After a disappointing loss in Week 10, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' fans learned a lot -- perhaps more than they wanted.
There's no way around it, the Bucs blew a golden opportunity to establish themselves and beat the NFC South merchant allegations. A 6-3 record is good enough to lead the division, which is objectively a fantastic position to be in, but the Bucs are far from perfect and reminded us all of that on Sunday.
Now the road to getting things back on track is littered with difficulty. Up next is a game in Buffalo against an angry Bills team that also has something to prove, followed by a potential playoff preview in Los Angeles against the Rams.
Sunday wasn't ideal by any means, but it did teach us a few things about the Bucs that vary from good to bad.
Continued struggle to defend the pass
Drake Maye is a difficult Quarterback to face, but Week 10 highlighted his strengths. The North Carolina alum threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns. The Bucs' passing defense has struggled this year, and Sunday was no different.
Tampa Bay ranks 24th in the league in opponent passing yards per game. Over the last five weeks, the Bucs have allowed 270+ passing yards three times. The issue doesn't lie with the corners, who have dominated this year.
Starter Jamel Dean has allowed a measly 24.9 Quarterback rating and completions on just 46% of targets his way. Zyon McCollum has also dominated, leaving the blame in the hands of others. Longtime linebacker Lavonte David has never been strong defending the pass, and 2025 is no exception.
The 35-year-old has allowed completions on 80% of targets his way, well above his career average. Fellow linebacker SirVocea Dennis has been even worse defending the pass, allowing a 89% completion percentage on 38 targets. The Bucs' biggest weakness defending the pass is the linebacker core, and it's not even close.
The pass game runs through Emeka Egbuka and Cade Otton
The Emeka Egbuka and Cade Otton duo combined for fifteen catches for 197 yards on 25 targets. In the absence of Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Jalen McCmillan, and others, the passing game clearly runs through these two.
Receiver Tez Johnson did catch two touchdowns, but was limited to just five targets. If Otton and Egbuka are playing well, this offense will thrive. If this duo is struggling, the team must rely on the highly inefficient Rachaad White for a spark amidst the injuries.
Baker Mayfield's 2024 league-leading interception rate was a fluke
Last season, Baker Mayfield led the NFL with 16 interceptions, the most he'd thrown since his Sophomore campaign in 2019. Mayfield certainly has regressed a little since his MVP-caliber performance last year, but he has made better decisions. Through nine games, Mayfield has a 16/2 TD/INT ratio, the best of his career.
One reason may be the improvement of the offensive line, with Guard Michael Jordan joining the team over the offseason. Through four games, the 27-year-old is ranked 15th in pass block grade in 2025, according to PFF. Mayfield's sack rate has been nearly the lowest of his career, at 5.74%. The Bucs offense runs through Mayfield's struggles, and he's the reason for sustained success this year.