Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-49ers
October 12th, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Yes, he did it again.
With the Bucs clinging to a 20-19 lead late in the third quarter, Baker Mayfield faced a third-and-14 from his own 41. The 49ers had just kicked a field goal and figured they had momentum on their side.
Tampa Bay had No. 6 on its side. Advantage, Bucs.
San Francisco pressured Mayfield out of the pocket and 15 yards later, he left four 49ers sprawled in his wake. First down, Tampa Bay. Two snaps later, Mayfield found Tez Johnson streaking down the middle for a 45-yard TD that shattered the hopes of the gritty visitors.
The 49ers are 4-2 for a reason.
They play hard for Kyle Shanahan. Like Todd Bowles, Shanahan is dealing with a flurry of key injuries and that list expanded when star linebacker Fred Warner was carted off with a potential season-ending ankle injury.
The Bucs have new health concerns of their own after Emeka Egbuka, the leading candidate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, hurt his hamstring. He joined Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the sidelines on a day Cade Otton and Kameron Johnson combined for nine receptions on 10 targets.
The Buc pass defense surrendered 347 yards to Mac Jones but atoned with six sacks and two interceptions. As expected, Christian McCaffrey touched the ball 24 times on San Francisco’s 67 offensive snaps, but Tampa Bay’s rush defense continued its stellar play as McCaffrey averaged only 3.2 yards per carry.
Jamel Dean led the defensive charge with a pick, a sack and a forced fumble while Kindle Vidor — filling in for Zyon McCollum — set an early tone by intercepting Jones’ initial throw of the day.
With road matchups against the Lions and Saints dead ahead, there’s a good chance the Bucs will be at least 6-2 heading into a bye week that should give a battered roster time to regroup for the stretch run.
Kendrick Bourne shook loose for 142 yards on his five receptions, including catches of 56 and 41 yards. Bowles attributed the long gains to defenders losing their footing. Tampa Bay needs to clean up those lapses because the Lions boast a big-play offense.
Despite 17 more snaps than Tampa Bay, the 49ers owned a scant 363-352 edge in total offense. Nine penalties and two giveaways didn’t help their cause as the 49ers suffered their first road setback after a 3-0 start away from home.
The last Buc team to open 5-1 was the 2021 club that finished 13-4 with Tom Brady. Before that, you had to go back to 2005 with Brian Griese and Chris Simms under center to find a 5-1 Bucs roster. This team is led by Mayfield, who has thrown 12 TD passes and only one pick.
“He’s playing incredible football,” 49ers GM John Lynch told me after the game. This MVP talk isn’t contrived … it’s real.”
Here’s how the Bucs beat San Francisco 30-19 without the need of a last-minute comeback:
* The Bowles skeptics won’t want to hear this, but Tampa Bay has now won 20 of its last 29 regular-season games.
* On Vildor’s interception, Haason Reddick came roaring in untouched from the left edge and pressured Jones into an errant throw.
* For the season, Tampa Bay opponents are averaging only 88 rushing yards per game. With Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in the backfield, the Lions will surely test those numbers as the Bucs hit the road four times in a five-game span.
* Mayfield started slowly, throwing behind Egbuka twice and completing only 3-of-7 passes for 21 yards in the opening quarter. He went 14-for-16 the rest of the way and owns a glittering 108.5 passer rating on the season.
* Chase McLaughlin, who had rebounded strongly after early-season struggles, was wide right on a 49-yard FG try midway through the fourth quarter. He responded seven minutes later with a 45-yarder that provided the final cushion.
* Rachaad White, who scored twice at Seattle last week, accounted for 86 yards from scrimmage and a 2-yard TD run Sunday. He’s done a nice job while Bucky Irving recovers from foot and shoulder injuries.
* Johnson’s 45-yard reception was his only catch of the day, but it was a beauty as he hauled in Mayfield’s pass with a fingertip grab. He’s averaging 18.7 yards on six catches for the season.
* Bowles dialed up the pressure on Jones and the Buc defense responded in kind. He was dropped six times and hit on 10 occasions. In sharp contrast, Mayfield was afforded outstanding protection, hit only once.
* Entering the game, Kameron Johnson had made his mark strictly as a return specialist. All that changed as he caught all four passes Mayfield sent his way, including a 34-yard TD grab late in the opening half. A roughing-the-passer flag on the play prompted Bowles to order a 2-point try from the 1-yard line, but White was stopped off left end.
