High-Profile MVP Chatter For Baker Mayfield
December 19th, 2023
Joe was in disbelief hearing this, but upon consideration with a broad view, it makes sense.
Esteemed NBC NFL insider and ProFootballTalk.com guru Mike Florio was on PFT Live yesterday making a case for Baker Mayfield as the 2023 league MVP. Florio has not lost his mind; he wasn’t selling Mayfield as the favorite for the award. But Florio argued that Mayfield is probably in his top-5 now and certainly will be if he can close the season strong and set the Bucs up with another division title.
Joe loves the NFL hype roller coaster. Entering Sunday’s thrilling win against the Packers, Mayfield was on a four-week slide in his play. Yes, he had quality moments, but overall he wasn’t playing well entering the Green Bay victory.
Now he’s back, baby!
Joe would be on board with Mayfield as a fringe MVP candidate if he finishes the season strong and gets the Bucs to 10-7. If the Bucs have that kind of record and Mayfield is sitting with 30 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, then why not?
Especially on a Bucs team with a leaky defense that many expected to win six or seven games.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:09 am
I can see the Traskite heads exploding right now.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:12 am
From ONE good game. Wow, this is a week to week league. Well, let’s see if he can continue to play at a high level on a consistent basis. Fingers crossed.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:12 am
The overall QB play around the league is terrible. So, his numbers are much better than overall QB play. But, I need to see a consistent pattern weekly with Baker.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:15 am
wow …
I may have to step away from this place for a while. It’s getting a little absurd.
Keep stroking.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:19 am
Drew Lock just took down the mighty Eagles. Maybe he should be MVP.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:20 am
30 points makes a guy an MVP candidate? Does Tom Brady know about this? All due respect ot Baker and the Bucs but…
Think about it.
LOL
Go Bucs!
December 19th, 2023 at 9:22 am
I prefer to give the MVP award to Mariah Godwin. Without her, the BUCS will still be in a tail spin.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:24 am
He’s ranked 13th. Brock Purdy hands down, Ginshew is winning more than Faker.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:25 am
Let’s tap the breaks a little bit here folks.
Baker had a great game on Sunday.
He has had 2 or 3 other “good” games and he has had 6-7 mediocre games and 3-4 really bad games.
I need to see more consistency before I give anything to Mayfield.
Play like you did in Green Bay the rest of the season and get us to the Super Bowl and then we will talk about this MVP stuff.
We got a long way to go and a short time to get there…
December 19th, 2023 at 9:27 am
Do you know what no one in the NFL’s media landscape is saying?
“The Bucs should bench Baker Mayfield for Kyle Trask.”
LOL! –Joe
December 19th, 2023 at 9:42 am
It’s definitely a “hype roller coaster”. The talking head shows and websites grab onto whtver is “hot” at the moment and run amok. Remember early in the season when the Bucs were 3-1 and the click-bait bozos were calling for Canales to be a “strong option” to be the HC of the Bears next year? After FOUR games in his career as an OC?
They run wild with “feel-good stories” like DeVito or Dobbs. “Are they the future of the team?!!!” Gimme a break already.
MVP should be renamed “Best QB that makes us Feel Good Award”. Look at SF. They struggled when Deebo was out. McCaffrey is lighting it up. But if a SF player wins the MVP, it will be Purdy. It just “feels good” to see Mr. Irrelevant soar to the mountain top.
If Purdy doesn’t win it, we will hear “He has so many weapons”.
2021 Brady should have cruised to another MVP. Both he and Rodgers had the same win/loss at 13-4 but Brady had far better stats. I’m sure there’s no great love for Rodgers but I’d bet several voters thought “Doesn’t Brady have enough hardware already?”
There’s hype right now for Baker because of his outstanding play at GB but even with that, Good Morning Football seemed to give more screen time in their first hour to shots of Tsylor Swift in the luxury box at Gillette than clips of the Bucs game and Mayfield.
If Baker finishes strong and we get 2 or 3 more wins, he “should” get Comeback Player of the Year. The hype monkeys will still look at “the usual suspects” like Mahomes, Jackson, Hurts, nd newcomer Purdy, etc. for MVP.
Who is most valuable to their team? Almost always the QB. Then, how good is the team’s record? Then “Let’s compare QB stats”. Finally, “What’s trending on social media?”. Lol
December 19th, 2023 at 9:42 am
A lot of grown ass men apparently love to be losing and miserable gives them something else to b**ch about besides there obese wife’s
December 19th, 2023 at 9:56 am
Bucs getting to 10-7 is a fantastic result and would have me super fired up for this HC, QB, and GM trio for years ahead
December 19th, 2023 at 10:06 am
To all Baker haters here is what would be perfect for you. Bucs run the table and end up 10-7, win a playoff game, and then Baker signs a huge contract with Pittsburgh. In 2024 you can play Trask or maybe pick up Bryce Young in a trade giving up 1st round draft choices in 2024, 25, 25.
