The Bucs got off to a strong start to the season, winning 37-20 against the Washington Commanders in Week 1. The offense moved the ball with ease, scoring on seven of nine possessions, punting just once and running down the clock on the others. The Bucs defense held rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels in check in the air, limiting him to just 189 yards, while the run defense allowed the running backs just 50 yards, aside from some difficulty containing the electrifying runner.
Several players made game-winning plays at the helm of the Liam Coen-led offense. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was the best player with 289 yards passing and four touchdowns, leading all passers from Week 1 through Sunday. Receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin got off to a hot start to the season opener: Evans scored two touchdowns and Godwin caught eight passes, seven of which led to first downs and a touchdown of his own. Running back Rachaad White and Bucky Irving attacked the Commanders’ defense on the ground and in the air. Irving led the running game with 62 yards and White managed 75 yards in the air. And Joe Tryon-Shoyinka silenced the critics with a strong opening game, recording 1.5 sacks and consistently applying pressure to Washington’s offense.
It’s been a good start for the Bucs, who have now won their fourth straight opening game, and an even better start for some of their players. Here are the BucsGamedays MVPs from the Bucs’ Week 1 game against the Commanders.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to a brilliant start in 2024 after crushing the Washington Commanders and rookie QB Jayden Daniels in Week 1. There are many areas you can point to and say, “That’s why the Bucs won the game,” but overall, I believe Baker Mayfield deserves to be Tampa Bay’s Week 1 MVP. Mayfield was efficient and made plays when his pocket collapsed. He was in line with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen and had just six incomplete passes, just under 300 yards passing, four touchdowns, zero turnovers, and a 146.4 passer rating on the night.
This was a tough decision considering Baker Mayfield’s season-opening performance and Mike Evans’ two attempts to reach the end zone against the Commanders. That said, I have to give Chris Godwin credit for making a consistent impact from start to finish. Godwin was the Buccaneers’ leading pass receiver with eight catches for 83 yards and scored a touchdown on a short catch in the third quarter. This is a big development for Tampa Bay’s offense after injuries hampered Godwin in a season in which he scored just three touchdowns last year. Godwin looks healthy and ready to get back into form alongside Evans.
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Baker Mayfield gave it his all, and he deserves credit for that. But Mike Evans was responsible for two of his touchdowns, and while Mayfield put them exactly where they needed to go, Evans caught both touchdown passes in hard-fought coverage – something he does as well as any wideout in the NFL. It takes two to tango, and Evans didn’t miss a step on Sunday.
Faced with questions about whether Tampa Bay’s offense would be successful under Liam Coen’s leadership, Mayfield sent the loudest message possible, throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns to score 37 points for the Buccaneers.
I refuse to be a complainer just for the sake of being a complainer, so I will emphatically label anyone who dares to vote for any player other than Baker Mayfield as the Bucs’ Week 1 MVP as… well, a complainer. Mayfield was nearly flawless in his season debut, and the Bucs’ offense dominated because of it.
That was certainly tough, as Baker Mayfield has been great to start the season and Mike Evans is Mike Evans. But without Chris Godwin’s performance on Sunday, some of those drives wouldn’t have even had a chance to reach their full potential. The veteran receiver completed all eight passes he was asked to complete on Sunday for 83 yards. Even more impressive, seven of those passes resulted in first downs, five of them on third down. He also scored his first touchdown of the season with a short four-yard grab to fight his way into the end zone.
According to a Twitter poll immediately after the game, Baker Mayfield won the fan vote with 84.2%. With 304 votes cast within 24 hours, Mike Evans came in a distant second with 10.5%, while Chris Godwin came in third with 4.6%. The option to name someone other than “other” received just 0.7% of the vote, with offensive coordinator Liam Coen named as a candidate.
Mayfield wins this week’s MVP with four votes, beating the Commanders. Godwin received two votes and Evans also received one vote.
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