Why Are Fast Starts 'Extremely Important' For Bucs Offense?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their preseason campaign with a 24-14 win over the Miami Dolphins, but the final score means little.

What does carry weight is how the first-team offense began the game. Baker Mayfield (3/3, 54 yards) and the offense put their foot on the gas and marched down the field for a touchdown on their opening drive.

With Mayfield spraying the ball all over the field and running back Rachaad White (4 att, 16 yards, 1 TD) picking up yards at will, the offense was clicking early.

For Baker, after an offseason that emphasized fast starts, starting in the manner that they did was pleasing.

“Extremely important,” Mayfield said of the offense starting fast against Miami . “We talked about it all offseason how we need to start faster, we're going to have a great defense, so jumping out early is something that's important for us and just to set the tone of we need to be efficient early on. We don't need to wait to get hit in the mouth and figure things out and adjust from there, we need to be efficient and then we'll still adjust after that but yeah important for us.”

While starting fast was good for the soul, so was seeing Liam Coen's system in action. It was clearly a watered-down version, but nonetheless, Todd Bowles and the coaching staff would have been pleased with the Buccaneers' movement and ease.

Of course, it was in preseason, so the real test of Coen's offense will be in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders, but one drive, just like Tampa Bay's first against Miami, could be the fire-starter for the franchise.

Related: Bucs' Quiet Offseason a 'Good Omen'?

Having maintained the majority of their roster this offseason, the Buccaneers feel in good shape entering the new season, and after seeing their starters walk down the field with ease, that will only increase the confidence levels as we approach the regular season.