How about it BelleGlade, David, and the rest of the hate brigade?
December 19th, 2023 at 10:09 am
I could see MVP of the Bucs, if we went two of the next three
December 19th, 2023 at 10:12 am
Gipper
Suck baker much?
December 19th, 2023 at 10:15 am
Dudes got to be way more consistent than what we’ve seen so far as does the other guys on offense. We started off 3-1 and that momentum didn’t keep going, so let’s see what he and the team can do to finish out the season. Don’t get caught up in the clouds just yet
December 19th, 2023 at 10:15 am
Comeback player maybe??
December 19th, 2023 at 10:22 am
He was definitely the MVP of the Packers game……or was it Chris Godwin?
Let’s not get too carried away just yet.
December 19th, 2023 at 10:28 am
… Whoa! This comment is inappropriate and mean. You’re reading into what Joe wrote. Florio raised the scenario that contract could factor in to MVP consideration. … But why don’t you rewatch the segment you linked to. “What he’s doing for that Buccaneers team and putting them in position to win the division? If they win the division, he will be one of my 5 [on the MVP ballot],” Florio said. –Joe
December 19th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Unfortunately the defense may be the downfall of this team. Against good offenses it seems we can’t stop anyone. Sure we have a good red zone defense but the problem is our defense will let another offense drive the field too many times. It’s not illegal to force three and outs or to stop teams in their own territory and make them punt. It starts with a pass rush out of the front four which is practically none existent. We have to blitz to get pressure and when you blitz a good QB he can pick you apart. Hopefully YaYa Diaby can start playing better in pass rush situations along with Kancey.
December 19th, 2023 at 10:42 am
All ya “one good game” peeps:
LOOK at the overall numbers
Be objective……..he’s been better than average, he SHOWS UP each week, and he’s a leader.
Really, what more do you want?
December 19th, 2023 at 10:43 am
Marine Buc … ‘Let’s tap the breaks a little bit here folks.’
Yea verily. Mayfield’s issue has long been lack of consistency, and we’ve seen that quite a bit already this year. He’s one of those QBs who’s only as good as the TEAM around him AND the coaching that understands his strengths & weaknesses. Todd Bowles & Dave Canales have stuck with him all season, despite ups-and-downs, and HOPEFULLY that’s now paying off & will continue to pay off.
In looking at the Bucs’ 7 wins this season, I see CONSISTENCY in every win. Our offense has been very unlike what we’ve been used to seeing for the past several years BTW. Bowles & Canales have definitely stayed the course in terms of their focus on a balanced attack, and in Bowles’ emphasis on getting takeaways & minimizing giveaways; that focus has definitely paid off much more in our wins. Examples:
o Turnovers. In our 7 wins, the Bucs have gotten 12 takeaways against only 4 giveaways, for a Turnover Differential of PLUS 8. In our 7 losses, the Bucs have gotten 8 takeaways against 10 giveaways, for a Turnover Differential of MINUS 2. Significant difference.
o Balanced Attack. In our 7 wins, the Bucs have run the ball 221 times, passed it 216 times, and taken 12 sacks, for a Run-Pass Percentage of 49.2% thus far. In our 7 losses, the Bucs have run the ball 138 times, passed it 252 times, and taken 21 sacks, for a Run-Pass Percentage of 33.6% thus far. BIG differences.
Looks like when the Bucs actually succeed in playing ‘Bowles Ball’ they win, and are able to maintain a semblance of ‘control’ throughout the game. When they don’t, it can look pretty ugly. The quality of our opponents seems to be the determining factor thus far; seems to have been harder & harder for our guys to make BIG PLAYS against quality opponents. Whodathunkit?
December 19th, 2023 at 10:59 am
Mac Jones has my vote for taking the Patriots down to a pile of sludge. That’s true value added, LOL
December 19th, 2023 at 10:59 am
Jeez guys , it’s just chatter that baker is in the talks of mvp.. No one said he was going to win it. Amazing how serious some of you can be.. Joe is just reporting.. lay off of him!
December 19th, 2023 at 11:04 am
Baker has been consistent avoiding turnovers and putting the team in a decent position to win.
