Full steam ahead as the Bucs get into the playoffs.
– The Buccaneers defeated the Saints, 27-19, to secure their fifth consecutive playoff berth and fourth consecutive NFC South division title. The NFC South division title is the seventh in franchise history, tying the New Orleans Saints for both the most total and most consecutive titles (four) in the division’s history (dating back to 2002). Tampa Bay remains the only NFC team to make the playoffs in each of the last five seasons (2020-24) and is just 1-of-3 teams across the NFL (Buffalo and Kansas City) to have done so.
– Since the Salary Cap was introduced in 1994, the Buccaneers became just the fourth team (fifth time) to win a Super Bowl and follow it with four-or-more consecutive division titles, joining the New England Patriots (2003-2007, 2014-2019); Green Bay Packers (2010-2014) and Kansas City Chiefs (2019-2024).
– Tampa Bay’s 27 points in Sunday’s win gives them a season total of 502 – the fourth-highest total in the NFL as of Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games. The 502 points scored is the second-highest figure in franchise history, surpassing the 2020 team (475 points) and trailing only the 2021 team (511). The Buccaneers averaged 29.5 points per game, the third-highest average in franchise history behind the 2020 (30.8) and 2021 (30.1) teams.
– The Buccaneers finished the season establishing several single-season offensive franchise records, including:
- Completion Percentage (71.5%)
- Passer Rating (106.8)
- Yards Per Rush (5.3)
- Rushing First Downs (137)
- Rushing Yards (2,536)
- Third-Down Conversion Rate (50.9%)
- Third-Down Conversions (110)
– Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games, Tampa Bay’s offense ranked among league leaders in:
- 1st in the NFL in third-down conversion rate (50.9%)
- 1st in the NFL in yards after contact per rush (3.80)
- 2nd in the NFL in pass completion rate (71.5%)
- T-2nd in the NFL in passing touchdowns (41)
- 2nd in the NFL in first downs per game (23.2)
- 2nd in the NFL in time of possession (32:00)
- 3rd in the NFL in yards per game (399.6)
- 3rd in the NFL in pass yards per game (250.4)
- 3rd in the NFL in yards per rush (5.3)
- 3rd in the NFL in quarterback pressure rate (25.6%)
- 4th in the NFL in points scored per game (29.53)
- 4th in the NFL in yards per play (6.2)
- 4th in the NFL in rush yards per game (149.2)
- 4th in the NFL in red zone efficiency (66.7%)
- 4th in the NFL in passer rating (106.8)
- 5th in the NFL in yards after catch per reception (6.0)
- T-5th in the NFL in fewest quarterback pressures allowed (158)
– If their end-of-season ranks hold, the Buccaneers would become just the ninth team since 2000 to rank in the top-five in the NFL in points per game (29.53 – fourth), passing yards per game (250.4 – third) and rushing yards per game (149.2 – fourth), joining the 2023 Detroit Lions, 2023 San Francisco 49ers, 2018 L.A. Rams, 2017 New Orleans Saints, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2004 Kansas City Chiefs, 2001 St. Louis Rams and 2000 Denver Broncos.
– This season, Tampa Bay became the first team in NFL history to complete 70% of their passes and average over five yards per carry throughout the course of an entire season. The Buccaneers became the second team in NFL history to throw for 40+ passing touchdowns and average over five yards per carry in the same season, joining the 1998 San Francisco 49ers. Tampa Bay also became the third team in NFL history to throw 40+ passing touchdowns and complete 70% of their passes in a season, joining the 2020 Green Bay Packers and the 2011 New Orleans Saints.
– As of the conclusion of Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games, Tampa Bay was 1-of-3 teams to throw for 4,000+ yards and rush for 2,000+ yards this season, joining the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens.
