Tampa Bay Buccaneers have an immediate chance to tackle an unfortunate trend head on in 2024 season

The 2024 NFL schedule is here, and Tampa Bay Buccaneer fans now know who, where, and when the Bucs will be facing all of their regular season opponents in 2024. 

While the Bucs have a number of games against marquee opponents this year, along with their usual division rivals, they open the season against a team that likely doesn't move the needle much at least on the surface: at home against the Washington Commanders. 

However, it is still a great opportunity for the Buccaneers to prove themselves against Washington rookie QB Jayden Daniels in an area where they've been inexplicably subpar for many years.  That would be their defensive performances against rookie and backup quarterbacks.  

The Bucs have let some backups look too good

It's been well documented over the years how the Bucs have struggled in spots that have involved rookie and/or backup QBs.  Drew Stanton led the Lions to a 23-20 overtime win in December 2010 over the Bucs, a loss that kept the Bucs from making the playoffs.  

In 2014, in the midst of a dreadful 2-14 season, a 19-17 home loss to the Rams in Week 2 might have been the cherry on top of the worst of them.  Austin Davis completed 22 of 29 passes for 235 yards for LA in a game that ended due to a 10-second run off with the Bucs in field goal range after Mike Evans could not get up from a vicious hit. 

Rookies have had a field day against the Bucs' defense

The Bucs have also done a great job at making rookie QBs look good.  In 2015, Marcus Mariota, in his very first NFL game, completed 13 of 15 attempts for 209 yards and a whopping 4 touchdowns.  Daniel Jones went 23/36 for 336 yards with 2 touchdowns and ran for two more to rally the Giants from 28-10 down at the half to win 32-31 in 2019.  

Of course, who can forget last year when the Bucs helped put Texans QB C.J. Stroud squarely on everyone's radar.  Yes, Stroud, the 2023 offensive rookie of the year, is a rising star.  However, it's a completely different story to allow a rookie to throw for 470 yards on you, which Todd Bowles' defense did. 

Daniels is certainly a talented quarterback capable of beating a team with his arms and his legs.  However, on the road in Tampa in the sweltering heat of summer in his first ever start?  That's a situation that the Buccaneers had better thrive in.  

If not, then the questions will continue to linger about this franchise and its uncanny bad luck against quarterbacks they should be better against.