December 19th, 2023 at 11:33 am
@ DR
“The quality of our opponents seems to be the determining factor thus far; seems to have been harder & harder for our guys to make BIG PLAYS against quality opponents.”
Amen bro…
December 19th, 2023 at 11:34 am
This team gets to 10-7. It’s called Cardiac Bucs time, and any long time fan knows what I’m talking about. That happens, and BM should be considered for Most Improved Player award. DR, that GB win last week was as balanced as you can get in this league. I bet the second half was fun to watch. Florio has always praised the Bucs and he knows what he’s talking about. And, the Seahawks beat the Iggles, huh? No reason why Bucs can’t beat Jax. It’s Christmas Eve, and RJS will be packed. This is a state rivalry which FL doesn’t get very often. Go Bucs!!
December 19th, 2023 at 11:38 am
Stop…please stop. I got a headache.
December 19th, 2023 at 11:39 am
Defense rules…… I like your use of stats and your logic but…..
The win/ loss stats are skewed. The last 3 or 4 possessions are always based on the score. If we’re ahead, we run more. Likewise, if we’re losing, we pass more.
I’m not a stat man. Is it possible to get the numbers without the “come from behinds” and the “run out the clocks?”
December 19th, 2023 at 11:51 am
Beat 3 crappy teams in a row….and look what happens!
December 19th, 2023 at 12:19 pm
One good game and people are considering League MVP.!? Then how and why should we take these “experts” opinions seriously going forward. The media has really become a joke.
December 19th, 2023 at 12:21 pm
Oh Yee of little faith….
MVP, MVP, MVP!
December 19th, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Conner50,
Got your crude remark. You are as talented with your vocabulary as you are analyzing NFL football players. Just for the record here is what you need to know about Baker. Read it if you know how.
Cleveland Browns really screwed an injured Baker Mayfield. Browns fans saw him takeover a team that was 1-31 in the two seasons prior to his arrival. Here is what came next 1) sets NFL rookie record for TD passes in just 13 games. 2) In 2020 leads team to playoffs with an 11-5 record. 3) wins first playoff game in 2020 season. 4) loses 2nd playoff game to eventual SB winner KC on disputed end zone call missed by officials for spearing a receiver in end zone. 5) Played entire 2021 season after bad shoulder injury in second game. Team and Baker played poorly after much preseason hype. 6) 2022 Browns sign DeMassage Watson and trade Mayfield to Panthers. 7) Mayfield asks for his release and signs with Rams at mid season filling in for injured Matthew Stafford. The “journeyman junk is just that—junk. Browns have been dysfunctional for 25 years. Mayfield produced the most success for that franchise in 25 years and we see how they repaid him.
December 19th, 2023 at 1:03 pm
JK says what more do you guys want?
Consistency!
December 19th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
Gipper
I ain’t got time to read all your boyfriends stats I have a life unlike you who worships the dude
December 19th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Give em hell Baker Mayfield!!! Love this guy! Go Bucs!
December 19th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Conner50,
I don’t worship anybody. I just don’t like unfairness. You are as unfair as The Haslam’s, the Browns owners. They are unsavory people who owned FlyingJ and Pilot truckstops and got away with stealing money from truckers. You would probably admire them. They seem like your kind of people.
Work on your aptitude, grammar, and vocabulary. Still not too late to go back and get your GED and finish high school.
December 19th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
A 10 and 7 finish might get BM comeback player of the year NOT MVP!! Have you seen how C. McCaffrey in SanFran has been playing or perhaps Tyreek Hill in Miami?
December 19th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
Bucs’n’Bucks … ‘The win/ loss stats are skewed. The last 3 or 4 possessions are always based on the score. If we’re ahead, we run more. Likewise, if we’re losing, we pass more.’
Truer words were never spoken, but that’s always been football. My point (not very well made) is that we won those 7 games playing ‘Bowles Ball’ by CONTROLLING THE GAME. We controlled it with our balanced offensive attack (the optimum mix AND timing of run-pass) and also by making big plays on defense (a positive Turnover Differential reflects part of that IMO). THINGS CLICKED in those games on offense & defense, much more-so than they did in our losses.
December 19th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
Gipper
Sounds like I triggered you lol, and baker has had how many chances in the nfl now? Pretty sure he’s got some pretty fair treatment his way now. Got my high school diploma already but thanks for asking
December 19th, 2023 at 1:59 pm
orlbucfan … ‘ that GB win last week was as balanced as you can get in this league. I bet the second half was fun to watch.’
I bet it was fun to watch too, but I didn’t get to watch it either (was up in Nashville for a Tennessee Christmas at Opryland and they didn’t carry the Bucs, so I just followed it play-by-play on the internet).
