Rookie QB Jalon Daniels eager to build on first NFL start with struggling Buccaneers

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jalon Daniels and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were encouraged, though hardly satisfied.

The undrafted rookie quarterback’s first NFL start didn’t produce the desired result against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, however he did play well enough to bolster his team’s confidence that the former Kansas star can be a capable backup to the injured Baker Mayfield moving forward.

With Mayfield expected to miss at least two more games because of a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand, Daniels will make his next start Thursday night at Dallas.

“Obviously, not happy with the result,” Daniels said following a 17-14 loss. “At this position, you want to do everything you can to go out there and win the football game. We came up short.”

Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. He also tossed a pair of first-half interceptions that led to 10 points for the Packers.

The rookie was Tampa Bay’s second-leading rusher, scrambling for 55 yards on eight attempts, but wasn’t experienced enough to adjust the pass protection to give himself a better chance to make a play on fourth-and-11 to keep his team’s hopes alive in the final two minutes.

“I thought Jalon went out there and did awesome for his first start. He had a bunch of energy. He was flying around and making plays. It was good to see,” two-time All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs said.

“I don’t think you ever saw him get down on himself,” Wirfs added. “We knew there were going to be ups and downs, but he kept coming out there, kept balling, kept having confidence, kept having command in the huddle.”

Daniels, who spent six seasons at Kansas, is the first rookie to start a game at quarterback in the NFL this season. He entered training camp competing for the No. 3 job behind Mayfield and veteran Jake Browning but played well enough in the preseason that the Bucs wound up releasing Browning and moving Daniels to the backup role.

“He’ll be the quarterback Thursday night,” coach Todd Bowles confirmed, looking ahead to Dallas. “He had some ups and downs, but for his first time out there, he hadn’t panic. … He used his legs well at times. It was his first (start), he’s going to have some up and downs.”

The loss dropped Tampa Bay to 0-4 for the first time since 2013. Going back to last season, the Bucs have lost 11 of 13 games. The 1992 Chargers are the only team that’s rebounded from losing the first four games of a season to make the playoffs.

“No one is coming to save us. We aren’t going to magically get a superhero in here,” Wirfs said. “We can’t snap our fingers and be 4-0. We can’t snap our fingers and be 2-2. We are 0-4. It’s the guys in this locker room that are going to get us out of it.”

The prospect of turning the season around and making the playoffs in not on Bowles’ mind.

“We’re just trying to get a win against the Cowboys, then we’ll go from there,” the coach said.

“It’s on us. We know what the problem is. … We can’t keep getting close and not winning,” Bowles added, noting each of the team’s four losses have been by a touchdown or less. “That’s not good enough.”

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