Bucs Are Nonetheless Kings Of The South
It is time for Scott Reynolds’ 2-Level Conversion post-game column, which options two statements, two questions and two predictions based mostly on the newest Bucs recreation.
Tampa Bay opened up the season with a wild win in Atlanta, getting some revenge on the Falcons in a 23-20 thriller. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw three touchdowns, together with two to rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, who caught the game-winner with lower than a minute left in regulation. The Bucs protection bent, however did not break, as each groups’ kickers missed essential discipline targets within the second half, together with one from Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo that might’ve tied the sport up on the finish.
2 BIG STATEMENTS
STATEMENT 1. Bucs Are Nonetheless Kings Of The South
The Falcons “Falconed” once more on Sunday, this time in a 23-20 dwelling loss to the Bucs in Week 1.
Which means they choked, simply as they did on the finish of final 12 months, dropping extra time video games to Washington and Carolina within the final two weeks of the season when Atlanta was 8-7. The Falcons have been within the driver’s seat within the NFC South after sweeping the Bucs in 2024 – solely to lose the division to Tampa Bay, which obtained sizzling down the stretch and received its remaining two video games of the 12 months to complete 10-7.
Due to a last-second miss by kicker Younghoe Koo, the Falcons did not tie Sunday’s recreation and despatched the Bucs dwelling a winner – and with an early 1-0 win within the division.
Falcons Okay Younghoe Koo – Photograph by: USA In the present day
The phrase “revenge” wasn’t actually thrown round rather a lot within the Bucs locker room. Tampa Bay clearly is aware of that Atlanta is an effective workforce. That was evident in each losses to the Falcons final 12 months.
A Week 1 loss wouldn’t have crushed the Bucs. It is a lengthy season, and the rematch will come on Thursday evening in Tampa Bay in Week 15. In order that’s why Todd Bowles and Co. handled this like a daily recreation within the media.
However deep inside, this was a revenge recreation for Bowles and the Bucs. That was clear with Bowles’ postgame “Yeahhhhhhh!” primal scream within the victorious locker room.
Bowles made it clear that he needed his workforce to develop a killer intuition this 12 months and never wait round till the tip of the 12 months in Week 17 or Week 18 to clinch yet one more division title. Tampa Bay was the one Week 1 winner within the NFC South and will not have one other division recreation till Week 8 at New Orleans.
Atlanta will get the prospect to style victory for the primary time within the NFC South in Week 3 at Carolina, which might be a revenge recreation for the Falcons after the Panthers’ Week 18 triumph within the Mercedes-Benz Dome gave Arthur Clean’s workforce a dropping file for the seventh straight 12 months.
In the meantime Tampa Bay enjoys the satisfaction of being within the pole place early because it possibilities a franchise and division file fifth straight NFC South title. Maybe no Bucs participant loved Sunday’s win greater than kicker Chase McLaughlin, who missed a discipline purpose of his personal in addition to an additional level.
Seeing Koo and the Falcons “Falcon” was an effective way to begin what might be an excellent 2025 season in Tampa Bay.
STATEMENT 2. Emeka Egbuka Is As Legit As We Mentioned He Was
Do not forget that killer intuition that Todd Bowles needed his workforce to develop this 12 months? Effectively, it did not fairly occur on protection – Bowles’ aspect of the ball.
Tampa Bay surrendered an extended, 91-yard drive that gave the Falcons a 20-17 lead late within the fourth quarter, after which allowed Atlanta to drive down the sector for a possible game-tying discipline purpose on the finish of the sport.
However the Bucs offense did present a killer intuition in a Week 1, recapturing the lead with lower than a minute left thanks a 25-yard landing catch by rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, who had two TDs in his NFL debut. Emeka’s second rating proved to be the game-winner and he hauled in a laser beam from Baker Mayfield, who overcame a gradual begin to throw three TDs in Week 1.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photograph by: USA In the present day
“We observe two-minute,” Egbuka stated. “When it will get to that scenario we’re down by three and with a discipline purpose to tie – we’re capturing to kill. We wish the win. That is simply our mentality. A discipline purpose will be plan B, and that is cool, however we would like seven.”
Emeka had a step on Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes on his second landing and effortlessly caught Mayfield’s strike like a ho-hum reception he made over and over in coaching camp. Even when it is spectacular play for the rookie receiver, Egbuka simply makes it look routine.
I’ve gone on file saying that Egbuka, who completed with 4 catches for 67 yards, is the perfect rookie receiver I’ve ever coated in Tampa Bay. Proper now, he is higher than Mike Evans was in 2014 and he is higher than Chris Godwin Jr. was as a rookie in 2017.
On Sunday in Atlanta, Egbuka did his greatest Godwin impersonation because the fill-in slot receiver to assist Tampa Bay begin the season 1-0.
Not Godwin as a rookie. Egbuka regarded like Godwin the polished professional.
All of us obtained excited to see Jalen McMillan catch eight touchdowns final 12 months throughout his rookie season. Effectively, Egbuka already has two – and there are 16 extra video games to go.
“He is as marketed – after which some,” stated Bucs proper deal with Luke Goedeke.
2 PROBING QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1. Is SirVocea Dennis Really An Improve At ILB?
Sure, however there isn’t any doubt that SirVocea Dennis had his share of struggles in his first begin at center linebacker in Sunday’s 23-20 win at Atlanta. Dennis changed final 12 months’s starter, Okay.J. Britt, who wasn’t re-signed this offseason.
To higher reply this query, ask your self this: would Britt have made any of the performs that Dennis missed? Uncertain, as Britt will not be as quick nor as athletic as Dennis is.
But Dennis was no match for protecting operating again Bijan Robinson out of the backfield within the flat. The third-year Bucs inside linebacker obtained out-athleted by Robinson on a 50-yard receiving rating within the first quarter and once more within the third quarter on one other Robinson catch, whereas lacking a couple of tackles within the recreation.