* The 49ers hadn’t allowed a first-quarter point through five weeks before Vildor’s interception set up White’s short scoring run.five minutes into the game. San Francisco briefly went ahead 10-7 on McCaffrey’s 1-yard plunge, but that was the only TD allowed by the Bucs, still tied for the best record in the league.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:20 pm
Ultimate test next Monday on the road in Detroit with a banged up Bucs roster. Hoping we get some weapons back. Evans, Godwin and Bucky we need you back
October 12th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
Sage — thank you for your great analysis. I wait for it each week.
The rest of the week, I read things like this:
Aqualung says
October 11th, 2025 at 1:56 am —
David – Dan Campbell is the best coach in the nfl right now, he has three full time coordinators reporting to him, two are brand new , and he’s got the team firing on all cylinders. Now that’s a real head coach.
The only way we win that one is if we pull a 2019 Bucs Rams, where it’s 55-48 with Baker out scoring Goff at the end.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
the baker run was like a signature move or something…guts, glory and gumption all mashed together into gravy…
after the run he banged shoulders with a sf cornerback while walking and looked back at him like: “what, what, whatcha gonna do!”
baker is kind of like hardy nickerson back in the mid 90’s…i know, weird comparison…but he is like a team tone setter like hardware was…
baker has really settled in here…he’s our guy…he reps buccaneer football….. he’s repping the bucs hard !
October 12th, 2025 at 10:29 pm
Let’s break the following down —
The Buc pass defense surrendered 347 yards to Mac Jones but atoned with six sacks and two interceptions.
San Fran went back to throw 48 times.
39 pass attempts, 1 intentional grounding for minus 10 yards, 6 sacks for minus 51 yards, 2 scrambles for 8 yards.
So, that was actually a net 301 yards on 48 attempts. 6.2 yards per drop back.
With the two take aways (almost 3) that was actually outstanding work against the other team’s QB.
Compare that to the Bucs over 10.5 yards per drop back with 2 TDs and no turnovers.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:30 pm
if the eggman is out…along with chris and mike…just get in and out of detroit next week as injury free as possible…
take the loss – who cares…we might see them in the post season for the rematch…
start thinking rest, and getting in and out of new orleans with the win…and go 6-2 into the break…
it might be time to start thinking long game…
the detroit game isn’t that important…
beat the saints, start resting and getting healthy as the break approaches…
and be ready for a tough patriots team coming out of the break – no sleepwalking out of the bye week…since the schedule popped up i’ve mentioned the pats game as a trap type game…
then the schedule starts to get easier down the home stretch
October 12th, 2025 at 10:43 pm
GO CHIEFS!!!!
October 12th, 2025 at 10:47 pm
The only stat that matters is 30-19.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:50 pm
I hate that Bowles went for two early in the game. Instead of sweating with an 8 point lead. It should have been a two score game and less stress . I hate chasing points early in games.
Chase misses a field goal but ends up getting one late to go up by two scores.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:51 pm
Good update Ira. Now it’s time to tame the Lions. The Chiefs are showing the Bucs how to do it.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:51 pm
I think we can run all over detroit next monday
October 12th, 2025 at 10:53 pm
From a Niners fan, you guys are the real deal and I hope you guys go all the way this year! Baker is awesome and I love his scrappiness and toughness. He is definitely the MVP front runner, and anyone who says different isn’t paying any attention. Please do remember that Jones is our backup quarterback and is doing an amazing job as a backup quarterback. Many teams would cover it the quality quarterback too, that we have.. The outcome likely would’ve been the if Purdy was in but maybe a bit closer? Best of luck all the way! And if not us, please win it all!
October 12th, 2025 at 10:56 pm
Good grief, never use voice text leaving a comment! I meant many other teams would covet a qb2 as good as Jones has been. The outcome of the game likely would have been the same with Purdy. Best of luck!
October 12th, 2025 at 10:57 pm
Best win of Todd’s Bucs tenure.
October 12th, 2025 at 11:05 pm
To whom it may concer: You let GO CHIEFS!! post through, but not my complementary ones? Could you please email me and tell me what rules I broke that would prevent my posts from being published?
October 12th, 2025 at 11:05 pm
I’ve gonna be top of NFC after 6 weeks y’all!!!!
