The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season can be defined by injuries, and they more than played their part, particularly early on.
In the first half of the year, the Bucs were 4-2 before injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, along with defensive injuries, saw Tampa lose the next four straight games prior to the bye week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) is congratulated by quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears.
© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Once the Bucs got healthy, Baker Mayfield and Co. rattled off six wins in their final seven games to claim the division and host a playoff game – one they would lose to the Washington Commanders.
So, how would it be graded when looking back on how the season went as a whole? CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo has given Bowles’ team a B.
“The Buccaneers have improved by one game each year since 2022,” DeArdo writes. “That trend continued in 2024 after the Buccaneers went 10-7 en route to a fourth consecutive NFC South division crown. While they won more regular season games, the Buccaneers won one less playoff game than the 2023 team did. The Buccaneers lost in the wild-card round against a Commanders team that would go on to play in the NFC Championship Game.”
Mayfield was a driving force behind the comeback in the second half of the year, as he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns while completing 71.4 percent of his passes.
Mike Evans surpassed 1,000 receiving yards (again), and rookie running back Bucky Irving ousted Rachaad White for the starting role, finishing with 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns.
In total, the Buccaneers were expected to go a little further in the postseason, but they were met with a feel-good story in the Commanders.
Nevertheless, the season can be viewed with some positives, but the playoff loss ultimately hurts Tampa Bay.