Kept up with the box score also as the game went along, and yes it stayed quite ‘balanced’ … 27 runs, 28 passes, 5 sacks for us. From some of the YAC that our guys were getting, it kinda sounded like the Packers’ Secondary was letting our receivers get pretty open and Baker was able to take advantage.
Noticed 2 interesting things after looking at the play-by-play recap. For 1 thing, both teams only had 9 drives; that’s quite unusual it seems. For another, the Bucs are got back to winning the BIG PLAY SWEEPSTAKES. Obviously there are a million ways to define what constitutes a BIG PLAY, and there are various types of BIG PLAYS (on offense & defense & S/Ts). Just looking at 1 area on offense though (plays gaining 10 yards or more), Bucs had 18 BIG PLAYS to the Packers 12. That’s what we’ll need to make it to & succeed in the playoffs.
December 19th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
MVP award has basically become a QB award. Mayfield has had a solid statistical year and seems to be getting hot at the perfect time. It’s not crazy to think he could be the MVP.
Actual MVPs this year are Tyreek, CMC, or Myles Garrett
December 19th, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Hey all you joebuc Baker basher trolls and talking turds how does that humble pie taste that Baker is serving you? Get ready for more. A lot more.
Hey I have something for you. Back in the day I rermember Tom Landry telliong his team “In assured them that if they won all their games they would in fact play in the Superbowl.
We are getting close now. Three games left. It is entirely possible thst Baker i getting hot and confident and will weepn these remaining teams away.
After that anything can happen anything i possible. Nothing to lose so set the Defense howling after the QBs andd turn Baker loose to sling to who ever gets open and then NFL history gets made. Go Baker. Go Bucs. Be Great . Win them all and STEAL THE WHOLE SHOW. Jut like Maverick. MVP defacrto.
December 19th, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Mayfield played has played an incredible amount of good games for the Bucs thos year. Yo people don’t understand that when you have no running game, no time to pass & you have to pass on third and long situations because of penalties and consecutive bad euns your completion ratings go down. Baker has a Completion Percentage of 63.5 which is good. Out of all the QBs drafted from Baker Mayfield’s class only 25% have performed better than him career wise. Baker Mayfield took over a team that won 1 game over 2 years and you consider him a loser because it took him 2 years for Cleveland to have a winning team. There was a reason Kyle Trask wasn’t drafted in the first round. If the Bucs tried to trade Kyle Trask they’d be lucky to get a 6th round QB.
December 19th, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Typo Correct I made Numerous Errors in the ABove Post Which I’ve Corrected here. Is there any way to edit or delete a post? Mayfield has played an incredible amount of good games for the Bucs this year. You people don’t understand that when you have no running game, no time to pass & you have to pass on third and long situations because of penalties and consecutive bad runs your completion ratings go down. Baker has a Completion Percentage of 63.5 which is good. Out of all the QBs drafted from Baker Mayfield’s class only 25% have performed better than him career wise. Baker Mayfield took over a team that won 1 game over 2 years and you consider him a loser because it took him 3 years for Cleveland to have a winning team. There was a reason Kyle Trask wasn’t drafted in the first round. If the Bucs tried to trade Kyle Trask they’d be lucky to get a 6th round QB.
December 19th, 2023 at 3:39 pm
Jason Anthony Sturgess,
You are preaching to the wrong crowd. The Baker haters are generally a bunch who have not had much success in life and know little what it takes to attain it. You can kind of tell when they fall back on their usual communication skills—“Baker sucks” and all that. Easy to sit on the couch with a six back screaming at Mayfield or any other NFL quarterback. Not as easy to direct an offense with 11 angry people on the other side wanting to hurt you. Don’t take the Conner50’s of the world to seriously. They are hurting and are well aware of their own deficiencies. Makes them feel better/bigger to criticize the guys on TV.
December 19th, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Woof…and still just digging. Website was amazing when I found it 11/12 years ago. Turned into clickbait a while back but news is still news. This is a new level of nonsense. Good luck joes. Hope yall figure out how to get back to real content again one day.
Joe appreciates your patronage! If Joe enjoying the Bucs 24/7 and sharing whatever Joe finds interesting qualifies as clickbait, then so be it. It’s been the exact same site since Day 1. Joe would have written this same post about Josh Freeman in 2010, if Florio had made the same comments about him. It’s probably you that has changed, but not Joe. –Joe
December 19th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
I just have a hard time getting excited about baker and Bowles. What’s best case scenario? I just can’t see making a superbowl with these two.
