TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to a 2-0 start for the fourth straight season under coach Todd Bowles.
They haven’t been 3-0 yet.
“That’s a problem that we’ve got to try to solve. We’re looking more ahead for that as opposed to just being happy being 2-0,” Bowles said. “It’s a long season. We’ve got a lot of work to do and we’ve got a lot of things to get better at. We haven’t been 3-0. So, that’s a big challenge for us this week as opposed to sitting there and saying we’re 2-0 and being happy and then getting our (tails) kicked on Sunday.”
It’ll be a throwback day for the Buccaneers when they host the New York Jets in their home opener. Baker Mayfield and his teammates will wear the original white creamsicle uniforms to commemorate the franchise’s 50th season. More than 100 former Buccaneers will be in attendance to join the celebration.
“I think that’s great, but that’s not going to help us get to 3-0,” Bowles said.
The Jets won’t have starting quarterback Justin Fields because of a concussion. Tyrod Taylor will take his place in the lineup.
New York’s Aaron Glenn is still looking for his first win as head coach. Mayfield and the Bucs faced him in each of the past two seasons when he was the Lions defensive coordinator.
Mayfield had 349 yards passing, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a 31-23 playoff loss in Detroit on Jan. 21, 2024. He threw for 185 yards, one TD, one pick and ran for a score in a 20-16 win over the Lions last September.
“Obviously, Aaron being in Detroit, the way they’re coached overall under Dan Campbell and that philosophy of (having) a complete unit — physical, they play really, really hard,” Mayfield said. “Their defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, is somebody I’ve been around in a couple different places. They just fly around, do what they’re supposed to do, and do it at a high level.”
Wilks was an assistant coach in Carolina when Mayfield spent half of a forgettable season with the Panthers.
The game features a matchup of old friends among the head coaches with Glenn and Bowles.
Glenn, who is in his first year as an NFL head coach, played for the Jets for eight of his 15 NFL seasons — including in 2000, when Bowles was New York’s secondary coach. Glenn spent two seasons with Dallas, in 2005 and ’06, where his secondary coach was again Bowles.
Now, Glenn is in the position Bowles held for four seasons — from 2015-18 — as the Jets’ head coach.
“This is a personal game for me from the aspect of, I know Todd Bowles on a level that is unlike a lot of coaches relationships I have in this league,” Glenn said. “I’ve leaned on him quite a bit throughout my coaching process and he’s been a really good friend. So, when I say ‘personal,’ that’s where that comes from.”
Taylor was Cleveland’s starting quarterback in 2018 when the Browns took on the Jets in Week 3.
It was the last game he started for the franchise.
Taylor suffered a concussion shortly before halftime and was replaced by his backup: Mayfield. The No. 1 overall pick that year made his NFL debut and led the Browns to a comeback victory. Mayfield started the rest of that season.
Both quarterbacks have ended up in several other spots since, and the two will face each other as opponents Sunday. They last squared off in 2021, when Mayfield was still in Cleveland and Taylor was with Houston — and the Browns won 31-21.
“Happy for Baker,” Taylor said. “He’s a competitor. Haven’t caught up with him much since we parted ways in Cleveland, but I always watch him from afar and I’m proud of the way he’s been able to handle himself and the way he’s carrying the Tampa Bay team and just his success over the years.”
Mayfield playfully corrected the pronunciation of Taylor’s first name.
“It’s correctly pronounced tuh-ROD, but he doesn’t correct people,” Mayfield said. “No, he’s an awesome guy, a really good leader. (He is a) veteran presence that was instrumental for me in the midst of a chaotic first year in Cleveland and somebody I relied on a lot. I have a ton of respect for him, just the way he’s able to command and operate. Obviously, Justin (Fields) presents different challenges, but Tyrod is able to do his own thing. He’s played a lot of ball, been everywhere, different systems. So yeah, that’ll be a good matchup.”
Despite losing defensive tackle Calijah Kancey in the first half, the Buccaneers held Houston to 57 yards rushing, excluding C.J. Stroud’s scrambles. In the opener, they held the Falcons to 69 yards on 24 carries, limiting Bijan Robinson to only 24 yards.
The Jets have 282 yards rushing in two games led by Breece Hall’s 136. Hall is averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed to this report.
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