Baker Mayfield leads underdog Bucs to surprising playoff win
TAMPA – Fighting rib and ankle injuries, Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns in the win Philadelphia Eagles 32-9 in the wildcard round and secured the privateer'biggest playoff win since their 27-point victory in Super Bowl XXXVII, despite being 3.5-point underdogs at home on Monday night.
“It has something to do with whether you are an outsider or [on] “An away game where you just have your back against the wall and know that it's just your team against everyone else when you get counted out,” said Mayfield, who became the first Buccaneer to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a postseason game – A feat that not even his predecessor, Tom Brady, managed in three years at Tampa. “It's always fun to be in this role. “Obviously I'm pretty comfortable in it, but our team has been fully committed to it all year.”
Additionally, he was battling a rib injury sustained in a loss to the United States two weeks ago New Orleans Saintsand then he suffered an ankle injury Carolina last week. Mayfield flew in his personal physical therapist twice this week to help him deal with the injuries, which limited his practice time.
“He did it,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “I mean, if you look at him during the week – he was limping around, he wasn't training, he was getting a little better every day – hopefully they didn't hit him too hard. I know they got some.” Shots at him and they got what, four sacks? So he came back from that, he stuck to his plan, he never batted an eyelid, and he made one play after another, and that says a lot about him.”
Despite six drops from his receiving targets in the first half alone, including three from the tight end Cade OttonMayfield provided a positive and encouraging energy on the sidelines.
“He was sharp. I mean, he was sharp the whole game. … They dropped some passes, but he kept coming back, he kept going to them,” Bowles said.
“He’s always encouraging,” said Otton, who led the Bucs with 89 yards rushing. “I feel like as a team we just embrace his character. We're just always competitive, always have that fire. We see everything coming together, we're getting better and better at implementation. We never give up the fight. We will always compete just like him.”
After a 28-yard field goal on the first drive from the Bucs kicker Chase McLaughlinMayfield found a rarely used wide receiver David Moore on a cross route for a 44-yard touchdown to take a 10-0 lead. McLaughlin followed with field goals of 54 and 48 yards in the second quarter. A safety in the third quarter of Anthony Nelson provided a much-needed jolt when Mayfield scored on the rookie Trey Palmer on a 56-yard touchdown two plays later. He then moved on to wide receiver Chris Godwin up the middle with a 23-yard score in the fourth.
“I love playing with Baker,” the fullback said Shaquil Barrett said. “I knew Baker would be special for us once he won the job. I saw it when he first came into the league. He just had to be healthy and have a good chance. And I think that's what he got from us, and he's showing what he can do with it, and I love what I see from him.
Just moments after he jogged off the field at Raymond James Stadium with a triumphant “Let’s go!” Mayfield was asked to compare the win to his 48-37 playoff win over the USA Pittsburgh Steelers when he was with the Cleveland Browns in 2020.
Mayfield shrugged and paused. “Pretty good,” he said, before giving a mischievous grin and a smile.
Was it even sweeter after the trip he took last year? After being traded away from the Browns in July 2022, released by the Panthers in December of that year, and signed with the Panthers Los Angeles Rams for five games before the Bucs signed him to a one-year deal worth $4 million this offseason?
“Yeah, I mean, I don’t like to compare directly,” Mayfield said. “But yeah, obviously the ups and downs I've been through over the last few years are great… but we have our sights set on bigger goals, so on to the next one.”
The next one will be on the road, against him Detroit Lions in the divisional round, with the Bucs once again the underdogs. The Lions are currently 6-point favorites after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 On Sunday evening.
The Bucs lost to the Lions 20-6 when they hosted them in Week 6.
“We don’t really think or care about what the outsiders say,” Otton said. “We know the quality of the players we have in the locker room, the quality of the people, the coaches, the entire organization.”
“It’s a revenge tour,” inside linebacker added Devin White. “Everyone in this locker room believes in each other and that’s all that matters. People will talk on TV, they will make their predictions. But at the end of the day the ball has to be placed and we have to go out there and play. What people say doesn’t determine the outcome.”
