TAMPA, Fla. — — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be off to a 3-1 start, putting them in position to chase a fourth straight NFC South title.

“We had a good quarter, and that’s it,” coach Todd Bowles said Sunday after Baker Mayfield accounted for three touchdowns and the Bucs sacked Jalen Hurts six times in a 33-16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

“The season is four quarters,” Bowles added. “We still have three quarters to go and we have to come up every quarter and play like that.”

Mayfield threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns, while Mike Evans became the Buccaneers’ scoring leader in dominating the rematch of a lopsided NFC wild-card game they won 32-9 last January over the injury-plagued Eagles (2-2 ).

Mayfield bounced back from a poor performance in a loss to Denver last week, completing 30 of 47 passes without an interception and the offense scoring a touchdown on its opening possession for the first time in 21 games. Evans’ 2-yard scoring reception ended the 10-play, 79-yard drive that set the tone for the Bucs, who outscored the Eagles 254 yards to zero in building a 24-0 lead.

“I definitely wanted to get the taste of (last week) out of our mouths,” Mayfield said. “We started fast because the guys were just locked in. We came out with a hair-on-fire mentality. Everyone was locked into what the plan was and we executed it. That has to be the case every week. we do that.” start.”

Evans, who finished with eight receptions for 94 yards, moved ahead of Martin Gramatica (592) into first place on the Tampa Bay scoring list with 596. Mayfield also threw a first-quarter TD pass to Trey Palmer and scored on a run of 1 yard. on fourth and goal to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter.

The Bucs held a 287-67 yardage lead at halftime, with most of Philadelphia’s offense coming on a 14-play drive that Hurts capped with a 1-yard touchdown toss to Parris Campbell.

Tampa Bay ran 22 plays in Eagles territory before the Philadelphia offense finally crossed the 50-yard line in the second quarter. But despite the huge disparity statistically, the Eagles managed to get back into the game after Saquon Barkley started the second half with a 59-yard run to the Bucs 11.

That set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Hurts that created a 24-7 halftime deficit. The Eagles gave themselves a little more hope when Kelee Ringo took a blocked extra point kick on Tampa Bay’s next touchdown and raced to the other side of the field for a defensive two-point conversion that cut the Bucs’ lead to 30-16. .

Hurts took the kickoff and moved the Eagles to the Bucs 19 before linebacker Lavonte David sacked him, forcing a fumble that essentially ended the chance for a successful comeback.

“I think I just have to play better overall,” said Hurts, who played without injured starting receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as right tackle Lane Johnson. “It starts with me when it comes to getting to the end zone and leading drives. All I can say is that I have to be better.”

Tampa Bay finished with six sacks after having just two in the first three games. Hurts fell to 1-4 in five career starts against the Bucs, including a pair of playoff losses.

Barkley rushed for 94 yards on 10 carries. Hurts finished 18 of 30 for 150 yards and no interceptions.

“We didn’t play well enough, and that will always start with me. If we lay an egg and we’re down 24-0, that starts with me,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.

Back in the house

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady was back at Raymond James Stadium as part of the FOX television crew. He played the final three seasons of his career with the Bucs, leading Tampa Bay to one Super Bowl title and a pair of NFC South championships before retiring after the 2022 season. Brady stood in the broadcast booth and thanked the cheering fans as the Bucs officially welcomed him during the two-minute warning in the first half.

Injuries

Eagles: In addition to Brown (hamstring), Smith (concussion) and Johnson (concussion), LB Devin White (personal matter) was also inactive. S Reed Blankenship (illness) sat out the second half. DT Jalen Carter and C Cam Jurgens (cramps) missed time in the fourth quarter as temperatures on the field exceeded 100 degrees.

Buccaneers: All-Pro S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot), DL Calijah Kancey (calf) and RT Luke Goedeke (concussion) were inactive. … Palmer left the game late in the first quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. … LB SirVocea Dennis (shoulder) left in the second quarter and did not return.

Next

Eagles: See you next week before hosting Cleveland on Oct. 13.

Buccaneers: Thursday night at NFC South rival Atlanta.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl