Bucs’ Baker Mayfield, Lavonte David ready for rematch with ‘physical’ Eagles

Mayfield threw for just 146 yards in Birds’ Week 3 win, while D’Andre Swift had one of his best games of the season.

Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox sacks Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in their September meeting.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Published Jan. 10, 2024, 4:52 p.m. ET

The Eagles and the Buccaneers meet again on Monday night in a rematch of a Week 3 Eagles win.

The Birds beat Tampa Bay, 25-11, holding Baker Mayfield to just 146 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Since that game, a lot of things have changed in Philadelphia. Matt Patricia is calling defensive plays instead of Sean Desai, and the Birds have slumped down the stretch, dropping five of their last six games.

Mayfield said Wednesday he knows they’re seeing a different Eagles team than they saw in Week 3, but he’s still prepared to see a tough defensive front, one that sacked him twice and delivered five other QB hits in the win.

“The best thing about their defense is their front,” Mayfield said. “They’ve had a lot of studs there for a long time and they just keep reloading them. It’s something we have to be aware of, and we definitely are. ... We were a different team back then and I think they were as well. We’ll see what we can do.”

Earlier in the week, before diving deeper into the film, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles offered a similar take — these are not the same teams they were when they met back in September.

“I don’t think it compares at all,” Bowles said of the the two matchups. “... It doesn’t compare because we played them so early in the year. We were still growing, I’m sure they were still growing. Playoff time is different because it’s one and done. Everybody’s nicked up, everybody’s hurt, it’s just a matter of who makes the most mistakes.”

The Eagles had one of their best rushing performances of the season against Tampa Bay, racking up 201 yards on the ground, including 130 yards on 16 carries from D’Andre Swift to go with a Jalen Hurts rushing touchdown.

Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David said Wednesday that the Tampa’s defense, which is fifth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed this season at 95.3 per game, is keying in on the Birds’ running game.

“They’re a physical team,” Lavonte David said. “They’re dominant up front on their offensive line. I feel like their team runs through the offensive line, they go as far as the offensive line goes. For our front seven, we definitely have to come with our A-game.

“The first time we played them they probably ran for almost 200 yards on us. … That’s something we got to take advantage of because we hang our hat on the running game, and that’s something they do well.”

The Birds have eclipsed 100 yards on the ground in six of their eight games since the bye, including three games in which they ran for 150-plus.