(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had gotten off to an impressive start to the season, especially on offense.
Baker Mayfield had turned back the clock and was playing his best football since he led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs.
Notably, just like what happened that time, some of that had to do with the Buccaneers’ ability to establish the run.
While they didn’t have a proficient running attack, Todd Bowles’ team was still adamant about running the football and finding balance.
Needless to say, that wasn’t the case vs. the Philadelphia Eagles’ elite front seven, which limited the Buccaneers to just 41 yards on 17 carries.
When asked about his running game in the loss, coach Bowles was as straightforward and blunt as possible, stating that they simply didn’t have one, per Around the NFL and NFL.com.
Todd Bowles addressing Bucs’ running game, which had 41 yards vs. Eagles: “We didn’t have one.”https://t.co/meTjq5tTdZ pic.twitter.com/Ovw5MFPVy8
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 26, 2023
The Eagles defense completely handcuffed the Buccaneers.
They didn’t fare a lot better in the air either, as Mayfield has just 146 yards passing and his first interception of the season.
Mike Evans dropped what looked like a touchdown pass, an unlikely thing for an experienced and talented veteran like him.
Other than that, the Eagles’ elite defensive front didn’t leave a lot of gaps or give them any time to operate.
Mayfield was coming off a 300+ yard effort, and some insiders thought the Buccaneers were in a prime position to upset the Eagles at home, up to the point that the line dropped from +6.5 to +5 in most sportsbooks overnight.
The Buccaneers now hold a 2-1 record and have looked like the best team in the NFC South, and they’ll look for a chance to bounce back when they face the New Orleans Saints.
The post Todd Bowles Gets Brutally Honest On Buccaneers’ Running Game appeared first on The Cold Wire.
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