Baker Mayfield And Sacks
July 12th, 2023
Concerning statistic.
It wasn’t long ago that Baker Mayfield was considered one of the up-and-coming young quarterbacks.
During the glorious Super Bowl run of the Bucs in 2020, which ended with the Bucs curb-stomping the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Mayfield himself was leading the Browns on sort of a storybook run. In fact, those Chiefs were entangled in a battle with Mayfield and the Browns in that postseason. Like the Bucs, the Browns too snapped a long playoff drought, some 17 years.
In the fourth quarter of a division-round playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium between Kansas City and Cleveland, the Chiefs had but a one-score lead. They escaped with a 22-17 win.
Fast-forward about three years and folks are ready to shovel dirt in Mayfield’s face. Many believe the Bucs are Mayfield’s career life raft. And the life raft has a leak.
Something happened to Mayfield since that cold day in Kansas City. Why does Joe say that? Well, a look at SIS’s advanced stats on Mayfield shows his sack totals have skyrocketed.
Mayfield was sacked 26 times in 2020 on 540 dropbacks. In each of the two seasons since, Mayfield hasn’t come close to 540 dropbacks in a season yet his sack totals have ballooned.
In 2021, Mayfield was sacked 43 times despite having 54 fewer dropbacks than the previous season. Last year, splitting time between Carolina and Los Angeles, Mayfield ate the ball 36 times on 393 dropbacks.
What happened?
Joe’s not sure but usually there is a cause and effect for stats to jump like that. Has Mayfield turned gunshy, holding the ball too long? Is he tipping pitches?
With Mayfield working behind a Bucs offensive line with question marks everywhere, this bloated number of sacks is something Joe’s going to monitor.
July 12th, 2023 at 6:04 am
It’s very simple Joe, his pocket awareness sucks! Once he blew out his shoulder the beginning of the 21 season, it got worse, and he’s even more timed when things collapse around him. #startTrask!
July 12th, 2023 at 6:20 am
Dude, stick a fork in this guy he’s done…
Watching him throw at times looks painful, especially on his deep balls…I definitely agree with NCBuc on the pocket awareness comment…He’s the NFLs Rockstar backup…
July 12th, 2023 at 6:22 am
He’s short! Short QB’s have a hard time seeing over the line when in the pocket. Canales even mentioned in a POD cast how Trask can see parts of the field short QBs he’s had in the past can’t. It’s often why short QBs leave the pocket to soon, they need to get a clearer view. Those facts lead to more sacks.
July 12th, 2023 at 6:39 am
When you’re behind, you throw more, get sacked more. Last year was good example
LA only won 5 games after winning the super bowl, Carolina won what, 7?
July 12th, 2023 at 6:40 am
I’m So glad he’s going to be the backup!
July 12th, 2023 at 6:48 am
Flash Poll: Anybody else skipping over all of these negative articles?
July 12th, 2023 at 6:49 am
What happened? Easy, the NFL has tape. Defenses know that if you cover Mayfield first passing option, he will then panic.
July 12th, 2023 at 7:41 am
It’s his feet! Go look at his tape from his starts in Carolina dude really has the uncanny ability of making his passpro look worse or making things harder for himself in the pocket.
July 12th, 2023 at 7:58 am
Welp…I’m on the outside looking in. I think Mayfield will improve dramatically this year. He’s had an entire off season to learn a QB friendly system. Geno Smith anyone? Mayfield will have two all world receivers in Evans and Godwin. He will most likely a solid third in either Gage or Palmer. At the very least the TE’s are serviceable. The RB’s can catch. I’m not worried about the OL either. Everything I can dig up says Wirf’s is already comfortable on the left side. Neither Mauch or Goedeke are cemented as starters – there are solid options.
And No”Show Me the TD’s” – This Bucs fan doesn’t skip over any of these articles.
July 12th, 2023 at 8:03 am
#startTrask!
Why? Has he done anything yet to EARN the spot? Do people really believe there is some anti-Gator sentiment running through the Bucs.
Here’s a thought..how about #starttheguywhoWINSthespot!
I think this totally boils down to how much faith the fans have in the coaches and GM. I dislike Bowles conservative approach and his “play not to lose” persona. That’s what you get from defensive minded coaches. But he doesn’t seem to interfere with the Offense so Canales will have the most to say but he won’t be the ONLY one.
Canales will listen to his assistants…Bowles will weigh in on the final choice…BA is still an advisor..Licht’s been around the game forever.
Are we really afraid that this braintrust can’t see the answer to this question of who should start? Do we believe they lack the talent or will to view training camp and preseason and make a correct choice?
