Buccaneers-Texans, Chargers-Raiders on Monday night: What We Learned from Tampa Bay's, Los Angeles' wins

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• REWATCH: Buccaneers-Texans on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Baker uses arm, legs to lead Bucs to second straight comeback win
• READ: Stroud calls for 'hard conversations' after offensive struggles

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Mayfield waves his magic wand again. Those who haven't watched Baker Mayfield since he joined the Buccaneers might not understand just how accustomed he is to high-pressure moments, but even for him, this two-week run is unbelievable. Fresh off a thrilling final-minute win in Atlanta, Mayfield found his inner magician again inside the final 150 seconds of this tight contest, leading an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive that required Mayfield to slip what would've been a decisive fourth-down sack before taking off upfield for a gain of 15 and renewed life. He dotted the sideline with bullets during the final march, operating a high-octane, high-tension drive with just enough control amid the chaos to move the Buccaneers inside Houston's 5-yard line, allowing them just enough time to score the game-winning touchdown with six seconds left on the clock. In today's NFL, few quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson) are as reliable in these moments as Mayfield, a ball of fire disguised by a Buccaneers helmet and uniform with a rocket launcher for an arm. He burned yet another opponent Monday night.
2. Texans' coaching staff needs to look in the mirror. Early in 2025, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans pinned his team's offensive struggles on the failures of its personnel and, more importantly, its former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, prompting changes in both departments with the expectation they'd elicit improvement. Through two weeks, it hasn't materialized, and it's fair to claim they might have taken an additional step backward. Houston cannot run effectively -- Tampa Bay doubled it up in rushing yards Monday night -- but more importantly, the Texans abandoned it entirely despite evidence suggesting that leaning on the passing game behind an inconsistent offensive line was also a poor strategy. New OC Nick Caley needs to use this tape specifically to evaluate his in-game play-calling decisions, including both run-pass ratio and passing approach. Yes, most will point to Caley's decision to throw on third- and fourth-and-goal in the fourth quarter (leading to a turnover on downs), but he also put C.J. Stroud in difficult situations with his overreliance on the pass in the middle portion of this game. Stroud, for that matter, looks uncomfortable and is still searching for the accuracy that serves as the foundation of his game. And finally, with nine seconds left and a timeout in the Buccaneers' pocket at Houston's 2-yard line, there was no reason to not load up the defensive front with bodies to prevent a run. Rachaad White's touchdown was too easy for that scenario, a decision and outcome that fall on the shoulders of Ryans. It's early, but they need to be better.
3. Tampa Bay's running game is real -- and might be spectacular. Just two seasons ago, the Buccaneers owned the NFL's worst running game and drafted accordingly, selecting Oregon's Bucky Irving and enjoying instant success by leaning on him as the lead back in 2024. A year later, they've discovered they have two quality options who can be interchanged on any down. Irving and White teamed up to tally 136 yards and a game-winning score on the ground Monday night, balancing out Tampa Bay's offense and keeping Houston's eager pass rush honest. Irving showed tons of explosion and swiftness while knifing through the Texans' defense and White spelled him effectively, finishing with an excellent per-carry average (6.5 yards) thanks to a couple of 10-plus-yard runs. Keep in mind that this was accomplished behind an offensive line that wasn't at full strength and is still missing its best player in left tackle Tristan Wirfs. Irving added six catches for 50 yards, proving the Bucs' backs are a threat no matter the situation. And instead of believing it was all about the man wearing No. 7, we learned we have to keep eyes on Nos. 7 and 1.
4. Houston's offensive line still has issues. Stroud's accuracy was unquestionably an issue Monday night but so was his lack of time in the pocket. Too often, Tampa Bay would dial up even the simplest of blitzes and earn quick pressures. Seven different Buccaneers defenders recorded at least one quick pressure in this game, a total that is unacceptable for an offense that is asking its quarterback to throw it to victory. It's entirely understandable that Stroud would struggle with accuracy because such consistent pressure is going to make a quarterback uncomfortable, but the real damage is done when the quarterback begins to miss throws when free from pressure. That is what happened far too often Monday night, a concerning sign for this offense even after just two weeks.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Buccaneers-Texans (via NFL Pro): Bucky Irving and Rachaad White combined for a 63% rushing success rate against the Texans, the highest rate by Buccaneers running backs since Week 12, 2021.

NFL Research: Baker Mayfield joined Doug Williams (1980) as the only Buccaneers quarterbacks to begin a season with two straight game-winning drives.