Baking with moxie…for now we the Dawgs of the NFC!!
October 12th, 2025 at 11:06 pm
adam from ny Says:
“the detroit game isn’t that important”
Pishhh tell that to Baker Mayfield Adam.
Go Bucs great read as usual Ira!
October 12th, 2025 at 11:08 pm
Hey Sage. Reddick really showed up today, maybe you should try having a talk with him every week from now on lol
October 12th, 2025 at 11:11 pm
Well Branch will be suspended for Detroit for the next game after that. So that is one less person to worry about on Detroit lol
October 12th, 2025 at 11:11 pm
1st place in the NFC after 6 weeks, despite a literally insane amount of injuries to starters.
Insanity.
This team is special. LFG!
October 12th, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Fact check. May field was sacked once.
October 12th, 2025 at 11:13 pm
Detroit’s Brian Branch, starting safety, threw a punch at a Chiefs player after the game – you’d think that gets him at least a one game suspension, hopefully for the game vs the Bucs, although I’d guess he can appeal it and drag it out if it happens.
How great would it be if we get Godwin AND Evans back next week, and perhaps even Bucky with the extended week. If they’re not back, then I’d guess they won’t get back until after the bye week. I was also hoping Luke might be back, but it sounds like he’s going to be out longer than first expected. Maybe even e2 is back if that hamstring is mild enough, but I’m guessing they won’t push it.
October 12th, 2025 at 11:19 pm
I have baker vs Patrick in a super bowl soon
Fans will love it
October 12th, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Baker is the man, but how long can he keep this up ? We might be lucky with our receiver depth, maybe the Bucs could be known as the “receiver U”
October 12th, 2025 at 11:50 pm
Best victory of the Bowles tenure? Great victory for sure but how about the Eagles playoff victory, Lions victory in week 2 of 2024, and Eagles victory in 2024 regular season.
October 13th, 2025 at 12:23 am
Buc1987 Says:
October 12th, 2025 at 11:06 pm
adam from ny Says:
“the detroit game isn’t that important”
Pishhh tell that to Baker Mayfield Adam.
———————-
yes you can’t tell that to baker…!
he would say every blade of grass and beard hair counts…haha
October 13th, 2025 at 2:53 am
The Sage strikes again! Thanks for mentioning the Lions run game Ira. We need all hands on deck next week.
White looked ready to take the team on his back. Tough running from him. Way more decisive and not dancing so long in the backfield. Good job Rachaad!
Go Bucs!
October 13th, 2025 at 5:03 am
Awesome overview, Ira!
It’s all coming together. So happy to see and hear Todd getting well-deserved kudos.
October 13th, 2025 at 5:21 am
Ira … ‘The Buc pass defense surrendered 347 yards to Mac Jones but atoned with six sacks and two interceptions.’
Awesome win Sage, but that 1 line above says it all for our defense. We let Mac Jones throw for 347 passing yards, completing 69% of his passes, but only gave up 19 points … 1 TD & 4 FGs. There were times when we just couldn’t get off the field (SF’s 1st drive of the 3rd qtr lasted 15 plays & 7:33 minutes, BUT … ended with us holding them to a FG).
And that was the story for much of the day. Bucs’ defense kept holding them to FGs, while our offense kept scoring TDs. Yes there were times when our pass rush had no impact (especially in the 2nd qtr), but for the most part the interior of our DLine was doing great getting some penetration & some sacks (Vea, Brewer & Roberts each got 0.5 sacks). I’m convinced that helped our OLBs feast (Diaby 2 sacks & Reddick 0.5 sacks). Our blitzers added the other 2 sacks (Dean & LVD).
And our 2 INTs were things of beauty. Vildor’s INT gave our offense the ball on a very short field (SF 12-yd line), and we promptly turned that into a TD. And Dean’s INT pretty much sealed the deal, as we were able to tack on a FG for good measure. Winning the Turnover Battle 2-0 was HUGE.
October 13th, 2025 at 7:13 am
Rod – JuJu, is the kind of guy that deserves to get his face punched
October 13th, 2025 at 7:18 am
“but that was the only TD allowed by the Bucs, still tied for the best record in the league.”
I believe that is Todd’s philosophy–allow long drives, just don’t give up a TD. They get 3 after 3 after 3….we get 7 after 7 after 7