With all due respect to everybody here I TRUST the Bucs braintrust more than I trust amateurs populating the JBF braintrust.
July 12th, 2023 at 8:22 am
I think some of that is a reflection of the various OCs he’s had. It can take 2-3 years to fully grasp a playbook inside and out. Mayfield has been coached by 4 different OCs in his short five years in the league similar to what Alex Smith went through with the 49ers. Trevor Lawrence looked like trash until Peterson came along….some of it is on the playcallers. I believe Mayfield has played under 7 different head coaches…..
-Hue Jackson = Awful
– Gregg Williams = Awful
– Freddie Kitchens = Ok
– Kevin Stefanski = Good
– Matt Ruhle = Awful
– Steve Wilks = Awful
– Sean McVay = Great
July 12th, 2023 at 8:33 am
Whether injury, Baker has a history, or poor play, Baker has a history, both QBs will play this year. I’m sure Baker will start, but the odds of him finishing a season is next to ZERO!
July 12th, 2023 at 8:34 am
Maybe opposing DCs have figured out what confuses Mayfield and he has yet to learn from that. And maybe his OCs have not figured out what plays work best for him and which ones don’t. Could be the injury. Maybe he has lost confidence in his arm because of it. Could be a little of everything. Doesn’t matter. Can he win or not with us? Time will tell.
July 12th, 2023 at 9:08 am
The Browns had a premiere OL in front of Mayfield and premiere RB’s behind him. There’s no way Mayfield should’ve played a game beyond week 2 of the ’21 season as his shoulder wouldn’t allow him to even attempt a throw to half his receivers.
Stefanski knew Baker was too hurt, but wanted him out of CLE, so he simply didn’t compensate for his injury or replace him with the nfl’s highest paid backup.
Baker has a strong and accurate arm, but no touch and never leads a receiver.
If Baker is hurting anywhere on his body his throws will be high and hard… and his receirs will expose themselves to injury if they attempt to catch it (David Njoku).
Baker is great when he isn’t given time to think… so too much pass protection will actually hinder him
July 12th, 2023 at 9:11 am
BAKER HAS GOT TO A STOP THROWING INT’S (THAT’S ALL THERE IS TO THE BUCCANEERS GREAT SEASON)
July 12th, 2023 at 9:41 am
The Bucs really need to have a dominant running game this season if they are going to win more than 4-5 games.
Mayfield gets a ton of passes blocked at the LOS. During his brief time in Carolina he had like 4 blocked passes per game.
Play action and bootlegs will help get Baker out of the pocket and will hopefully create some throwing lanes for him.
July 12th, 2023 at 9:52 am
It is simple. The defense gets close, it scares him, and his happy feet take over.
He rolls and runs and his offensive line loses track of him. After that his slow actual speed lets another defensive guy get to him while he tries to get his happy feet in line to throw a desperation pass.
If he gets the pass away it will be chancier than him taking a sack because of the interceptions he throws during that time.
July 12th, 2023 at 9:56 am
Joe stop with the excuses. Maybefield couldn’t beat a crippled KC team that lost Mahomes near halftime with a much better Browns roster.
The only people that think Maybefield was an “up-and-coming” QB were the same idiots willing to overreach and draft him 1st overall.
Maybefield has been the worst 1st overall pick of the past decade. It is clear what he is and the only question left is whether or not he can turn his career around and be anything more than a backup.
July 12th, 2023 at 9:57 am
So in his playoff loss to the Chiefs – which gets routinely hyped by the Moxie Mayfield fanbois – he scored all of 17 points? LMAO.
July 12th, 2023 at 9:59 am
Hodad Says: “Canales even mentioned in a POD cast how Trask can see parts of the field short QBs he’s had in the past can’t.”
I haven’t seen that anywhere. Interesting.
July 12th, 2023 at 11:12 am
With fans like this, who needs the Saints.
I’m rooting for him. He’s a Buc. Let’s see him play before we pass judgement.
July 12th, 2023 at 11:18 am
So Mayfield went from being super competent to incompetent? That’s not credible. In 2021 the Cleveland offensive line was decimated by injuries. All it takes is one lousy lineman who can’t hold anybody back and you get this result. I watched many of those games and while the line wasn’t bad on the run game, but there was no protection and Mayfield wasn’t as mobile because of his own injuries. Many fans look at the results and don’t examine the reasons behind them.
July 12th, 2023 at 11:56 am
What free agent qb ought we have signed?
