The 2024 Bucs offense is one of the truly special units in the NFL.
Like the Vikings defense.
Or the Steelers pass rush.
Or the Broncos’ offense.
Or the Lions offense.
Or the Ravens run game.
Some units have the perfect blend of uniqueness and eliteness that deserves to be elevated to the national stage in the playoffs. And the Bucks offense is 100% part of that club.
Bucks OC Liam Cohen and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Slice it any way you like. The primary goal of offense is to score points. After hanging The Panthers scored 41 of the team’s 48 points on Sunday.the Bucs also scored seven points on blocked punts on special teams, and the Bucs are currently averaging 29.7 points per game. Only three teams are ahead of them this season.
If you want to measure offense in yards per game, they rank third behind the Ravens and Lions with 399.9 yards per game. The offensive line puts pressure on quarterback Baker Mayfield with the fourth-lowest dropback percentage in the NFL. The Bucks currently rank third in passing percentage and fourth in rushing percentage. It’s not only an amazing balance, but also an amazing efficiency in every aspect.
The Bucks’ offense is very close to completion.
Do the Bucks have weaknesses on offense? The answer is no.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is having a special season. He is tied for second in the NFL with 39 passing touchdowns and tied for second with 4,279 passing yards. He is the conductor of the train, and at his best he shows perfect command of the offense, often getting the answers to his tests before the ball is snapped.
Bucks RB Bucky Irving – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Combined with his special arm talent, he has made some absolutely bananas pitches this season. And now, after a five-touchdown performance against the Panthers, he may be peaking at the perfect time. A little discussed fact about Mayfield. In a very small sample size of just four games, his cumulative performance in the playoffs was It’s quite impressive.
The running game has gone from being moribund the past few years to seeing incredible growth this year. Going into Sunday’s game, rookie Bucky Irving ranked fifth in forced tackle failure rate among running backs with at least 100 carries, according to Pro Football Focus. That number likely came as part of his 20-carry, 113-yard effort against the Panthers.
Rashard White’s 389 receiving yards rank seventh among all running backs. And the funny thing is, the Bucs throw Sean Tucker down the field from time to time, but all he does is average over 6 yards per carry.
The offensive line is anchored by the best left tackle in football. Tristan Wirfs took to the NFL football field as a rookie in 2020 and immediately played at an All-Pro level. That’s unheard of in the modern NFL. He’s just gotten even better over the last four years.
Rookie center Graham Burton has had some ups and downs in his debut season, but he has some special traits. Guard Cody Mauch and tackle Luke Goedeke have developed into one of the most formidable right sides in the league. Ben Bredeson is playing the best soccer of his life. As a group, they allowed just 93 pressures on the season. Irving and White are each on their way to totaling over 1,000 yards with a season still in play.
Despite losing Chris Godwin, who was having perhaps the best season of his career, the Bucs’ receiving corps stepped up to keep the passing game strong. Mike Evans is poised to begin his career with an unprecedented 1,000-yard receiving streak despite missing 3.5 games this year. Since returning after the bye week, he is currently averaging 3.15 yards per route through Sunday’s game. Seasonally, only Puka Nacua is more efficient.
Bucks WR Mike Evans – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
And behind Evans, Tampa Bay has enough of a supporting cast to keep the engine running. Over the past four games, Jalen McMillan is averaging 6.25 targets, 4.75 catches, 60.5 yards, and 1.5 touchdowns. He is running routes with more precision and confidence and finding open gaps in zone coverage. Most impressively, he earned Mayfield’s trust in the red zone, joining Evans and tight end Cade Otton in that regard.
Speaking of Otto, after playing for three years, he served as part of the Bucs’ passing offense for a month in the absence of Evans and Godwin. The offense is averaging over 20 points per game. Most impressively, he has become one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. And during his absence over the past two weeks, Payne Durham and Devin Culp showed the Bucs have some depth in the tight end room.
Durham, McMillan, Culp and Tucker join offensive linemen Robert Hainsey and Justin Skuhl to ensure the offense is not only top-heavy, but also has significant depth to energize the offense at various times during the season. I showed that there is. And these contributions from top to bottom were made possible thanks to one man.
Liam Cohen runs the coolest show in town
Bucks OC Liam Cohen – Photo by Cliff Welch P/R
Wide receiver Trey Palmer is the only one set back from 2023, which is surprising. With the rise of Bucky Irving, statistically every other player with the exception of Rathard White has improved from a year ago.
As mentioned earlier, Ben Bredeson, who was waived by the Giants in need of an offensive line, played consistently at left guard. Tristan Wirfs is playing recklessly. This season may be his best season as a professional. Cody Mauch deserves Pro Bowl consideration. Luke Goedeke is expected to receive a large contract next season based on his strong performance this year.
Baker Mayfield is statistically on pace to be an MVP candidate. Irving has an offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Cade Otton has ascended. And again and again.
Offensive coordinator Liam Cohen has tailored his offense to the overall talent of the roster, and more specifically to the players available at any given time. The development of his pony package (21 players) and the evolution of his run game to suit his team demonstrate his unique ability to not only adapt to new information in real time, but innovate with it.
Cohen doesn’t just have round pegs for round holes. He finds a peg that expands when it sinks down to make the hole bigger. He is a special coach worthy of the talent assembled for him.
The stars have aligned in Tampa Bay.
Bucks QB Baker Mayfield and OC Liam Cohen – Photo by Jeffrey Jones/PR
coordinator.
quarterback.
The big ugly man and the playboy.
planning and execution.
And I would like to thank Head Coach Todd Bowles for creating a culture that has allowed this group to thrive, and General Manager Jason Richt and his team for bringing our players together. . The entire football world deserves to see this unit rise to a higher stage. There’s still a chance it could happen.
With the Falcons losing to the Commanders in overtime, the Bucks once again had their fate in their hands. With a win over New Orleans in Tampa Bay on Sunday, the Bucks were crowned NFC South champions for the fourth straight season. Soccer fans around the world must be hoping that they can advance to the playoffs. Because if they do, the football world will be excited to see Baker and this offense in action.
