TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are winning despite a slew of injuries to key players.
It sets up well for both teams down the road.
First, they face off Sunday in Tampa Bay.
A pair of 4-1 teams leading their divisions meet in one of just two matchups in Week 6 featuring winning teams.
Playoff preview? Maybe.
Getting healthy and staying in first place is the immediate priority.
"If you can stack wins early and get your star players back later, that helps you solidify the second half of the season, get on the same page, and hopefully get on a roll,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "With guys getting experience and playing early – and us winning in the process – it can’t do (anything) but help us.”
The 49ers are expected to start Mac Jones for the fourth time with Brock Purdy ruled out because of a toe injury. Jones is 3-0 and playing more like the guy New England expected when he was drafted in the first round in 2021.
Jones has shown he could possibly be the next Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold — former first-round picks who bounced around the league before becoming franchise quarterbacks on other teams.
“I love finding ways to win games that you can easily lose,” Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I don’t really look into the road or away or when you do it. It really doesn’t matter. I’ve been 5-0 and not made the playoffs. I’ve been 0-4 and have made the playoffs. So, you don’t look into really any of that stuff. It just all matters what your record is when you add up to 17, not the order of how you do it.”
Mayfield is thriving in Tampa Bay and playing at an MVP level. The Buccaneers have won four games on scores in the final minute with Mayfield leading the way.
“I love what he’s doing right now. I love the way he’s playing. I love the space he’s in, mentally and physically getting it done,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said of Mayfield. “The mastery of the offense in his second year has really done a lot. Them understanding and communicating what he likes and doesn’t like, and him throwing to the open guys and making everybody better, has really helped. I’m very proud of that.”
Christian McCaffrey the runner has gotten off to a slow start running the ball with his 3.1 yards per carry ranking fifth-worst among 44 qualifiers so far this season. McCaffrey the receiver has been a different story. McCaffrey is third in the NFL with 39 catches through five games and sixth with 387 yards. He’s on pace to smash the single-season record for yards receiving for a running back and for 133 catches, which would be the sixth-most for any player in a season. McCaffrey is also on pace for the most touches from scrimmage in a season in more than a decade but he isn’t worried about the heavy workload.
“I feel great for what it’s worth,” he said.
The Buccaneers couldn’t ask for a better start from rookie first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, who has stepped into the No. 1 receiver role with Mike Evans sidelined. The former Ohio State standout has 25 receptions for 445 yards and five TDs. He had a career-best 163 yards on seven receptions with one TD in last week’s 38-35 win at Seattle. Egbuka is the sixth receiver since 2020 to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving performances.
“He is just pretty damn good, that is about it,” Mayfield said.
Eddy Pineiro has solved San Francisco’s kicking woes after being signed in Week 2 to replace Jake Moody, who was cut after missing two short field goals in the opener. The Niners were lucky to be able to sign Pineiro, who hadn’t even gone to camp with any team this season. Pineiro has made all 11 field goals this year and is the third-most accurate field goal kicker of all time. He made a career-long 59 yarder last week against the Rams, as well as 41-yarder in overtime that deflected off the upright.
“I didn’t hit it the best, but I feel like it had a shot,” he said. “And then, once it ‘French kissed’ the pole — I’m going to be taking that pole to dinner soon.”
With running back Bucky Irving sidelined by foot and shoulder injuries, Rachaad White stepped into his former role as Tampa Bay’s lead back and scored two TDs on the ground and finished with 71 scrimmage yards. The Bucs have two backs they consider primary guys and White was up to the task.
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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