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• REWATCH: Raiders-Chargers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Henley stars in flu game, leads dominant Chargers defense
• READ: Carroll aims to remedy Jeanty's early struggles with 'more carries'

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Chargers defense collects INTs, stands strong for victory. Daiyan Henley was added to the Chargers’ injury report on Monday morning, deemed questionable to play with an illness. He sprung to life at kickoff Monday night, picking off Geno Smith on the game’s first play from scrimmage and setting the tone for a splendidly opportunistic evening for the Bolts defense. Los Angeles piled up three interceptions, sacked Smith just as many times and held Las Vegas to a meager 218 yards. In a game that likely should’ve been a wider win for L.A., the Chargers’ offense waned late, turning it over on downs on their 43-yard line, going three-and-out and fumbling on first down over their first three fourth-quarter drives. The Chargers defense, in turn, didn’t allow a point after any of those failed possessions. Truly, a scary elbow injury to Khalil Mack was the only real blemish to a defensive masterpiece. Three Chargers had sacks, three had interceptions and eight had pass breakups. They stymied the Raiders from the first play to the last. 
2. Raiders offense looks sleepy in late-night loss. As sensational and suffocating as the Chargers defense was, the Raiders were just as dreadful on offense. Geno Smith likely played his worst game since resurrecting his career with Pete Carroll in Seattle, throwing three picks and completing 24 of 43 passes for just 180 yards and a grimacing 37.0 passer rating. Brock Bowers was a non-factor throughout the majority of the game, and the running game was next door to non-existent. Despite a string of golden opportunities in the fourth quarter, the Silver and Black couldn’t take advantage. Perhaps most troubling and symbolic was one of their three field-goal drives. Trailing by 14 points with 7:30 left in the third quarter, the Raiders slowly cut their lead and decreased their chance of a comeback with a 19-play, 62-yard slog of a drive that ended with a Daniel Carlson make. When it all ended, they were still down by two scores without a touchdown in the game. Carroll turned 74 years young on Monday, but his offensive unit didn’t seem to have anywhere near the exuberance of Las Vegas’ ageless wonder of a coach. There was no energy, no urgency and little-to-no production. For the most part, Vegas’ defense was solid, but in a late Monday nighter at home, the Geno-led Raiders offense looked like it was up past its bedtime. 
3. Herbert, Chargers take early, impressive lead. Just like that, Justin Herbert and the Chargers are alone in first place of the AFC West, having dispatched two divisional foes and emerged from Week 2 as the division’s lone victor. It’s still early, but all wins count the same, and Herbert -- aside from the offense’s dismal fourth quarter -- has been excellent. He tossed a pair of touchdowns on Monday -- one to old pal Keenan Allen for a 10-3 lead and a 60-yarder to Quentin Johnston, who’s quickly erasing any first-round-bust takes -- for five in two games with no interceptions. Failing to salt away a win in the fourth quarter on three fruitless drives that added up to 11 plays for 29 yards and a lost fumble (credited to Herbert, though it seemed to be Omarion Hampton) is troubling. Still, though, Herbert is playing arguably the best ball of his career and flourishing in a second year with offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Meanwhile, the Chargers have become one of the most impressive NFL squads through two weeks. 
4. Still waiting for first-round RBs to take off. Anyone expecting a showcase of the 2025 NFL Draft’s two first-round running backs was sorely disappointed. Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton were each held in check, just as they were in Week 1. Like the rest of the Raiders’ offense, Jeanty, the draft’s No. 6 overall pick, had little production to speak about. He was corralled to the tune of 43 yards on 11 carries (3.9 yards per carry) as the Raiders attempted 43 passes to 19 runs. Jeanty was targeted four times by Geno Smith, but had just one yard on three catches. Through two games, the popular preseason pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year has just 81 yards on the ground. Hampton, the 22nd pick of the draft, has 72 yards through two games. On Monday, he was held to fewer than 50 yards rushing in back-to-back games for the first time since his 2022 freshman season at North Carolina, per NFL Research. There’s little reason to think much brighter days aren’t ahead, but so far, the draft’s first-round RB duo has been anything but dynamic.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chargers-Raiders (via NFL Pro): Geno Smith became the only quarterback since 2016 to attempt at least 10 downfield passes (over 10 yards) without a completion. He was 0 for 12 with three interceptions on such attempts. 

NFL Research: Pete Carroll lost on his birthday for the first time after previously going 3-0 (including college). One of those wins was a 42-13 victory for Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks over Jim Harbaugh’s San Francisco 49ers. Harbaugh now leads the all-time series (including college and playoffs) against Carroll, 7-6.