That’s a great way to start the season.  The Buccaneers were impressive, particularly on offense, in dismantling the Washington Commanders, 37-20.

WHAT I LIKED:

Baker Mayfield was 24-for-30 for 289 yards and four touchdowns.  And just like last year, he showed a knack for escaping oncoming pass rushers.  He could’ve been sacked many times in this game, but managed to elude the defenders most of the time.

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin caught 13 balls between them, including three for touchdowns.  Isn’t it funny what happens when you target the best one-two receiving tandem in the league?

Tampa Bay ended up rushing for 112 yards on the ground.  Much of that came in the fourth quarter, when Washington’s defense started to wear down.  Bucky Irving had 62 yards on nine carries.  I think he needs to get the ball more than that.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Too many penalties.  7 of them for 46 yards.  46 may not sound like a lot, but the 7 is.  And 3 of them were false starts.  That brings me to my next point…

The offensive line.  Honestly, until the 4^th quarter, this unit looked a lot like it did last year.  Pass protection needs a lot of work.

Tackling.  It was brutal.  And they let Jayden Daniels run freely for most of the game.  Knowing Daniels is a dual threat, I wish Todd Bowles had put more of a focus on Daniels’ legs.

But, a win is a win.  We’re on to Detroit next week for a playoff rematch against the Lions.

Photo courtesy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers