Through two games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' passing attack has yet to fully coalesce under new Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson, producing just 184.5 yards per game and one touchdown while ranking 28th in sacks per pass play allowed at 11.29%. There have certainly been promising moments, as the short passing game was effective in the season-opener at Cincinnati and Baker Mayfield was able to hit Tez Johnson on a 49-yard deep ball last Sunday against the Browns. The area of the field the Bucs have had the last success attacking through the air in the first two weeks has been the intermediate range.
Mayfield knows that as this aerial attack develops it will need to work all three levels of the field to be consistently effective. He also knows that wide receivers like Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan (just now getting back into the mix off a knee injury) are effective at getting open in that intermediate zone.
"Yeah, I think to be able to threaten a defense completely in the pass game, yeah, got to be able to do that. Some of it, you know, [I've] had to step off my spots a little bit, but some of it, I can take a tight hitch, slight, sudden movements in the pocket and still deliver some of those. That's really what [it is], after looking at the tape from Sunday, just trusting that the guys are going to be there, and 'C.G.' pretty much always is. So, there [are] a few specifically with him, but yeah, got to connect the dots on all those."
The Buccaneers have actually not been ignoring the intermediate part of the field. Through those two games, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, Mayfield has attempted 15 passes in the "mid" range, designed as 10-19 air yards downfield. That's just slightly above the NFL's per-team average. He has completed nine of those 15 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown, one interception and an 84.9 passer rating. Those aren't drastically bad numbers, but the general feeling of dissatisfaction with that part of the offense probably has a lot to do with the tendency for Godwin and Egbuka not to get targeted early in the games.
That should change in the weeks to come. Mayfield definitely trusts his receivers and Robinson said that Godwin and Egbuka have not had problems creating separation.
"Yeah, there's been some great looks on tape of those guys separating," said Robinson. "I think 'C.G.' has run some really good routes. 'Mek' the other day had a couple opportunities and maybe we had to move off the spot. That's where it takes all 11 to execute, and it takes my responsibility as well to make sure that we're getting the right things going. So yeah, no issues in terms of separation or anything. It's just still so early in the season. We don't have a ton of inventory of dropback pass at this point to really draw on. Definitely got to get that uptick in that for sure.
"Looking at the specifics of it, again, each play is its own. There [have] been times where, shoot, maybe there was something and we've got protection [problems] or something. But I've got to do a better job making sure we do get those openings there."
To Mayfield, getting the intermediate passing game going is all part of a more overarching goal of achieving offensive balance.
"[We want] a lot more play-action shots paired up with the run game," said Mayfield. "So, just continuing to keep a balanced thing – balanced offense when it comes to the run and pass. But yeah, sometimes the coverage dictates not being able to get some of those intermediate throws. We've been pretty good at moving the ball when we stay out of our own way."