– WR Mike Evans brought in a season-high-tying nine receptions for 89 receiving yards. He finished the season with 74 receptions for 1,004 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. In recording his 11thstraight 1,000-yard season, Evans extended his own NFL record for the longest-such streak to begin a player’s career. With his 11th-such season, Evans has tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (11 from 1986-96) for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history. Evans also broke a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (10) for the second-most total 1,000-yard seasons in league history, trailing only Rice (14).
– The 2024 season also marked Evans’ sixth season with 1,000+ receiving yards and 10+ receiving touchdowns — the fifth-most in NFL history. He trails only Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (9), Marvin Harrison (8), Randy Moss (8) and Terrell Owens (8).
– Evans also surpassed Larry Centers (827) for the 35th-most receptions in NFL history.
– Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games, Evans’11 receiving touchdowns ranked fourth in the NFL in 2024.
– QB Baker Mayfield completed 21-of-32 passes (65.6%) for 221 yards and two passing touchdowns to earn a passer rating of 93.4. Mayfield’s two passing touchdowns gave him 41 on the season, surpassing Tom Brady (40 in 2020) for the second-most in a single season in franchise history, trailing only Tom Brady (43 in 2021).
– Mayfield finished the season establishing new career highs in completions (407), completion percentage (71.4%), passing yards (4,500), net yards per pass attempt (7.9), passing touchdowns (41) and passer rating (106.8). He established new Buccaneers single-season franchise records in completion percentage and passer rating.
– Mayfield became the fourth player in NFL history to record a season with 4,000+ passing yards, 40+ touchdowns, and a 70+ completion percentage, joining Drew Brees (2011), Joe Burrow (2024) and Aaron Rodgers (2020).
– Mayfield became the 10th player in NFL history to throw for 4,500+ yards and 40+ passing touchdowns in a single season, joining Tom Brady (3), Drew Brees (2), Joe Burrow, Andrew Luck, Patrick Mahomes (3), Peyton Manning, Dan Marino (2), Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford (2).
– Through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games,Mayfield finished the season ranking among league leaders in:
- Completions (407 – 2nd)
- Completion Percentage (71.4% – 3rd)
- Passing Yards (4,500)
- Passing Touchdowns (41 – T-2nd)
- Total Touchdowns (44 – 3rd)
- Passer Rating (106.8 – 4th)
– RB Bucky Irving logged 19 carries for 89 yards (4.7 avg.) and one rushing touchdown. Irving’s score was his eighth rushing touchdown of the season, surpassing Errict Rhett and Lars Tate (7) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie running back in team history, trailing only Doug Martin (11 in 2012).
– Irving finished the season with 207 carries for 1,122 yards (5.4 avg.) and eight rushing touchdowns, adding 47 receptions for 392 yards to give him a total of 1,514 yards from scrimmage this season. In reaching 1,500 yards from scrimmage, Irving surpassed Warrick Dunn (1,440 in 1997) for the second-most yards from scrimmage by a rookie in team history, trailing only Doug Martin (1,926 in 2012).
– As of the conclusion of Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games, Irving’s 1,514 scrimmage yards and his eight rushing touchdowns led all rookies. He became just the fourth rookie since 2018 to surpass 1,500 scrimmage yards, joining Puka Nacua (2023), Najee Harris (2022) and Saquon Barkley (2018).
– Irving’s 5.4 yards per carry was the third-highest mark in NFL history among rookies with at least 200 rushing attempts in a season, trailing only Adrian Peterson (5.6 in 2007) and Clinton Portis (5.5 in 2002). His 5.4 yards per carry established a new Buccaneers single-season record for any qualified rusher.
– Per Next Gen Stats, and through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games, Irving had forced the highest missed tackle rate among ball carriers with at least 150 touches (35.8%). Additionally, his 91 missed tackles forced were the fourth-most in the NFL this season.
– WR Jalen McMillan brought in five receptions for 74 yards and a receiving touchdown. It marked his fifth straight game with a receiving touchdown, tied for the second-longest streak by a rookie in NFL history, trailing only Randy Moss (seven games). McMillan’s seven touchdowns over his final five games of the season were tied for the most by any Buccaneer over a five-game span in club history, joining Mike Evansand Jimmie Giles. He became the second player to record seven-or-more touchdown catches over a five-game span this season, joining Ja’Marr Chase.
