Baker Mayfield leads Bucs to first 3-0 start in 2 decades with another game-winning drive
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Baker Mayfield has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers off to a red-hot start. The Bucs are 3-0 after a 29-27 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
It’s been a while since Tampa Bay has opened a season at 3-0. The last time that happened was in 2005 when it went 11-5 before falling in the Wild Card Round.
But it’s how the Bucs have been winning that has stood out.
In all 3 contests, Mayfield, who had his best statistical year in 2024, has led the Bucs on a game-winning drive. During Week 1, he connected with Emeka Egbuka with 59 seconds to go in a 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons. And in Week 2, he helped put together an 11-play drive, capped with Rachaad White’s go-ahead touchdown with 6 seconds left to sink the Houston Texans.
In Week 3, things looked precarious after Will McDonald returned a field goal try to put the Jets up 27-26 with 1:49 left. But Mayfield led the Buccaneers into field goal range once again, and this time, Chase McLaughlin connected with time expiring.
The Buccaneers face the Philadelphia Eagles, who had a blocked field goal of their own in a winning effort, in Week 4.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
