TAMPA, Fla. – Fresh out of the injury tent and trying to maintain a four-point lead over the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield lowered his shoulder and threw himself into cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

It was the Bucs' franchise QB trying to set the tone as running back Bucky Irving took the handoff for a 31-yard gain. Five plays later, Mayfield found tight end Cade Otton for an 8-yard touchdown.

On the play that injured him, Mayfield spun and ducked out of cornerback Alontae Taylor's would-be sacks, but fell to his stomach after his foot was caught by defensive end Carl Granderson.

The NFL's touchdown leader through the first six weeks of the season may have lost the wind in this game, but he bounced back just like Tampa has done all season – through injuries, losses and adversity.

Now the Bucs (4-2) face a big test on “Monday Night Football” (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN/ESPN+) when they host the Baltimore Ravens (4-2), but have been your calling cards so far their variety on offense with coordinator Liam Coen's constant moves and shifts, and aggressiveness on defense with coach Todd Bowles' sophisticated blitz packages.

On a deeper level, Bowles said, her identity was her “resilience.”

While he joked Thursday that Mayfield sounded like Rocky Balboa after the QB was described as having “tenacity” and “determination” as a scrambler, the notion was spot on. Mayfield is averaging 6.5 yards per carry when leaving the pocket and is fifth-most in the league among quarterbacks with 20 or more rushes in Week 7.

Overall, Mayfield leads a group that has shown itself to be quite difficult to shake, and the team embodies the fighting spirit of its quarterback and the heart of its coach.

Two major hurricanes devastated the Tampa Bay region within 14 days, with the second forcing a team-wide evacuation that sent 300 organization members and their families with 30 pets to New Orleans. Receiver Mike Evans said the Bucs were playing for something “bigger” and were able to pull out a 51-27 victory over the Saints in a week where they had to practice at Tulane University.

“It was kind of weird,” left tackle Tristan Wirfs said. “I mean, we found out on Sunday night or Monday and said, 'Yeah, we're leaving on Tuesday.' We ask, 'What do you mean?' So just that short answer, like, 'Pack up your things, pack up your families.'”

WHETHER OR NOT That the evacuation set the tone for a chaotic second quarter is up for debate – as some Bucs players say the Saints provoked it – it had its circumstances in a crucial game in which they lost 2-0 in the NFC South were certainly not helped would be anything but ideal.

“I mean, it's a sudden change. That’s part of football, that’s part of life,” Bowles said. “Things happen to you every day that you have to adapt to, and you have to keep your composure through it.”

After a 17-0 lead, things quickly got out of hand. Mayfield threw three interceptions – two were overturned – and Rashid Shaheed returned a Jake Camarda punt 54 yards for a touchdown. The Bucs also conceded seven penalties in those 15 minutes while chanting “Who dat!” Who dat!” shouted. flooded the Caesars Superdome as they headed into the locker room trailing 27-24.

“(Bowles) basically told us, ‘Just keep your composure. They can’t beat us,'” defenseman Tavierre Thomas said.

Mayfield added: “It's a matter of guys hitting the reset button, knowing it's a close game and saying, 'Hey, if we just do our job, we'll be fine.' I have a “one game at a time” attitude.

Bowles' behavior was well received by his coaching staff and players, and he made technical adjustments to squeeze the pocket so quarterback Spencer Rattler could no longer get away with bootlegs.

They stopped sending their outside linebackers into coverage. And they started running the ball more while still relying on their screen game.

“I mean, if you see our coach on the sideline, he's pretty much the same the whole game,” Irving said. “It’s always great to have a coach who stays calm and collected in his times.”

Cornerback Zyon McCollum, who missed a tackle on KhaDarel Hodge's game-winning 45-yard touchdown in overtime against the Falcons in Week 5, made a game-winning interception in the fourth quarter. Bowles had supported McCollum after the loss in Atlanta, saying he played it right and went for the ball even though he missed the tackle. His uplifting coolness remained.

“It’s everything,” McCollum said of that support. “If I don’t have the necessary self-confidence, if I don’t play confidently, I’m a completely different player.”

IT'S THAT The same consistency and resilience that saw the Bucs pull out big wins against the Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles this season, despite not being at full strength in any of those games.

Against Washington, they were forced to rely on backup safety/nickelback Christian Izien at outside cornerback after McCollum, Bryce Hall and Josh Hayes all left the game with injuries. When was the last time Izien played outside cornerback? His sophomore year of high school. He then spent the next four games subbing in for All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot).

They were also without starter Luke Goedeke for four games after he suffered a concussion in Week 1. Mayfield had five sacks against the Lions, but won 20-16. At the end of that game, they were missing defensive tackle Vita Vea, who suffered an MCL sprain, as well as defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, their 2023 first-round draft pick, who missed five games with a calf injury. They had to rely on backup Greg Gaines and practice squad CJ Brewer.

They got unexpected contributions from defensive lineman Logan Hall, who sacked Kirk Cousins ​​twice in Week 5 and has three sacks this season after missing the opener with a foot injury.

Sean Tucker, their third-string running back whose career was stifled by a heart condition discovered at the 2023 NFL Combine, had a career day against the Saints – he ran for 136 yards and a touchdown and added 56 receiving yards and another Score added his first long-term appearance when Rachaad White was ruled out with a foot injury.

His counterpart, Irving, a 2024 fourth-round draft pick, currently leads the team with 328 rushing yards and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

“You have to adapt. You have to adapt,” Bowles said of injuries. “And guys make the team for a reason. You have to know why they put your team together and put them in a position to make plays. Everyone deals with it and everyone adapts differently. We like where we are right now.”

Bowles' defense will be tested by the Ravens, who lead the league with 453.7 yards per game. Baltimore is the only team to score more touchdowns on offense than the Bucs (20) with 21, and Jackson was the catalyst that continues to make a case for repeating as NFL MVP.

“First you have to pray,” said Larry Foote, passing game coordinator and inside linebackers coach. “You just have to pray. You have to hope and wish for something. It's going to take a concerted effort – even the (safety precautions). Everyone has to be responsible for him. At the end of the day, when he pulls away and decides to run, it becomes a challenge. If he does get tackled, it’s a narrow tackle – then the prayers will be necessary.”

If the Bucs escape with a win, they would be 5-2 heading into a rematch with the Falcons (4-3) in Week 8 and have a chance at redemption with first place in the division on the line.