Additionally ask your self: would Britt have made the identical performs that Dennis made? Once more, uncertain. Dennis was tied for second on the workforce with 10 tackles (seven solo) in Atlanta on Sunday and had two tackles for loss and a cross breakup.
Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis and Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Britt solely had one double-digit deal with recreation final 12 months in 16 begins, together with the Wild Card playoff loss to Washington, and two tackles for loss your entire season. Dennis had that within the 2025 season opener – and there are 16 extra video games to go.
“He did not wrestle in protection,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated. “The primary one, he was ‘out-athleted.’ Bijan obtained him in open house, and he ran. The second, he obtained grasping and tried to go for the sack as an alternative of taking his man. We needed to get him again down and pull up the sport plan that approach. Take away the 2 performs, he performed a strong ball recreation. He had some huge sticks himself and had a ton of expertise.”
Dennis performed nicely within the first 4 video games final 12 months platooning with Britt earlier than struggling a season-ending shoulder harm towards the Eagles. Had he stayed wholesome, Dennis would’ve supplanted Britt because the starter by Week 5 or Week 6.
Earlier than we get too down on Dennis from some gaffes in his first begin, let’s give him a while to develop and study on the job – whereas understanding that he’s already an improve over Britt already.
QUESTION 2. Was The Bucs’ 4-Man Rush Good Sufficient In Week 1?
No, after all not. The Bucs’ four-man cross rush is and might be a piece in progress after a strong, however not spectacular displaying towards the Falcons in Week 1.
Tampa Bay’s defensive entrance left some sacks on the sector as Michael Penix Jr. discovered some escape lanes when pressured from the pocket. Penix ran for 21 yards on six carries and scored a go-ahead dashing landing on a fourth-and-goal on the 4-yard line late within the fourth quarter.
“We left some sacks on the sector. We left fairly a couple of,” stated Bucs head coach Todd Bowles.
Yaya Diaby had a 14-yard sack of Penix negated by a facemask penalty by cornerback Jamel Dean. Newcomer Haason Reddick did have one sack in his Bucs debut, a giant one on third down that ended a Falcons drive and compelled a discipline purpose that lower Tampa Bay’s third quarter result in 17-13.
Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and OLB Yaya Diaby and Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Bowles moved Reddick round and had him as an edge rusher and in addition on the linebacker stage as an off-ball linebacker in base protection.
“We tried to run a bit of little bit of base that regarded like a nickel, a bit of nickel regarded like base and transfer him round some so he would not be caught, and he might be an lively participant,” Bowles stated. “He was a really lively participant for us that approach. It actually helped us within the run recreation, in addition to the cross recreation. I do know he seems like he ought to have had two extra sacks than he ought to have, however I like the place he is at. I like how he matches in right here. He’ll do nothing however profit us.”
Hey, Reddick is on tempo for a 17-sack season, proper? I would say a 10-sack season is extra doubtless, which will surely be welcomed in Tampa Bay.
Defensive tackles Vita Vea and Greg Gaines every obtained flagged for 15-yard roughing the passer penalties on Atlanta’s remaining landing drive within the fourth quarter, which did not assist issues. However the perfect factor the entrance 4 did was mix for 11 tackles, three tackles for loss in serving to to stymie the Falcons’ floor recreation. Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson mixed to run for simply 48 yards on 22 carries (2.4 avg.). That is a superb begin – and the sacks will come as chemistry develops up entrance.
2 BOLD PREDICTIONS
PREDICTION 1. Bucs, Falcons Will Break up The Sequence
The excellent news for Tampa Bay is that it beat Atlanta to begin the 2025 season 1-0. The unhealthy information is that it is clear the Falcons have discovered their franchise quarterback in Michael Penix Jr., who handed for 298 yards with one landing and one dashing rating. Penix confirmed loads of poise in his fourth NFL begin and made a bunch of performs towards Todd Bowles’ protection.
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. – Photograph by: USA In the present day
“I informed him after the sport that he is going be an issue on this league for a very long time,” Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield stated. “I believe he is a terrific participant. He is decisive, goes by way of his reads, trusts his guys. He is younger, however he is obtained it.”
That being stated, I can see Penix, who’s a Tampa-area native hailing from Dade Metropolis, and the Falcons getting some revenge in Week 15 and splitting the collection with the Bucs. In spite of everything, it is the creamsicle recreation – and Tampa Bay simply does not win within the orange jerseys.
PREDICTION 2. Tampa Bay Ends Primetime Hunch In Houston
The Bucs misplaced all 5 of their primetime video games final 12 months, beginning with a 36-30 extra time loss at Atlanta. That was adopted by a pair of losses on Monday Evening Soccer – a 41-31 defeat at dwelling to Baltimore and a 30-24 loss at Kansas Metropolis. Then got here a disappointing 26-24 defeat in Dallas on Sunday Evening Soccer in Week 16 adopted by a 23-20 dwelling Wild Card loss in primetime to Washington.
The Bucs have the prospect to finish that dropping streak and show they will win in primetime subsequent week versus the Texans. Tampa Bay travels to Houston for a Monday Evening Soccer affair at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photograph by: USA In the present day
The Texans struggled offensively versus the Rams in a 14-9 loss in Los Angeles to begin the 2025 season, however have been capable of get Nick Chubb going with 60 yards on the bottom in his debut with Houston. I predict the Bucs get a win in Houston with the pair of Galveston, Texas natives – extensive receiver Mike Evans and cornerback Zyon McCollum – having huge video games close to dwelling.
Not solely is Todd Bowles now 4-0 in season openers because the Bucs head coach, he is additionally 3-0 in Week 2.
Make that 4-0.
