Depleted Buccaneers stay undefeated as injuries pile up

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved to 3-0 for the first time in 20 years on Monday, with Baker Mayfield guiding a fourth-quarter scoring drive as an injury-riddled offense keeps winning. The Buccaneers are one of six undefeated teams remaining and will host the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a Week 4 showdown between two of the NFL's six undefeated teams.

Sunday's 29-27 win over the Jets left Tampa Bay without three starting offensive linemen and a backup-turned-starter, and it cost them star wide receiver Mike Evans, who exited with a hamstring injury. MRI results were pending; Evans is described as dealing with a low-grade strain, and a similar issue last season caused him to miss three games.

With Evans sidelined, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan have missed the first three weeks. Emeka Egbuka, a rookie addition, has provided depth at receiver. Godwin's status for this week remains uncertain; he could return if cleared from an ankle issue that sidelined him last October. The line has been a rotating puzzle: right guard Cody Mauch and right tackle Luke Goedeke joined left tackle Tristan Wirfs on the sideline, and backup left guard Michael Jordan could not play, forcing center Graham Barton to shift to left tackle and left guard Ben Bredeson to move to center. Tampa Bay did not have any of its projected five starters in their regular spots on the opener, contributing to five holding penalties on the opening drive.

The on-field drama continued as Mayfield again engineered a two-minute, game-winning drive, and the Buccaneers have not turned the ball over in three games. They became the first team in the Super Bowl era to record a game-winning score in the final minute of the fourth quarter in each of the season's first three games.

Special teams and defense have provided consistent lift. Cornerback Jamel Dean had a pick-six and was targeted only once, while rookie Benjamin Morrison logged additional snaps. A week earlier, punter Riley Dixon had a punt blocked, and Jets blocked a field goal that would have given Tampa Bay a 29-20 lead and returned it for a go-ahead score.

The Buccaneers will look to carry the momentum into a home game against the Eagles on Sunday. Tampa Bay has won six of the past seven meetings with Philadelphia, including a pair of playoff wins, and coach Todd Bowles has stressed the need to limit mistakes while testing the team against a quality opponent.