1 thing stopping Buccaneers from being Super Bowl contenders

Adam Schultz

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1 thing stopping Buccaneers from being Super Bowl contenders image

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have begun the 2025 season in just the way head coach Todd Bowles would have wanted, with two road wins setting up the year nicely.

Wins over the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans have the Buccaneers sitting pretty at the top of the NFC South, but as we know in the NFL, things can change rather quickly.

Many see Tampa Bay as a genuine NFC contender, and even a Super Bowl dark horse, but there is one thing the franchise must overcome if it is to realize its potential.

For ESPN's Jenna Laine, it's halting those costly midseason slumps.

"Hot starts have been a hallmark of coach Todd Bowles' and quarterback Baker Mayfield's tenures with the Bucs," Laine wrote. "This is the third straight year that the Bucs have gone 2-0 to start the season -- a feat no other team in the league has done in that span. But midseason lulls have also plagued this team, and that has been a point of emphasis for the Bucs in 2025." 

MORE: Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield loving offensive 'one-two punch' after Texans win

Buccaneers on "slump" watch

So, what are these lulls?

Last season, the Buccaneers started hot with a 4-2 record, but it was a host of injuries on both sides of the ball that saw the team struggle to keep its head above water en route to losing four in a row before steadying the ship to win six out of the last seven games.

In 2023, the Buccaneers started 3-1, before losing the next four in a row to slump to 3-5, before winning six out of the last eight to make the playoffs.

That can't happen again, and yes, Tampa Bay does have injuries yet again, but they need to be able to ride out that storm. With the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and the Detroit Lions up next, we're about to see if that "lull" can be avoided.

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Adam Schultz

Adam Schultz is a freelance writer at The Sporting News. An Australian journalist with years of experience covering the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL, Adam has interviewed several high-profile athletes in Australia for various sites and brings a unique view on the NFL.