July 12th, 2023 at 11:56 am
Lifelong browns fan here. Bakers line was mediocre at best. Never healthy and among the top penalized every year. Chub made them look better than they were which is why he racked up so many yards after contact. Watch the baker mayfield reel on the nfl app and then say he doesn’t have pocket awareness or an arm. He had to survive hue Jackson, freddy fan kitchens and Greg Williams as head coaches. Granted Bowles isn’t much of an improvement. Canales will put baker in a position to shine via play action. Many will be shocked when the bucs win the division…..not me.
July 12th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
It’s true, Baker had a great running game because of Nick Chubb who rarely went down to the first tackler. But his offensive line, lauded as a top 3 unit by most NFL pundits every year, always had a ton of injuries and never stayed in tact for more than 2-3 games over the course of the season. I’m talking about losing 3 out of the 5 starters – most of the time both tackles. He was always under a great deal of pressure. And playing under Stenfanski’s predictable offense didn’t help. Look what the “highly coveted” Deshaun Watson did in 6 games with that offense last year. He hit 57% of his passes with like 6 TDS and 4 Int’s… and ended with a 3-3 record! Then Baker moves onto Carolina (in July) who had a terrible O-line, and later, LA who lost their entire starting line and two of their top receivers to injuries. Yeah, I know, many Baker haters will call me a Mayfield apologist, but I watched every game- several times over his career. INTs and sacks happen for a LOT of reasons and it’s not all because of the QB. Go Bucs.
July 12th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
When the real bullets fly we will see which QB leads this team. If that QB doesn’t make good solid decisions, in their play and within the Offense playbook. They will get the #2 QB title and we move forward. Mayfield or Trask or QB #3 if it gets to that.
We can all claim to know this or that in who what where and why of our 2023 QB, their play, record, success, or lack of. Yet not one of all these soothsayers can win the Powerball as it again closes in on 1 Billion dollars. Yeah y’all must be waiting for the “right momet” in time to use your soothsayer skills, like every Buccaneer QB post on JBF.
GO!!!!!BUCS!!!!!
July 12th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
“Yeah, I know, many Baker haters will call me a Mayfield apologist, but I watched every game- several times over his career.”
Everybody is throwing everything/body else under the boss speaking on Baker Mayfield, but can’t give an honest critique on the good and bad Mayfield has shown on film in his time as a pro QB. Everything cannot always be everybody elses fault, which is the case when fans get to talking about mediocre QB play it seems.
July 12th, 2023 at 1:20 pm
He has a bum shoulder, can barely see over the line, and doesn’t read the field quickly – in his lone successful season the run game gave him mostly play action passes with quick reads and short routes
Wonder why everyone thinks we are going to suck this year????????
July 12th, 2023 at 2:17 pm
Before throwing Baker Mayfield into the dustbin of Bucs history, how about we wait and see how he does in training, camp, preseason games, and if he gets the starting nod, in for real games?
Maybe he’ll suck, maybe he’ll play great. Ditto with Kyle Trask.
That’s why the play the games.
July 12th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
When was Baker ever thought of a good up and coming QB? He had one nice season when he had the NFL’s best running game, and one of the top offensive lines, and wasn’t asked to do much. I know the dopes in the national media were slobbering all over him because Cleveland is a loser town filled with losers, and they won for once, but the Browns having a winning record for a year had nothing to do with Mayfield.
July 12th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
What happened is simple – in 2020 he had a GREAT line in front of him, and they were healthy all season long. But in 2021 and 2022, the tackles (especially) were injured much of the season, and in one game against the Jets they actually started a center and 4 guards.
July 12th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
“When was Baker Mayfield ever thought of as a good up and coming QB?” Guess you’re forgetting about his rookie season when he broke Peyton Manning’s record for most TDs by a rookie. And he did it in 13 games. HOF lineman, Joe Thomas once said that we finally have our franchise QB. But, let’s see how the season plays out. I’m looking for really good play from Baker. Go Bucs.
July 12th, 2023 at 5:25 pm
We thought Baker Mayfield was great, until we saw him play.
July 12th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
The buccaneers were a below average team with the talented gunslinger, turnover machine, Jameis Winston. I see many similar qualities between Baker and Jameis. The one major difference, is that Baker doesn’t need LASIC eye surgery. We have physical, experienced WR’s that know how to get open. Tristan Wirfs and Ryan Jensen are healthy this year. Baker is talented, and he can do this. Let’s have some hope people.
July 12th, 2023 at 10:38 pm
But they got him cheap. LOL Pathetic season coming soon.
July 12th, 2023 at 11:20 pm
If they start Mayfield and he replays his 2022 effort when there is a young QB ready to get his shot its going to get ugly.
I hope everyone understands that.
July 14th, 2023 at 5:54 am
Hope the O-line is ready.
He will definitely hold the ball longer than Brady did (While making the offensive line sack stats look stellar).
Go Bucs!