The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their second game of the season as they struggled to get much going against the Detroit Lions.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield had his most erratic game of the campaign, and the Bucs failed to live up to Rob Gronkowski’s pregame words.
A Super Bowl champion with Tampa Bay, the former tight end had plenty of praise for his former team heading into “Monday Night Football.”
.@RobGronkowski with high praise for his former team 👀 pic.twitter.com/sbKkqVUHr7
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2025
He may not feel that way anymore.
Granted, no team is as good as it looks in a win or as bad as it looks in a loss, and the Bucs are still one of the teams to beat in the NFC.
They didn’t look sharp offensively, and that was before they lost star wide receiver Mike Evans with a clavicle injury.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and Mayfield has shown that he can do wonders regardless of his supporting cast.
Then again, with their two losses coming to Super Bowl contenders, including the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, fans can wonder whether the Bucs have what it takes to defeat the best teams.
Fortunately for them, things should be much easier in Week 8 when they play the New Orleans Saints in an NFC South matchup.
