver, each player should be a little rusty going into it. Expecting Godwin to just pick up the slack for Evans after nearly missing a year of football might not be realistic.

Though as we've seen early on in this season, the Bucs just find ways to win. A season ago they'd lost these close games, but this season they're coming out on top at the end of it. By no means are the Bucs going to be counted out against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles, and it may come down to Chase McLaughlin as close to perfect as he can be to help the Bucs find a way to win.

"It's definitely something I sense," McLaughlin said of the winning culture Tampa Bay has. "Everyone's got each other's back out there. I've played for 11 teams now and I've never seen guys – offense and defense – come onto the field, or as guys are coming off the field, reinforce them and say, 'Hey, we got this, we've got your back.' It's something special for sure."