Winners of two straight to start the 2024 campaign — including an upset at Detroit last week — the Bucs return home to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday to host the 0-2 Broncos. Tampa Bay will be looking to get to 3-0 ahead of another home game next week against the Eagles.
The Bucs went into last week’s game short-handed, yet they still found a way to grind out a 20-16 win over the Lions, one of the top teams in the NFC. Todd Bowles’ team effectively announced itself to the rest of the league with that victory, and it’s clear that this year’s team won’t sneak up on anyone the way it might have last year. Tampa Bay is firmly a contender, and it’ll look to prove that such is the case by taking care of business on Sunday against a team not quite on its level.
Of course, the Bucs will still be a bit short-handed in this game against the Broncos. But after they overcame some key injuries last week on the road, they’ll like their chances to do so again in front of a home crowd sure to be excited to welcome them home for a two-game homestand.
As we do every week here on PewterReport.com, it’s now time to take a look at what else is on the line at Ray Jay this Sunday. Of course, we’re talking about some of the records and milestones that some Bucs are moving toward. Last week, Lavonte David tied Paul Gruber for the fourth-most games played and third-most starts in franchise history.
Here’s where things stand heading into Week 3:
Bucs
The Bucs are looking for their first 3-0 start since 2005 and just their fifth overall (1979, 1997, 2000, 2005).
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield is 635 passing yards away from passing Jeff Garcia (5,152) for 10th-most in Bucs history. He is also two passing touchdowns away from passing Craig Erickson (34) for ninth-most in franchise history.
Additionally, with two passing touchdowns against the Broncos, Mayfield would pass Tom Brady (6 in 2020) and Jameis Winston (6 in 2017) for the fourth-most passing scores by a Buccaneer quarterback through three games of a season. And with four passing touchdowns, he would pass Winston (8 in 2016) for third-most by a Tampa Bay quarterback through three games of a season.
Mike Evans
Evans is only three points away from breaking Martin Gramatica’s franchise record for career points scored (592).
With 51 receiving yards on Sunday, Evans will pass Don Maynard (11,834) for 32nd-most in NFL history, while 58 yards would move him ahead of Antonio Gates (11,841) for 31st. A 122-yard day would get him into 30th, ahead of Michael Irvin (11,904).
Tampa Bay’s all-time leading receiver needs two receiving touchdowns on Sunday to tie himself (4 in 2020) and Rob Gronkowski (4 in 2021) for the most by a Buccaneer in the first three games of a season.
Evans needs three more receiving touchdowns to tie Don Hutson (99) for 11th-most in league history (note: Davante Adams is still active, and he has 96). Three total touchdowns for Evans would make him the 26th player in NFL history with 100 total touchdowns, and it would tie him with Frank Gore, Franco Harris and Curtis Martin (100) for 23rd-most in league history.
Sunday will be Evans’ 157th game as a Buc, which will leave him one behind Mike Alstott (158) for ninth-most in team history.
Chris Godwin
Godwin needs 90 receiving yards on Sunday to pass Bruce Hill (289 in 1988) for the fifth-most by a Buccaneer through three games of a season, while 98 yards would move him ahead of Mike Evans (297 in 2023) for fourth-most through three games of a campaign.
With 102 yards, he’ll pass Evans (301 in 2016) for third-most, and 113 yards would put him second ahead of DeSean Jackson (312 in 2018). It would take a monster 167-yard day for Godwin to break Evans’ franchise record for receiving yards through three games of a season (367 in 2018).
With seven receptions against the Broncos, Godwin would pass Mike Evans (21 in 2016) for third-most by a Buccaneer through three games of a season. He can break the franchise record held by Evans (23 in 2018) and Keyshawn Johnson (23 in 2000) with nine catches against Denver.
If Godwin posts at least seven catches and 80 receiving yards on Sunday, he would become the first Buc in team history to exceed those numbers in each of the first three games of a season.
Will Gholston
Sunday will be Gholston’s 172nd game, leaving him 12 behind Paul Gruber (183) for fourth-most in franchise history.
Lavonte David
David will play his 184th game with the Bucs on Sunday, which will move him ahead of Paul Gruber (183) for fourth-most in team history. He’ll be seven games away from passing Dave Moore (190) for third all-time.
It’ll also be David’s 184th start, which puts him ahead of Gruber (183) and leaves him trailing only Derrick Brooks (221) and Ronde Barber (232).
With 1.5 more sacks, David will move into seventh all-time on the franchise’s leaderboard, a spot currently held by Chidi Ahanotu (34.5).
David is 10 passes defensed away from passing Carlton Davis III (73) for fourth-most in team history.
Jamel Dean
Dean needs nine more passes defensed to pass Aqib Talib (54) for seventh-most in Bucs history.