After Tom Brady's second and more final retirement, the Buccaneers brought in former number-one overall draft pick Baker Mayfield, who won a training camp battle with holdover Kyle Trask for the starting quarterback job. Despite two straight division titles, the Buccaneers were widely expected to take a big step back in 2023, despite returning most of the core players on offense and defense. Instead, the Buccaneers won three of their first four as Mayfield quickly settled into a productive passing attack guided by new Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales. Despite ranking last in the league in rushing yards for a second straight season, the Buccaneers got 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns from Mayfield and another pair of 1,000-yard seasons from Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. led an opportunistic defense and won Associated Press first-team All-Pro honors after combining 122 tackles with 6.0 sacks, three interceptions, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 12 passes defensed. The Buccaneers' efforts to defend their division title looked to be in jeopardy after a string of six losses in seven games, but the team rallied to win four of its last five for a 9-8 record and a team-record third straight NFC South crown. In Week 15, the Bucs went to Green Bay and authored a 34-20 upset when Mayfield became the first visiting quarterback ever to compile a perfect 158.3 passer rating at Lambeau Field. An incredible forced fumble at the goal line by Winfield keyed a 9-0 win at Carolina at Week 18 to secure a playoff berth and the Bucs opened the postseason with another blowout home win against the Eagles. The result was a Divisional Round matchup with the upstart Lions in Detroit, in which Mayfield's first two touchdown passes, to Cade Otton and Rachaad White, led to a 17-17 tie heading into the fourth quarter. The Lions scored two quick touchdowns in the final period to pull ahead, but Mayfield and Evans hooked up for another score to make it 31-23. The Bucs got the ball one more time at their own 10 with two minutes to go but linebacker Derrick Barnes secured the win for the home team with an interception.
