The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had the best start that they could possibly have had to this 2025 NFL season. At 3-0, they’re one of just six remaining undefeated teams in the league. They’ve thrilled on offense, with Baker Mayfield leading three game-winning drives inside the final two minutes.

But that last part underscores a particularly troubling trend that will have to chance if Tampa Bay wants to be serious about contending for a Super Bowl this year.

The numbers show the Bucs are struggling defensively in the fourth quarter

Tampa Bay has had defensive lapses in the fourth quarter – and now special teams gaffes as well – that has had to press Baker Mayfield, Emeka Egbuka, and the talented Bucs offense into gear to try to pull a win out of the fire. Fortunately, they’ve been able to do that each time.

But ESPN emphasized a crucial stat in their power rankings for this week that show just how worrisome the Bucs’ defense has been in the game’s final frame. The Bucs have the fifth-highest yards per play average on defense in the fourth quarter at 5.8.

Tampa Bay has also had a little bit of trouble settling into games quickly on defense, allowing scores on the opening drive in each game. But between the opening drive and the fourth quarter, the Bucs’ defense has been particularly strong.

Now, it’s about putting four strong quarters together, which is something that Todd Bowles acknowledged on Monday during his press conference.

“It takes time. You’ve got to get used to the grind. It’s three weeks in – we’ve got about two more weeks to get used to the grind. We’ve got to put four quarters together. As the schedule goes, it gets tougher every week. We’ve got to make sure we don’t make those mistakes.”

Bowles said after the game that the thought the Bucs’ defense “took our foot off the gas” when the Tampa Bay had a 23-6 lead in the fourth quarter. On Monday, he also noted that the heat played a part in the Bucs’ defensive lapses in the fourth quarter, alluding to the heat playing a factor.

“No. I thought we missed more tackles as they got five-yard checkdowns. I thought we got tired, and the heat index got to us a little bit, and I thought it showed on one of those drives.”

Tired or not, the Bucs are going to have to find a way to stay effective and productive in the game’s closing quarter. If not, there will be times where the Bucs’ offense won’t be able to bail them out.

If Tampa Bay expects to finally progress from NFC South champion to NFC champion, it will take a four-quarter effort far more often than not on both sides of the ball. They will get a big chance to show they can do that against arguably the best team in the NFL on Sunday in the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.

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