The Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn’t win with Baker Mayfield.
asserted
Buccaneers → win → Mayfield
Now, they have to try to win without him.
asserted
they → have → him
Mayfield is expected to miss at least three weeks after dislocating his right thumb on Sunday in Tampa Bay’s loss to Minnesota.
asserted
Mayfield → expect → Minnesota
Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels will start next week against the Green Bay Packers.
asserted
Daniels → start → Packers
Daniels played six seasons at Kansas and beat out veteran Jake Browning for the backup job in training camp.
asserted
Daniels → play → camp
It can’t get much worse for the Buccaneers, who are 0-3 for the first time since 2014 and have lost 10 of their past 12 games since a 6-2 start last season.
asserted
who → get → start
The good news: Mayfield avoided a more serious injury and the Bucs play in the weak NFC South.
asserted
Bucs → avoid → South
“We’re 0-3 and we’re a game out of first place, so we have to get our stuff together,” coach Todd Bowles said.
asserted
Bowles → ’re → stuff
We gotta reach down and do more, to a coach, to a person, to a player.
asserted
We → got → player
We gotta do more and figure out what (more) we can do.
asserted
we → got → more
How can we be better and come back tomorrow and get ready to go?”
The Buccaneers have been spiraling since the middle of last season.
asserted
Buccaneers → come → season
They’re struggling in all three phases, offense, defense and special teams, which allowed an 86-yard punt return for a score.
asserted
which → struggle → score
Bowles has been on the hot seat since the 2-7 collapse to end 2025.
asserted
Bowles → end → 2025
He’s under contract through 2028 but that won’t help his job security if the team doesn’t find a way to turn things around.
asserted
team → ’ → things
“We’re not executing at a high enough level to turn those into victories and that’s on us,” veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. said.
asserted
Jr. → execute → us
“We have to find a way to make those wins happen.
asserted
wins → have → way
We have to go back to work.
asserted
We → have → work
It’s not going to fix itself, so we have to figure it out.”
asserted
we → go → it
Mayfield hasn’t played well this season after signing the richest contract in franchise history, a three-year, $165 million extension.
asserted
Mayfield → play → history
But it’s not all his fault.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
The offensive line hasn’t protected him and keeps making mistakes.
asserted
line → protect → mistakes
“I’ve never started 0-3.
asserted
I → start → ?
I’m just going to do what I can to keep guys going,” two-time All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs said.
asserted
Wirfs → go → guys
“There’s nobody coming to save us — the calvary’s not coming.
asserted
calvary → ’ → us
The guys in this locker room are going to get us out of this.
asserted
guys → go → this
I know everyone’s frustrated.
asserted
everyone → know → ?
I’m extremely frustrated.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
The schedule isn’t going to be easy.
asserted
schedule → go → ?
After the Packers, the Buccaneers play the Cowboys on the road on a Thursday night and host the Steelers on Oct. 18.
asserted
Buccaneers → play → Oct.
What’s working
Chase McLaughlin is 9 for 9 on field goals, including a 59-yarder.
asserted
McLaughlin → work → yarder
Not much else is working for the Buccaneers, who have had to settle for too many field goals.
asserted
who → work → goals
What needs help
The offensive line was supposed to be a strength with the starting five healthy and playing together.
asserted
line → need → five
They committed crucial holding penalties that negated big plays, including an 85-yard TD pass, and allowed six sacks.
asserted
that → commit → sacks
“It was a little bit of everything,” Bowles said.
asserted
Bowles → say → everything
“I’ve said it again and again.
asserted
I → say → it
I gotta see what the penalty situation looks like.
asserted
situation → got → what
We gotta see whether it’s play-calling, quarterback, offensive line.
asserted
it → got → ?
It’s everybody included in that.
asserted
It → ’ → that
We gotta do better on third down.”
asserted
We → got → down
OLB David Walker had a sack in his second game.
asserted
Walker → have → game
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
