Bucs’ Week 1 Win Saw History Repeat Itself

Yet Mayfield was able to find running back Rachaad White for a big third-quarter touchdown, paring that with a rushing touchdown he had earlier in the game. And then when the Bucs defense gave up the lead late, Mayfield pushed aside the struggles he had for the rest of the afternoon and led a 12-play, 75-yard game-winning drive that ended in a go-ahead touchdown pass to Cade Otton from 11 yards out.

Mayfield’s 14-of-29 passing day. The 144 passing yards. Three total touchdowns. One fourth-quarter comeback. One win.

Fast forward 21 months and the story was largely the same for Mayfield and the Buccaneers offense. The veteran quarterback struggled early and finished with a modest line that included 167 yards and a 17-of-32 mark. But he also had three touchdowns, and as an added wrinkle this time, he was the team’s leading rusher with 39 yards on five carries, converting some key third downs with his legs – including a 20-yard scramble.

This time around, his third-quarter touchdown pass went to another running back, Bucky Irving. And again, after the defense let the lead slip away, No. 6 stayed calm and led a five-play, 63-yard touchdown drive that ended with the go-ahead score to Emeka Egbuka from 25 yards out.

Mayfield’s 17-of-32 passing day. The 167 passing yards. Three touchdowns. One fourth-quarter comeback. One win.

Second verse, same as the first?

Bucs Defense Collapses, Nearly Collapses Again, Then Survives

Tampa Bay’s defense was largely effective throughout that December 2023 win in Atlanta. But the fourth quarter brought trouble. After allowing a touchdown early in the quarter to let the home team back into it, a five-play, 75-yard drive engineered by Desmond Ridder gave the Falcons a 25-22 lead with 3:23 to go.

The defense had blown it, and now it was up to Baker Mayfield and the offense. They came through, and then it was on the defense to hang on with less than a minute to go.

A 16-yard pass from Ridder to Drake London got the Falcons to the 50 with 25 seconds left. A 19-yard pass from Ridder to Kyle Pitts then got them to the Bucs’ 31. And on the game’s final play, Ridder found London for 28 yards, only for him to be tackled by Christian Izien at the 3-yard line.

Game over, Bucs win.

Again, 21 months later, the situation was similar. Atlanta’s 18-play, 91-yard drive that took 8:46 ended with the Bucs giving up a late lead to put pressure on Mayfield and the offense.

There was a wrinkle here, too, as the offense delivered again only for the always-reliable Chase McLaughlin to miss the extra point, keeping it a three-point game.

The defense then was left with the task of keeping Atlanta out of field goal range with less than a minute to go. Ray-Ray McCloud’s 24-yard catch on a pass from Michael Penix Jr. got the Falcons to midfield quickly. A 14-yard pass to Pitts got them closer, and then came the big play that helped prevent disaster for the defense.

Whereas it was Christian Izien who made the game-saving tackle at the buzzer back in December 2023, it was Antoine Winfield Jr. coming through this time with a big hit to break up a pass that Casey Washington nearly snagged to either set up a chip shot field goal or even get in the end zone for the win.

In that 2023 game, the Bucs got lucky that time expired when it did, as the Falcons were all the way down to the 3-yard line. On Sunday, they got lucky with Younghoe Koo pushing the potential game-tying field goal wide, meaning they escaped Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a win.

Of note, Koo also missed two kicks in that December 2023 game.

Chalk this up as one of the occurrences when it was actually beneficial for history to repeat itself.