Tampa Bay Has Real Big-Play Stress
Tampa Bay ranks 9th in explosive-play ability. Baker Mayfield gives the offense a player defenses have to find. That burst can flip a drive without asking the offense to be perfect.
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PFM Archetype
No Soft Spot, No Superpower
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78.3PFM Team Score
NFL Rank#20No rank change
NFC Rank#10Among NFC teams
QB Stability#19Baker Mayfield · Not the Problem
Season OutlookIn the Playoff MixTampa Bay should be fighting for a playoff spot but has some flaws.
Coaching Staff Snapshot
Head CoachTodd Bowles
Offensive CoordinatorZac Robinson
Defensive CoordinatorTodd Bowles
Coaching Direction RankNo. 18
Offensive Rating
80.8
Defensive Rating
78.0
PFM Ranking Story
Why Tampa Bay Is No. 20
Tampa Bay has flashes of explosiveness through Baker Mayfield. The staff under Todd Bowles has not shown enough in-game adjustment or situational control. The main concern for Tampa Bay is replacing Mike Evans’ reliable production and limiting coverage breakdowns.
PFM Team DNA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team DNA
See how the PFM category ratings shape Tampa Bay.
Identity
Big-Play Upside
The Buccaneers do not have one dominant side. On offense, Tampa Bay uses an aggressive play-action passing plan, with Baker Mayfield and Chris Godwin as the main playmakers. On defense, the team uses a blitz-heavy scheme.
Swing Factor
Coaching Direction
Todd Bowles is the swing factor. The staff has to solve replacing Mike Evans’ reliable production and limiting coverage breakdowns. Tampa Bay moved into a post-Evans receiving plan and added more young defensive talent.
What the Ratings Reveal
What Jumps Off the Page
Todd Bowles Has to Keep Tampa Bay From Losing Its Shape
Bowles leads the 18th-ranked coaching situation as the offense moves into a post-Mike Evans plan. The Buccaneers still know how they want to play, but the staff has to replace reliable receiving production and cut down coverage busts.
Game Plan
How This Team Wins — And How It Breaks
The Buccaneers win by letting Mayfield attack early, creating pressure with Bowles’ blitz package and playing from in front.
The Buccaneers are most exposed in turnover games where the offense presses or the defense gives up explosives behind the blitz. Those games put a spotlight on replacing Mike Evans’ reliable production and limiting coverage breakdowns.
Schedule Strength
The Road Ahead
Tampa Bay's road sits No. 26 in difficulty; opponents average 78.5 in PFM Score, with 2 games against current top-10 teams. The toughest three-game run comes in Weeks 8, 9, 11 against Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions; the next 5 opponents average 78.1.
Difficulty Rank#26No. 1 is toughest
Opponent PFM Avg.78.5Average across opponents
Next 5 Avg.78.1Upcoming opponents
Top-10 Matchups2Games vs. current top 10
Away games left8
Top-10 road opponents1
at Cincinnati Bengals79.3 PFM · #16
Sep 13 · 1:00 pmAway
vs. Cleveland Browns71.4 PFM · #30
Sep 20 · 1:00 pmHomeBottom 10
vs. Minnesota Vikings78.8 PFM · #19
Sep 27 · 4:05 pmHome
vs. Green Bay Packers83.7 PFM · #12
Oct 4 · 1:00 pmHome
at Dallas Cowboys77.5 PFM · #21
Oct 8 · 8:15 pmAway
Toughest remaining opponent: 
Los Angeles Rams at 90.6 PFM.
PFM Report Card
QB StabilityB80.2
Roster StrengthB-78.6
Coaching DirectionC+76.6
Recent PerformanceC+76.7
Offense StrengthB80.8
Defense StrengthB-78.0
Franchise DirectionC+74.8
ExplosivenessB82.0
League Context
Built Like…
These are the two closest on-field builds in the PFM ratings. The similarities matter, but so do the differences.
Closest PFM Match
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are the closest match because both teams expect the offense to drive the result. The Buccaneers lean on an aggressive play-action passing offense, while the Falcons lean on an outside-zone and play-action offense. The Buccaneers have the better answer at quarterback.
Second-Closest Match
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are another close match because the offense carries more of the burden for both teams. The Buccaneers get there through an aggressive play-action passing offense; the Jaguars are built around a motion and play-action offense. Defense is where the Jaguars create the separation.
Division Pressure
NFC South Pressure
Tampa Bay enters as the team to catch in the NFC South. An aggressive play-action passing plan gives the team its clearest edge. Carolina is the closest rising NFC South challenge, with Atlanta’s ceiling tied to quarterback health.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl Era
Tampa Bay owns 2 Super Bowl titles from 2 trips, with the latest coming in Super Bowl LV in 2021.
- Super Bowl Titles
- 2
- Super Bowl Appearances
- 2
- Super Bowl Record
- 2–0
- Last Appearance
- 2021 Super Bowl LV
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