Lots of milestones hit in Week 2 of 2023.
– The Bucs defeated the Bears, 27-17, in the club’s home opener to improve to 2-0 on the season. The Bucs have started 2-0 in three consecutive seasons and are the only team in the NFL to start 2-0 in each of the last three seasons. Tampa Bay’s three straight seasons with a 2-0 start is the longest such streak in franchise history.
– Tampa Bay logged 437 net yards of offense. Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. games, the Bucs 437 net yards of offense are the fourth-most by a team in a single game this season.
TOTAL YARDS IN A GAME – 2023 NFL SEASON
Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. Games
Rank Team Yds.
1. Miami Dolphins (Week 1 at LAC) 536
2. Buffalo Bills (Week 2 vs. LV) 450
3. Atlanta Falcons (Week 2 vs. GB) 446
4. Tampa Bay Bucs (Week 2 vs. CHI) 437
5. Los Angeles Chargers (Week 1 vs. MIA) 433
– The Bucs yielded just 236 yards of total offense to the Bears, their fewest since allowing 202 yards of total offense on Nov. 6, 2022, vs. L.A. Rams. The 236 yards allowed are the club’s fifth-fewest in a single game since the start of the 2021 season.
TOTAL YARDS ALLOWED BY Bucs IN A GAME – 2021-23 SEASONS
Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. Games
Rank Game Yds.
1. Week 9, 2022 vs. L.A. Rams 206
2. Week 15, 2021 vs. New Orleans 212
3. Week 6, 2021 at Philadelphia 213
4. Week 11, 2021 vs. N.Y. Giants 215
5. Week 2, 2023 vs. Chicago 236
– Tampa Bay became the 14th team since the start of the 2022 season to record 430-or-more yards of offense while limiting their opponent to 240-or-fewer yards of offense. It marked the eighth time in franchise history that the Bucs have done so, and the first time since Week 16, 2020 at Detroit (588 & 186).
– Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. games, Tampa Bay’s 679 yards of offense through two weeks is eighth-most in the NFL, while their 605 yards of offense allowed are fourth-fewest among teams with multiple games played this season. The Bucs are one of just three teams, joining the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens, that have totaled 675-or-more yards of offense while allowing 620-or-fewer yards to their opponents.
– The Bucs rushed 34 times for 120 yards, marking their third-highest rushing total in a single game since the beginning of the 2022 season. Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. games, Tampa Bay’s 67 rushing attempts on the season rank fourth in the NFL. The Bucs have recorded consecutive games with 33-or-more carries for the first time since Weeks 11-12, 2016.
– Through two games, the Bucs have recorded zero giveaways, one of just seven teams that have yet to do so as of the conclusion of Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. games. It marks the third time in franchise history, joining the 1981 and 1994 teams, that the Bucs have not turned the ball over in either of the club’s first two games of a season. Tampa Bay becomes just the fourth team since the start of the 2020 season to have zero turnovers across the team’s first two games of a season. The Bucs joined the 2020 Packers as the only teams since the start of the 2017 season to have zero turnovers and one-or-fewer sacks allowed in their first two games (Pending Dallas in Week 2).
– Across two games, Tampa Bay’s defense has logged 8.0 sacks and five takeaways, becoming just the third team since the start of the 2020 season – joining the 2022 Bills and the 2022 Bucs – to hit those benchmarks through the team’s first two games of a season.
– QB Baker Mayfield completed 26-of-34 passes (76.5%) for 317 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions for a passer rating of 114.5. Through two games, Mayfield has completed 47-of-68 passes (69.1%) for 490 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions for a passer rating of 104.4. Mayfield’s 104.4 passer rating is his highest through the first two weeks of a season in his career, surpassing his previous high of 101.9 in 2021. Mayfield’s 76.5 completion percentage is his highest in any game with 33-or-more pass attempts in his career.
– On third down, Mayfield went 12-of-13 (92.3%) for 141 yards and one touchdown for a passer rating of 137.5. Overall this season, Mayfield is 20-of-23 (87%) for 201 yards and two touchdowns on third down, good for a passer rating of 132.1.
– According to Next Gen Stats, Mayfield finished 14-for-17 for 223 yards and one touchdown under pressure, tied for the most passing yards under pressure in a game since the start of the 2020 season. The Bears pressured Mayfield 17 times without recording a sack, tied for the 6th-most pressures without a sack since the start of last season.
– WR Mike Evans finished with six receptions for 171 yards and one touchdown. His 171 receiving yards are his eighth-highest in a single game in his career. He brought in a 70-yard pass from Baker Mayfield in the second quarter, the second-longest reception of his career and trailing only Oct. 18, 2018 at Cincinnati (72 yards). Today’s contest marked Evans’ 10th career game with 150-or-more receiving yards and at least one touchdown – no other player in Bucs history has more than two such games. Evans finished with a career-high 79 yards after catch, good for the 12th-most in a single game in franchise history.
– Evans’ eight games with 170+ receiving yards are tied for the second-most over the last 20 years (Tyreek Hill, 9).
– With his touchdown today, Evans tied Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall (83) for the 25th-most receiving touchdowns in NFL history. In addition, Evans (10,662) surpassed A.J. Green (10,514) and Keyshawn Johnson (10,571) to move into 43rd all-time in career receiving yards.
– WR Chris Godwin brought in five receptions for 58 yards, logging his 16th consecutive game with five-or-more receptions. His streak of 16 such games is the longest streak in franchise history and ties Marvin Harrison for the 13th-longest such streak in NFL history. In addition, Godwin extended his own league-leading streak of consecutive games with 50-or-more receiving yards to 10 straight games.
– OLB Shaq Barrett finished today’s game with two tackles, one quarterback hit, 1.0 sack and one interception returned for a touchdown. Barrett’s pick-six marked his third career interception and his first career touchdown. It was Tampa Bay’s first interception returned for a touchdown since Sept. 18, 2022, at New Orleans when Mike Edwards accomplished the feat. Barrett became the second player since the beginning of the 2022 season, joining Philadelphia’s Josh Sweat, to have at least 1.0 sack and record a pick-six in the same game. He became the sixth Buccaneer to accomplish the feat, joining Donnie Abraham in 1999, Warren Sapp in 1995, Ray Seals in 1993, Reuben Davis in 1989 and Hugh Green in 1983.
– In addition, Barrett’s sack improved his total to 41.5 since joining the Bucs in 2019 and 55.5 for his career. Barrett’s 41.5 sacks are fifth-most in Bucs history and seventh-most in the NFL since the start of the 2019 season.
– Joe Tryon-Shoyinka sacked Justin Fields twice, improving his career sack total to 10.0. Tryon-Shoyinka’s multi-sack effort was his second such career performance, joining 10/3/21 at New England.
– Christian Izien finished with three tackles (one for loss), one interception and one pass defensed. He became the fourth undrafted player since 1967 with an interception in each of his first two career games, joining Robert Lester in 2013, Ray Isom in 1987 and Brenard Wilson 1979.
– NT Vita Vea recorded 1.5 sacks on the day, the third time in his career in which he has recorded 1.5-or-more sacks. His sack output in today’s contest was his most in a game since Nov. 6, 2022, vs. L.A. Rams.
– OLB Cam Gill finished with 1.0 sack, improving his career total to 2.5 and marking his first sack since Dec. 5, 2021, at Atlanta.
– P Jake Camarda punted four times for 211 yards (52.8 avg.), including downing three punts inside the 20-yard line and a long punt of 72 yards. His 72-yard punt is the third-longest punt in Bucs history. Camarda owns two of the three longest punts in franchise history.