Why Buccaneers are a clear Super Bowl contender after blowout win over Chargers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield returned to SoFi Stadium, the home of his rebirth as an NFL quarterback on Sunday. There, he and his teammates took on the Los Angeles Chargers, another team in the hunt for a postseason berth. After a back and forth first half, the Bucs outscored the Chargers 27-0 in the second half en route to a 40-17 win. All three units of the team came together to completely dominate Los Angeles on their home turf, and multiple players stood out in the win.

Mayfield was one such standout, passing for 288 yards and four touchdowns in the win. The Buccaneers improved to 8-6 on the season and still hold a one game lead in the NFC South over the Atlanta Falcons. The last three weeks of the season end on a softer note for Tampa Bay, as they close out the season on the road against the Dallas Cowboys next week before two NFC South home games against the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans.

So, even with his sometimes-questionable decision making lately, Mayfield has finally found a home and his groove in Tampa Bay. The architect of the offense that Baker is running? The guy that has helped the former number one overall pick become a dark horse MVP candidate? His name is Liam Coen. The former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator was helping to run the offense with the Rams when the team signed Mayfield during the 2022 season. Teaming up with Coen and Rams head coach Sean McVay sparked Mayfield’s comeback. Now, Coen and Mayfield have led the Bucs’ offense to what could be their best season ever.

Liam Coen leads what could be best Buccaneers offense ever

Coen’s offense has gotten better as each week has passed, especially once number one receiver Mike Evans returned to the team from a hamstring injury after the bye week. Evans resigned with the team on a two-year deal in the offseason, shortly after Mayfield reupped for another three years. The duo already had a deep connection following last season, but it’s been even stronger this year. That is partially due to the fact that number two receiver Chris Godwin was lost for the season following an ankle injury at the end of the team’s Monday Night Football loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Other players that have emerged in this scheme include tight end Cade Otton, second-year guard Cody Mauch and rookie running back Bucky Irving. Otton leads the team with 59 catches (seven more than Evans) for 600 yards and four touchdowns. He’s on course for a career year and has also built a powerful connection with his quarterback. Mauch is yet another small school offensive line find from GM Jason Licht. He’s vastly improved during his sophomore campaign, building off of the bright spots from a rocky rookie season in 2023 to become more dependable and knowledgeable this time around.

Irving, though, has been the biggest addition to the offense outside of Coen himself. The fourth-round pick from Oregon has teamed up with veteran Rachaad White to form a potent one-two punch. He leads the team in rushing yards with 852 and has three games to pass the 1,000-yard mark. If Bucky can do that, he’ll be the first Buccaneers running back to hit that mark since Doug Martin in 2015. The dynamite freshman has built an especially close relationship with senior offensive assistant Tom Moore, coming in by 5 AM each morning to talk with the 86-year-old football lifer. That might just be the secret to Irving’s spectacular debut so far.

Add the breakouts of Otton, Irving, Mauch to the continued excellence of Evans and All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, plus Mayfield’s growth, and one can see the reason why Coen’s unit just keeps getting better. Rookie receiver Jalen McMillan is starting to open up as well, as he’s scored three touchdowns in the wins over the Las Vegas Raiders two weeks ago and the Chargers this week. Will all of these pieces help carry a battered but improving defense to a deep playoff run? If Bowles continues to let Coen and Baker cook on a weekly basis, then Lombardi Trophy number three could be won as soon as February 9th, 2025.