The Buccaneers only picked up 279 yards and scored 20 points in Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, but that was enough for them to end a three-game losing streak with a 20-17 victory.
Given those numbers, one might expect that the postgame comments about the offense featured a fair amount of grumbling but that wasn’t the case. Running back Bucky Irving scored a touchdown in his first game since Week 4 and wide receiver Chris Godwin had three catches for 78 yards in his second game back from an extended absence caused by a leg injury.
Those performances and the hope they provide for the coming weeks are a big part of the reason why quarterback Baker Mayfield left the game feeling positive about the trajectory the unit is on.
“Today felt like we were very, very close,” Mayfield said, via the team’s website. “Guys took the message and a lot of things at heart during the week of practice, so we just have to be able to continue to translate it to the game field. But, that’s the mentality we’re looking for – guys understand that if you handle it and you prepare like that, good things will happen and go from there.”
The Bucs could get other injured players like Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan back down the line, but the first wave of returns bore some fruit on Sunday and the hope in Tampa is that the unit will be able to peak in time to set up another postseason run.
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