Easy change Buccaneers can make to fix the offense

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to pull out a win in Week 1 in part due to some very consistent offensive play, but that had much more to do with the second half than the first half. The first half was pretty bad for the Bucs offensively, but part of that was due to […]

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Sep 10, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws against the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to pull out a win in Week 1 in part due to some very consistent offensive play, but that had much more to do with the second half than the first half.

The first half was pretty bad for the Bucs offensively, but part of that was due to a mistake that is very easy to fix:

If the Bucs want to get better, they need to get Baker Mayfield to stop targeting Ko Kieft.

Kieft didn't exactly play poorly, but he doesn't posses the talent as a pass-catcher to make the adjustments that a pure pass-catching tight end could make in their sleep. 

Zero receptions and zero yards despite being open on more than one route on key downs is a testament that there isn't all that much chemistry between Mayfield and the young tight end.

The drops and overthrows got hard to watch. They killed the wrong drives. They just can't keep happening.

Assuming the Bucs want to get more out of these downs, putting Cade Otton on the field and leaving Kieft for pass-protection or run blocking is going to be the much better decision.