Broncos (0-2) at Buccaneers (2-0)
When: Sunday, 11 a.m. MT
Where: Raymond James Stadium
Radio/TV: 850 AM, 94.1 FM/FOX
Line: Buccaneers -6.5
Broncos-Buccaneers series: Denver is 7-3 in 10 regular-season games dating back to 1976; the Broncos lost 28-10 in the last meeting, on Sept. 27, 2020, in Tampa Bay, and have won four of the last five against the Bucs.
In the spotlight: Mike Evans a reminder of Broncos’ need to find dynamic playmaker
The Broncos have a date with Mr. Consistency on Sunday.
Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans has been one of the most reliable wide receivers in the NFL over the past decade despite not receiving the same hype as some of his counterparts, topping 1,000 yards receiving every year since entering the league in 2014.
“He’s one of the best,” Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “You look at Mike Evans and (Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams), those two guys are special players. They kind of go under the radar a little bit because they’ve played so long at a high level, you kind of assume and expect it.”
Evans will be a tough matchup for the Broncos’ secondary. At the same time, he should serve as a reminder for the entire organization that it needs to find a dynamic playmaker of its own during its rebuild process.
Joseph views Evans, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, as a future Hall of Famer. Despite playing with four head coaches and six starting quarterbacks during his time in Tampa Bay, Evans’ production has been constant. In 2023, he helped starting quarterback Baker Mayfield resurrect his career, recording 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns — tied for most in the NFL with Miami’s Tyreek Hill.
Evans is third among active players in career receiving yards (11,783) and 33rd all-time, ahead of Lions legend Calvin Johnson.
“He’s had the yards, the receptions and the consistency over the years that you look for in a Hall of Fame player, and so he’s that,” Joseph said. “Along with (Buccaneers wide receiver Chris) Godwin and (Jalen) McMillan, they’ve got three targets.”
Across the league, the top teams have at least one elite pass catcher. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has tight end Travis Kelce. In Detroit, Jared Goff relies heavily on wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Even with former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in Atlanta, Justin Jefferson hasn’t lost a step, recording 192 receiving yards in two games, including 133 yards in the season opener.
Broncos coach Sean Payton is no stranger to working with players like Evans. He had tight end Jimmy Graham and wide receiver Michael Thomas when he was in New Orleans. But in Denver, Payton is still searching for a consistent producer in the passing game. Courtland Sutton caught 10 touchdown passes in 2023, but he only had 776 receiving yards and hasn’t totaled at least 1,000 yards in a season since 2019. Second-year wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. has hardly received offensive snaps while it appears it’s going to take time for rookie Troy Franklin to develop.
The key to landing that kind of player is through the draft. Evans, Lamb, Jefferson and St. Brown — all of whom signed lucrative deals in the offseason — were drafted by their respective organizations.
Denver had an opportunity to take tight end Brock Bowers in April but drafted quarterback Bo Nix instead. The one ray of hope if the Broncos continue to lose this fall? It might give them a chance to draft Colorado’s dual-threat star Travis Hunter in the first round.
“Everyone has pass-catchers, everyone has quarterbacks who play at a high level and it’s a passing game for the most part,” Joseph said. “That’s the challenge every weekend in this league.”
Who has the edge?
When Broncos run
It’s not good when Denver’s leading rusher is quarterback Bo Nix with nine carries for 60 and a score. But that’s the reality the Broncos are living. They have received insufficient production from their running backs, including starter Javonte Williams, who had 11 carries for 17 yards against Pittsburgh. Even though Tampa Bay allowed 139 yards on the ground against Detroit, the Broncos have not done enough to ensure confidence that they can turn a corner on Sunday. Edge: Bucs
When Broncos pass
Denver’s pass protection has been shaky. And it doesn’t help that the Broncos will be without right tackle Mike McGlinchey for an extended period of time. Tampa Bay is tied for third in the league in quarterback pressures (31) despite only having two sacks and hasn’t allowed a touchdown pass through two games. The Broncos, on the other hand, haven’t thrown a touchdown pass through two games. Edge: Bucs
When Buccaneers run
After Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving’s impressive debut against Washington (nine carries for 62 yards), he only totaled 22 yards on seven attempts in the win over the Lions. Denver made progress in its run defense in the second half of last week. The Broncos held the Steelers to 46 yards on the ground in the final two quarters despite allowing 95 in the first half. Edge: Even
When Buccaneers pass
