TAMPA, FL – Although the Eagles earned an all-phase victory a week earlier in New Orleans, all three of the team’s phases struggled Sunday at Raymond James Stadium as Philadelphia fell 33-16 to the Buccaneers and is 2-2 for the season fell.

In very quick order the Eagles found themselves in a hole that got deeper and deeper for much of the first half, and when they had the opportunity to close the gap and perhaps get back into trouble it was a major giveaway and it inability of the defense to get off the ground. field hampered the potential comeback.

Injuries certainly played a role in a struggling offense that was missing three key starters (wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, and right tackle Lane Johnson), and Philadelphia’s defense couldn’t get off the field enough against a Tampa Bay offense that ball moved with a lot of movement. a fast passing game and an efficient running attack.

Some observations from a game that sends the Eagles into the bye week with some real questions to answer when they start the season again in two weeks against Cleveland at Lincoln Financial Field…

1. Slow start for the defense…and it continued

Tampa Bay’s game plan was clear from the very beginning: the Bucs drove 79 yards in 10 plays to score a touchdown on the first drive and quarterback Baker Mayfield led the way with 8 completions in 9 attempts for 62 yards and he got the ball out so fast. the Eagles just couldn’t respond to the three-step drops and short passing game that Mayfield executed so perfectly. The Eagles couldn’t generate a pass rush, gave up four first downs and were unable to stop the Bucs on two third downs. Missed tackles hurt the Eagles early and unfortunately continued throughout the game.

Then Tampa Bay drove 80 yards on 5 plays on the next possession and Mayfield completed all four of his passes for 76 yards and just like that it was 14-0. Mayfield completed 13 of his first 14 passes for 144 yards.

After such a great performance in New Orleans, the Eagles allowed Tampa Bay to gain a total of 445 net yards and 29 first downs and possess the football for 36 minutes and 19 seconds.