– McMillan’s eight receiving touchdowns are the third-most by a Buccaneer in franchise history, trialing Mike Evans (12 in 2014) and Mike Williams (11 in 2010). His eight receiving touchdowns ranked second among all rookies this season, trailing only Brian Thomas Jr.(10).
– Offensively this season, Tampa Bay enjoyed year-over-year increases in:
- Yards per game (313.0 – 399.6)
- Yards per play (5.1 – 6.2)
- First downs per game (17.6 – 23.2)
- Third-down conversion rate (41.5 – 50.9)
- Red zone efficiency (45.8 – 66.7)
- Points per game (20.47 – 29.53)
- Pass completion percentage (64.1 – 71.5)
- Passing TD (28 – 41)
- Pass yards per game (224.2 – 250.4)
- Net yards per pass attempt (6.7 – 7.5)
- Passer rating (94.2 – 106.8)
- Passing first downs (188 – 224)
- Rush yards per game (88.8 – 149.2)
- Yards per rush (3.4 – 5.3)
- Rushing TD (8 – 16)
- Yards before contact per rush (0.86 – 1.65)
- Yards after contact per rush (2.84 – 3.78)
– LB Lavonte David totaled nine tackles and one pass defensed. He finished the season as Tampa Bay’s leading tackler for the 10th time in his career (2012-15, 2017-19, 2022-24), recording 122 tackles. He is 1-of-2 players this season to record 120+ tackles and 5.0+ sacks through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games. He becomes the 10th player (11thtime) to post such a stat line since 2020, and is the third Buccaneer (fourth time, joining 2023 Antoine Winfield Jr. and 2020, 2022 Devin White) to do so.
– OLB Yaya Diaby tallied five tackles (a career-high four for loss), a career-high four quarterback hits and 1.0 sack. Diaby became the fourth player this season to record four-or-more quarterback hits and tackles for loss in a game this season, joining Nick Bosa in Week 17, Trey Hendrickson in Week 9 and Aidan Hutchinson in Week 2. He became the second Buccaneer to accomplish the feat, joining Michael Bennett in Week 14 of the 2012 season.
– NT Vita Vea contributed three tackles (one for loss), one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack on Sunday. Vea’s sack increased his season total to a career-high 7.0.
– DL Calijah Kancey finished the season as Tampa Bay’s leading sacker, ending the season with a career-high 7.5 sacks.
– CB Zyon McCollum produced six tackles and a career-high-tying four passes defensed on Sunday. McCollum is the only player in the NFL this season to record multiple games with four-or-more passes defensed, and is the first player to record multiple such games in the same season since Jamel Dean in 2019 (three games).
– CB Josh Hayes amassed a career-high 11 tackles.
– Dating back to Week 12, and through Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. slate of games, Tampa Bay’s defense ranks among league leaders in:
- Rush Yards Per Game Allowed (58.7 – 1st)
- Yards Per Rush Allowed (3.2 – 1st)
- Points Per Game Allowed (17.0 – 2nd)
- Yards Per Game allowed (273.9 – 2nd)
- Yards Per Play (4.8 – 2nd)
- Net Yards Per Pass Attempt Allowed (5.9 – 3rd)
– K Chase McLaughlin went 2-for-2 on field goal tries on the day, converting from 52 yards and 25 yards out. McLaughlin’s 52-yarder marked his 15th field goal make of 50+ yards since joining the Buccaneers in 2023 – tied with Connor Barth for the most in franchise history. Since signing with Tampa Bay, McLaughlin is 59-for-63 (93.7%), with is 93.7% success rate ranking second in the NFL over that span. McLaughlin’s 93.7% clip is the highest rank in franchise history (min. 50 attempts).