Skip to main content
Advertising

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield: Bucs Need Fast Start to Pass Eagles Test

The Bucs would like a repeat of last year's Week Four win against the visiting Eagles, when they rushed out to a 24-0 lead and played well in the trenches on a steamy afternoon

bake

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-0 and are playing at home in Week Four but they are not favorites to win a fourth straight game. That's because their incoming opponent, which is also 3-0, just happens to be the defending Super Bowl champion and winners of 19 of its last 20 contests.

In what has been a nearly annual tradition of late, the Philadelphia Eagles are coming to town to rekindle what has often been an intense rivalry with countless memorable moments. In fact, the Eagles visited Raymond James Stadium in Week Four last season, too, right before their aforementioned 19-of-20 run that included the Super Bowl LIX win over Kansas City. The Buccaneers won that game, 33-16, and have actually taken six of their last seven meetings with the Eagles, playoffs included. The 2025 Buccaneers know those six wins will have no bearing on the outcome of this Sunday's game, but they have learned some lessons from those games in terms of beating top contenders.

"Starting fast [and] executing," said quarterback Baker Mayfield. "As cliché as it is, doing all the little things right. It is a team that lines up and they do what they do, and they do it really well. We have to do the same thing -- match that energy -- and between their offensive line and defensive line, obviously this game is going to be won in the trenches. That is the way we like it; we trust our big boys, we trust our defensive line and it is a great matchup for those guys as well."

Indeed, the Buccaneers started very fast in that game last September, mounting a long touchdown drive to start that game, and then doing it again on their second possession. The Tampa Bay defense started the game by forcing three straight three-and-outs, and when Cooper DeJean muffed a punt late in the first quarter to give Mayfield and company a short field, they tacked on another touchdown. It was 24-0 in the blink of an eye and the Eagles never again got closer than 10 points down.

The Bucs were also strong in the trenches in that Sunday afternoon affair, sacking Jalen Hurts six times and producing 111 rushing yards and two scores on offense. The Bucs' "trenches" have been in flux early in 2025, however, with injuries to Tristan Wirfs, Cody Mauch, Luke Goedeke and Michael Jordan causing massive lineup shifts on offense and the defense losing top interior pass rusher Calijah Kancey to a season-ending injury. Still, the Buccaneers rank seventh in the league in rushing yards on offense and sixth in rush defense and are 15th on sacks per pass play on offense and 14th on defense.

View the top images of Tampa Bay's 29-27 victory against the New York Jets on Sunday, September 21st, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium.

The Bucs may have some more adjustments to those fronts in Week Four with All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs possibly returning to action and defensive lineman Logan Hall dealing with a groin injury, but they also have some extra motivation for this weekend's contest. The Eagles' status as defending league champs means a rise in the intensity level for a team that believes it is a strong contender for the conference crown, as well.

"Every single week in this league is competitive, do not get me wrong on that, but when you are playing the Super Bowl champions from last year -- a team that is really, really good -- you always try and elevate your game a little bit," said Mayfield. "We are trying to set the tone on our end. This year is not just about winning the division, but the goal after that we [have] to take it one game at a time and this week we have a great opponent in the Eagles."

A good start on offense and strong work in the trenches could potentially lead to a time-of-possession advantage, as well. In last year's Week Four win, the two teams played with temperatures in the 90s and nearly 70% humidity. This Sunday's forecast suggests there were will be similar conditions to greet the Bucs and Eagles. The home team hopes it handles those conditions better than their visitors.

"It is for sure an advantage for us," said Mayfield. "Not that we are able to just withstand all the heat, but we have to tell ourselves we have been in it for a long time, and we have been dealing with it for longer than the other team has. … We can feel it and that is when you have to tell yourself -- and guys in the huddle will say, 'Hey, we are not as tired as they are' -- we have to push and finish this [drive] in the end zone. It is always good to have somebody remind you of that."

Related Content

Latest Headlines

2025 Home Games

Eagles vs. Buccaneers

Week 4

September 28

1:00 PM ET

49ers vs. Buccaneers

Week 6

October 12

1:00 PM ET

Patriots vs. Buccaneers

Week 10

November 9

1:00 PM ET

Cardinals vs. Buccaneers

Week 13

November 30

1:00 PM ET

Saints vs. Buccaneers

Week 14

December 7

1:00 PM ET

Falcons vs. Buccaneers

Week 15

December 11

8:15 PM ET

Panthers vs. Buccaneers

Week 18

January 4

Time TBD

Advertising