Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers have had Jalen Hurts’ number unlike any other team

By Canadian Press on September 25, 2025.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nobody has figured out Jalen Hurts quite like Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hurts is 53-16 against the rest of the NFL since he became a full-time starter in 2021 but only 1-4 against the Bucs, including a pair of playoff losses.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP gets another chance when he leads the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) against Tampa Bay (3-0) in a potential playoff preview on Sunday.

“He’s got a lot of tools and a lot of things in his system that he does that’s very challenging, and that’s what makes them such a great team and a great defense,” Hurts said of Bowles. “Knowing all of those things he has available, you just really wanna trust the rules and trust the preparation of everything that you have. It’s a really good team, a really good defense, well coached and it’s always a competitive environment going down there.”

Hurts has five touchdown passes and five interceptions along with 131 yards rushing and four TDs rushing in five games against the Bucs. He has been sacked 14 times and lost one fumble.

Bowles has flummoxed Hurts with his blitz schemes in several of the games.

“You look inward. It’s about controlling what you can, being on the same page and executing at a high level,” Hurts said.

But Hurts and the Eagles have come a long way since that last meeting a year ago. And, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will be out there. Hurts didn’t have his top target for the last two meetings.

“Big-play receiver. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast and he’s smart,” Bowles said of Brown. “He has very strong hands and you can be draped all over him and he can still make the catch. So, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

The Buccaneers sacked Tyrod Taylor four times last week in a 29-27 comeback win over the Jets and have eight on the season.

Hurts is a different challenge.

“He is really good. He can step forward, he can run left (and) right,” edge rusher Yaya Diaby said. “Some right-handed quarterbacks, they can only (scramble) right, but he can go left, he can go through the middle, he can go right, he can go everywhere. For us, we just have to go in with a great pass rush plan and keep him in that pocket and getting a whole lot of guys in his face, and I feel like we will be fine.”

Facing the heat

The Eagles are flying down to Tampa a day early, arriving on Friday and practicing on Saturday to get better acclimated to the heat. Three of their four losses to the Buccaneers came on the road in the afternoon. The only win was a Monday night game in Tampa.

“Everything we do is to try (to make sure that) our process is right to give ourselves the best chance to win,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “If your process is off, then you don’t have as much of a chance. That was part of our process when we studied some things in the offseason with the heat and everything like that. Get out there a day earlier to acclimate, one less day off the plane before you play a game. So, those are a couple things to name a few.”

Slowing Saquon

A year after setting an NFL record with 2,504 yards rushing in the regular season and playoffs, Saquon Barkley has been held to 194 yards and a 3.3 average per carry in the first three games.

The Buccaneers have allowed just 84 yards per game, sixth-best in the NFL. They’ve held 11 straight opponents to under 100 yards on the ground.

Baker’s boys

Baker Mayfield won’t have star wide receiver Mike Evans, but Chris Godwin could return for the first time since an ankle injury ended his season last October.

Godwin was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. He had 50 catches for 576 yards and five TDs in just seven games in 2024.

“You know when he is in there, good things are going to happen,” Mayfield said. “He just gets everybody on the same page, whether he is really communicating it or not, he is going to correct someone if they mess up. He is always great to have in there. … it would be great to have him out there.”

Hobbled All-Pros

The Buccaneers are hoping All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs can make his season debut to bolster an injury-riddled offensive line. Wirfs has been out since knee surgery in training camp.

The Eagles are hoping six-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson can play after leaving last week’s game with a stinger.

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

Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press