Mayfield throws for 347 yards and accounts for three TDs to lead Bucs over Eagles 33-16

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take a 3-1 start that has them in a position to chase a fourth consecutive NFC South title.

“We had a good quarter, and that’s all it is," coach Todd Bowles said Sunday after Baker Mayfield accounted for three touchdowns and the Bucs sacked Jalen Hurts six times in a 33-16 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

“The season is four quarters,” Bowles added. "We’ve got three more quarters to go and we’ve got to show up and play like that every quarter.”

Mayfield threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns, while Mike Evans became the Buccaneers' career scoring leader in dominating the rematch of a lopsided NFC wild-card game they won 32-9 against the injury-riddled Eagles (2-2) last January.

Rebounding from a poor performance in a loss to Denver the previous week, Mayfield completed 30 of 47 passes without an interception and the offense scored a touchdown on its opening possession for the first time in 21 games. Evans' 2-yard scoring reception finished the 10-play, 79-yard drive that set the tone for the Bucs, who outgained the Eagles 254 yards to zero in building a 24-0 lead.

“Wanted to get (previous week’s) taste out of our mouth, for sure,” Mayfield said. "Started fast because the guys were just locked in. We came out with a hair-on-fire mentality. Everybody was locked in on what the plan was and we executed. That needs to be the case every week. That’s how we need to start.”

Evans, who finished with eight receptions for 94 yards, moved ahead of Martin Gramatica (592) into first place on Tampa Bay's scoring list with 596. Mayfield also threw a first-quarter TD pass to Trey Palmer and scored on a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter.

The Bucs held a 287-67 edge in yardage at halftime, with most of Philadelphia's offense coming on a 14-play drive that Hurts finished with a 1-yard TD throw to Parris Campbell.

Tampa Bay ran 22 plays in Eagles territory before the Philadelphia offense finally crossed the 50-yard line in the second quarter. But despite the huge disparity statistically, the Eagles managed to get back into the game after Saquon Barkley began the second half with a 59-yard run to the Bucs 11.

That set up a 1-yard TD run by Hurts that cut into a 24-7 halftime deficit. The Eagles gave themselves a little more hope when Kelee Ringo scooped up a blocked extra-point kick on Tampa Bay's next touchdown and raced to the other end of the field for a defensive two-point conversion that trimmed the Bucs' lead to 30-16.

Hurts took the kickoff and moved the Eagles to the Bucs 19 before linebacker Lavonte David sacked him, forcing a fumble that essentially ended the chance for a successful comeback.

“I think overall I just have to play better,” said Hurts, who played without injured starting receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as right tackle Lane Johnson. "It starts with me in terms of getting into the end zone and leading drives. The only thing I can say, I’ve got to be better.”

Tampa Bay finished with six sacks after only having two through the first three games. Hurts dropped to 1-4 in five career starts against the Bucs, including a pair of playoff losses.

Barkley rushed for 94 yards on 10 carries. Hurts finished 18 of 30 for 150 yards and no interceptions.

“We didn’t play well enough, and that’s always going to start with me. If we go out there and lay an egg and we’re down 24-0, that’s going to start on me," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady was back at Raymond James Stadium as part of the FOX television broadcast crew. He played the final three seasons of his career with the Bucs, leading Tampa Bay to one Super Bowl title and a pair of NFC South championships before retiring after the 2022 season. Brady stood in the broadcast booth and acknowledged cheering fans when the Bucs officially welcomed him back during the two-minute warning in the first half.

Eagles: Besides Brown (hamstring), Smith (concussion) and Johnson (concussion), LB Devin White (personal matter) also was inactive. S Reed Blankenship (illness) sat out the second half. DT Jalen Carter and C Cam Jurgens (cramps) missed time in the fourth quarter as the temperature on the field exceeded 100 degrees.

Buccaneers: All-Pro S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot), DL Calijah Kancey (calf) and RT Luke Goedeke (concussion) were inactive. ... Palmer left the game late in the first quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. ... LB SirVocea Dennis (shoulder) departed in the second quarter and did not return.

Eagles: Bye week before hosting Cleveland on Oct. 13.

Buccaneers: At NFC South rival Atlanta on Thursday night.

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Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts, from left, celebrates with Kenneth Gainwell, and Dallas Goedert after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts (1) tries to get past Tampa Bay Buccaneers' William Gholston (92) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield, right, and Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts meet after an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Ben Stille reacts after recovering a fumble during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield, right, is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles' Josh Sweat during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts, right, is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Chris Braswell during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Sterling Shepard, right, catches a pass against Philadelphia Eagles' Quinyon Mitchell during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady has no regrets about pushing his teammates to be their best.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion didn’t hold back in responding to Baker Mayfield’s recent comments that Brady created a “stressful environment” during the 2022 season, his last with the Buccaneers.

After Mayfield threw his second touchdown pass to give Tampa Bay a 14-0 lead over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Brady shared his thoughts from the booth about his replacement’s criticism.

“I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings so there was a mindset of a champion that I took to work every day,” Brady said when Fox posted Mayfield’s comments on screen. “This wasn’t daycare. If I wanted to have fun, I would’ve went to Disneyland with my kids.”

Mayfield revived his career in Tampa Bay last season, led the Buccaneers to their third straight NFC South title and a playoff win. He got a $100 million, three-year contract to stay in Tampa Bay and has become a fan favorite.

Brady, who arrived in 2020, led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title that season — his seventh ring — and two division titles in 2021 and 2022 before he retired.

During an appearance on a Casa de Klub podcast, Mayfield said Brady’s intensity created a stress-filled environment in the locker room.

“The building was a little bit different with Tom in there. Obviously, playing-wise, Tom is different. He had everybody dialed in, high-strung environment, so I think everybody was pretty stressed out,” Mayfield said on the podcast. “They wanted me to come in, be myself, bring the joy back to football for guys who weren’t having as much fun.”

Mayfield also took a shot at the way Brady handled disputes with former offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich over play calls.

“You hear some of the stories about if he didn’t like a certain play call and he didn’t like it throughout the week and they still call it in the game, there might have been a throwaway on purpose or throwing it at the running back or receiver’s feet," Mayfield said. "There were a lot of mind games going on."

Mayfield downplayed Brady’s reaction after leading the Buccaneers to a 33-16 victory over Philadelphia.

“I think a lot of that got taken out of context. None of it was personal, by any means," Mayfield said. "It’s just what he demanded of the guys, and that’s the aura of Tom Brady, and that’s what he did to bring a championship here. Nothing personal, but I talked with him before the game. He’s obviously happy for me and he knows the guys. He knows how much I enjoy throwing to Mike (Evans) and Chris (Godwin) because he did the same, and it’s fun to talk about some of the same experiences.

“A lot of things got taken out of context. He did it his own way and that’s why he has seven rings. Not much else needs to be said.”

Brady was back in Tampa Bay for the first time as an analyst. He greeted Mayfield and many former teammates, coaches and team staff before the game.

“There’s a way to approach this game and that’s with the right mindset and try to push each other outside of our comfort zone,” Brady said. “Great teammates do that.”

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Former quarterback Tom Brady, left, talks to Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen before an NFL football game between the Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)