December 19th, 2023 at 6:13 pm
Yeah Comeback Player maybe, MVP is laughable. He has done well for us no doubt, but this is a talented roster. How many guys have a SB ring? I like Baker, he hasn’t lost them games, but 10-12 other QBs are leading the Bucs to the same record if not better.
December 19th, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Who’s dumber: The occult of Trask or the NE trolls that were here slurping Brady the last couple of years? It will be great when little Kyle’s rookie deal is up so the weirdos in the gator pajamas can move on to whatever XFL team he signs with.
December 19th, 2023 at 7:28 pm
There is no chance for him to become League MVP. None.
December 19th, 2023 at 8:32 pm
People love building up someone, so when they fall flat on their face they can point and laugh.
Baker had a career day – and I hope he can do it again.
But history says he’s going to fall flat on his face. Hopefully that isn’t until next year when he’s on a different team.
December 19th, 2023 at 8:44 pm
Baker starting improving once people started joining…..
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
Go Bucs!
December 19th, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Curse of Gruden – whenever I say that it goes to moderation, no idea what is going on.
Lets try it again and see what happens.
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
#TEAMBAKER!
December 19th, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Yep, went to moderation again.
It’s a conspiracy I’m sure.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
Rod Munch:
I want Baker to keep winning so the Bucs sign him to a long-term contract. Let’s face it, each time Baker wins it must absolutely drive you and the Trask Cult crazy. Personally, I find that amusing, and you really deserve it…lol.
Keep winning Baker.
December 19th, 2023 at 9:52 pm
If you factor in wins to dollars yards to dollars and tds to dollars yes he is the most valuable player by a wide margin.
December 19th, 2023 at 11:32 pm
Onner50 is this what u get on this site to get under there skin u sir r a complete loser get another hobby cause u su k at this 1
December 20th, 2023 at 7:12 am
Hey baker is a good player he’s tough as nails boomer he deserves mvp
December 20th, 2023 at 8:56 am
Enjoy some fruits of your Baker you deserve it even if for 1 week. Take a mental load off my friend. Beat the Jags Go Bucs
December 20th, 2023 at 9:47 am
Baker played a great game and I hope he continues to play well but I believe that would have been a normal game for Trask
December 20th, 2023 at 10:31 am
All you Canales Clowns want to anoint him as the 2nd coming. I have seen several times in multiple games that they run it on first and 2nd downs and get maybe 3 yards… This puts the QB and Offense behind the sticks and now the Defense can Tee Off on the QB. Whose damn fault is that? No QB can be successful having to play 75% of the offensive snaps like this.
December 20th, 2023 at 12:53 pm
Let’s not forget how Baker brought them back against Texas only to have the D go to the locker room 1 min early. Hell the Buc’s should have been ATL the first game as well.. you very well “could” be looking at a 12 win team.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:41 pm
Hey Defense Rules, “He’s one of those QBs who’s only as good as the TEAM around him” NEWS FLASH drop in the name of any starting NFL QB and that is a true statement. Got to have 11 guys on the field at a time, all doing their job the majority of the game..
December 20th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
ATLBuc, please, Just go take up basketball. You’re son is NOT playing this year. He couldn’t score from the 1 with 3 tries. He seems like a good kid. He likely should just go into coaching somewhere.
December 20th, 2023 at 5:36 pm
The real question is can you win a Superbowl with Baker Mayfield and we all know the answer to that question is no . Ryan Fitzpatrick had good games with 11 different teams has any of them win a Superbowl no. So bringing Baker Mayfield back next year means a losing season. We are 7-7 playing a the worse division in the NFL and y’all happy about that? And the crazy part about it is we still haven’t locked up the division. Lol 🤣🤣 Some of y’all especially Baker Mayfield fan boys love average wich means that’s a loser mentality!!
December 20th, 2023 at 8:03 pm
Lets get it! Go Bucs!!!
December 21st, 2023 at 10:19 pm
@Conner50. Sounds like you are triggered by Baker’s success.
If you don’t have time to look at Baker’s stats then don’t talk outta your ass about how bad he is. It makes you look lazy and ignorant.
And for any of the fools saying he only “had one good game, derp” His stats for the season are GREAT! You don’t accumulate great stats by only having one good game. You can lie all you want, but it’s so easy for anyone to look at the facts and see that you don’t know much about football or the QB position. You are not talking to your average barfly chick’s here that won’t care to fact check you. These are people that actually know football, and you look so bad blurting out casual fan comments. In here you’re called out. Tell your opinionated lies to the drunk chicks at your local dive. And wipe the puke off your shirt, and wash your face! Gees!