Mike Evans and Chris Godwin constitute one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league. Godwin has totaled 15 catches for 200 yards, including a 117-yard performance against the Lions. Baker Mayfield and Saints quarterback Derek Carr are tied for first in touchdown passes (five). Broncos second-year cornerback Riley Moss has held his own through two games, but Sunday will be his biggest challenge to date. Denver will need its front seven to create pressure up front if it wants to contain Tampa Bay’s passing attack. Edge: Bucs
Special teams
An argument can be made that punter Riley Dixon has been one of Denver’s most consistent players. He leads the league in punt net yards (647) and total yardage (704), as he has booted the ball inside the opponent’s 20-yard line on seven occasions. Tampa Bay punter Jake Camarda has 236 net yards on six punts. Pro Bowl returner Marvin Mims Jr. has yet to break a big return. Edge: Broncos
Coaching
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has done a solid job at keeping the defense steady. They have done enough to give the Broncos a chance to win, but the offense, led by Sean Payton, has struggled to hold up their end of the bargain. As Payton said, it starts with him since he is calling the plays. Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles’ defense should give the Broncos problems in the run game. Last season, the Buccaneers finished fifth in rushing yards allowed (95.3 per game). “There’s a lot you have to prepare for,” Payton said. “They play the run very well. They’re a multiple-pressure-package type defense.” Edge: Bucs
Tale of the tape
Broncos
Bucs
Total offense
263 (28th)
304 (20th)
Rush offense
81.5 (27th)
91 (25th)
Pass offense
181.5 (22nd)
213 (13th)
Points per game
13 (30th)
28.5 (4th)
Total Defense
277.5 (9th)
381 (28th)
Run defense
143.5 (24th)
138.5 (20th)
Pass defense
134 (4th)
242.5 (28th)
Points allowed
19.5 (10th)
18 (T-6th)
(Can’t see on mobile? Click here.)
*Stats from 2024 | NFL rank in parenthesis
By the numbers
96: Career touchdown receptions for Bucs receiver Mike Evans.
7: Punts downed inside the 20-yard line by Broncos’ Riley Dixon.
138: Receiving yards for Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds, tops on the team.
5: Touchdown passes for Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, tied for most in NFL after Week 2.
15: Tackles for Broncos second-year cornerback Riley Moss.
Bet on it
Javonte Williams under 44.5 rushing yards: Some might say it’s still early to give up on Williams. However, the North Carolina product’s struggles have been an issue since Week 14 of last season, as he has rushed for under 50 yards in six straight games. The last time he rushed for 100 yards in a game was Week 13 of his rookie year in 2021. It’s time to wonder if Williams just doesn’t have the juice anymore.
Josh Reynolds over 36.5 receiving yards: Denver’s passing game hasn’t been pleasant to watch. But Reynolds has found a way to put up modest numbers. The veteran wideout has nine catches for a team-best 138 yards. Courtland Sutton has been treated like a No.1 wide receiver, garnering more attention from opposing secondaries. This has opened the door for Reynolds to be Nix’s top target thus far.
Post predictions
Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Buccaneers 24, Broncos 20
Teams traveling to Florida early in the season typically don’t fare well. Sean Payton’s team hasn’t shown any signs through two weeks that it’s the type of group to defy conventional wisdom. And yet there’s something about games that seem cut-and-dried where they often don’t go as assumed. All that said, this Denver team is probably going to have to win a game before getting the benefit of the doubt. Close, but maybe not as close as the score indicates.
Ryan McFadden, beat writer: Buccaneers 23, Broncos 13
The Broncos offense is flawed from a personnel and schematic standpoint. The defense will keep Denver in the game but expect the Buccaneers to pull away in the second half. Don’t be surprised if Bo Nix is held without a touchdown pass for the third straight week.
Troy Renck, columnist: Buccaneers 24, Broncos 16
Everything about this game suggests a rout. That is where the reverse-lock theory comes into play. This is a bad matchup, like a fifth starter vs. an ace. It is on the road, where the Broncos stink. But my belief is that the offense cannot get worse. The offensive line will take this game personally and run the ball better against the light-box, heavy-blitzing Bucs. It will allow the Broncos to stay in the game. Bo Nix will throw his first touchdown pass. But it won’t be enough as Tampa Bay remains undefeated.
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Sean Keeler, columnist: Buccaneers 24, Broncos 14
Did you know Bo Nix has as many completions over his first two career NFL starts (46) as Baker Mayfield did as a rookie in 2018? Or that Nix has a higher completion percentage (59.7) in those two starts than Baker in his initial pair of NFL starts (53.5)? And … yeah, well, that’s about it, as far as “half-full” stats go. The former Sooner also threw for three scores and passed for 26 first downs in those two games, while Mayfield’s Browns put up a combined 54 points. Nix’s Broncos, at their current clip, might not hit the 54 mark until the first week of October.
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