“The Offense Is Far More Efficient And Successful”

December 18th, 2023

“Kyle, they fall out of love with you fast in this league.”

Joe has written here a handful of times that Baker Mayfield is outperforming his predecessor, as in the Bucs are better at quarterback this season.

Joe is not alone in this assessment.

Tom Brady’s fellow Michigan Wolverine and friend Rich Eisen, the voice of NFL Network, is on board with Joe.

Eisen took to the national TV/SiriusXM Radio show that bears his name today and spoke what many consider blasphemy.

Eisen set out to make the case that the Bucs’ offense is better this season with Mayfield.

“And I understand I’m talking about the greatest of all time in Tom Brady,” Eisen said. “Baker Mayfield has found Mike Evans way more than Tom Brady did last year. I’m just saying that the offense is far more efficient and successful right now….

“I think you can make that case,” Eisen added, noting the Bucs are a more formidable potential playoff opponent for the Cowboys than they were last season with Brady.

As usual, Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman was ahead of the curve on this stuff. He got skewered by context-challenged fans last week for writing that Mayfield has been better this season than Brady was in 2022.

Facts are facts. One only needs to point to the total points stat line, but there is other evidence.

It’s no knock on Brady, just reality — an exciting reality as the Bucs march toward the postseason.

65 Responses to ““The Offense Is Far More Efficient And Successful””

  1. orlbucfan Says:

    Well, I sure agreed with Ira. Brady was waaay past his expiration date last season. Mayfield is younger, feistier, and better than Brady was last year. Thems the facts. I wish I could listen to the Jax game, but have Xmas Eve plans so I’ll record it. Go B.ucs! 10-7.

  2. OR Buc Says:

    Callin BS!! Canales > Leftwich. Tommy is always better than Baker.

  3. SB~LV Says:

    Apples and oranges
    The whole world understood Tom Brady was running on empty, same reason he is not playing anymore

  4. Falconrap Says:

    If Brady was running Dave’s offense last year, instead of the Leftwich shuffle, he would have likely had better results, though the line is better this year than last. You can’t just compare like that. Put Baker on this team last year, and we would have been lucky to win 5 games. He would have been running for his life left and right where Brady was just throwing the ball away in record time.

  5. DoooshLaRue Says:

    Better OL this year?
    Just not possible.
    We had All-World Durable Donnie last year.

  6. gotbbucs Says:

    The QB has a touch of escapability. That’s the difference.

  7. Tom Says:

    Tom Brady RULES!! ALWAYS 4EVER!!#12!! Goooo Wake n BAKE ….#6…

  8. 1#bucsfan Says:

    Gotbbucs. Great point. 6 has ran for yards and avoided a lot of sacks this season where as 12 threw the ball into the dirt more then he found 13. 12 times layed scared and 6 is putting his life on the line.

  9. Popcorn Mike Says:

    I like Mayfield but until he put together 3 or 4 straight games like the last one, he’s still just average. It’s straight none sense that Mayfield is out playing Brady this year Brady was and the only reason the Bucs made it to the playoffs last season behind Bowles trying to run a run first offense with a built for passing offense. 😂😂 Mayfield is 28. Brady was damn near 48

  10. David Says:

    Joe,
    What are the these continuous blogs on Baker’s competitive greatness for especially agains the best NFL player on earth ?

    Qb’s are measured more accurately by quarter back ratings which measure the total performance of qb’s not just their pass ratings. Baker is 17th in NFL and it has not broken one hundred quarter back ratings once this season. He also has only five games out of 14 games with RTG pass rating of over one hundred.

  11. Bradybucs Says:

    BRADY still is the number 1 selling jersey on the Bucs roster in 2023. Why cant you Buc people stop with the Brady talk. I am now openly rooting against the Bucs. Circumstances like his SUPER MODEL WIFE who was worth a half a billion dollars decided to leave him right before the season. BRADY lost 27 pounds and was DEPRESSED all last year. Leave Brady’s name out of your stupid blogs. Brady does not like BAKER MAYFIELD. Brady does not have respect for Baker. I hope the rumors are true he got ARIANS fired. I really hate the BUCS now. I am making sure I block this website so I never see another thing about the BUCS or this stupid website.

    I hope the BUCS plays the Raiders next year. BRADY is coming back

  12. Tye Says:

    It would be highly beneficial to focus the off season on filing the much needed positions to build around the qb position so in a year or 2 when an upgrade at qb becomes available, the team will be better suited for that qb to have consisyant success!

  13. stpetebucfan Says:

    Bradybucs

    “his SUPER MODEL WIFE who was worth a half a billion dollars decided to leave him right before the season.”

    Two sides to every story…

    Gisellebucs Tommy promised to retire if he won his 7th SB that first year in Tampa. He reneged on his promise and played another season placing great stress on our marriage. Then he retired again. Then he unretired right before the season. I stood for one extra season after his promise, no way it was gonna be two. He knew this long before either of this final two seasons were played in Tampa.

  14. Robbie Says:

    Seriously, better than Brady 🤣 🤣 🤣 if we had Canales with Brady last year we probably would have won the super bowl

  15. Allen Lofton Says:

    Brady had to deal the diehard Leftwich who wouldn’t adapt his plays, whereas You can see Dave Canales progressions improving later into the season. As a player there is only so much you can do/change.

  16. MCO Bucs Fan Says:

    Agree with Ira and a shame I can’t hear him gloat

  17. Tbbucs3 Says:

    Kinda hard to call plays for an aging statue QB who didnt want to take a hit last season….not to mention the Oline is WAY better this year than it was last season.

    This constant disrespect to an OC who literally called plays during the superbowl year is absurd….Arians certainly provided suggestion but Leftwhich was the one who held the playsheet and was attached to Bradys hip for 3 years.

    Brady clearly respects Leftwhich, sad that fans dont.

  18. Tbbucs3 Says:

    Btw im happy with what Canales is doing, but if Canales is the OC in 2020, do the Bucs really win the superbowl with a run first approach? I doubt it.

  19. OMFS88 Says:

    Chicagoland transplant here. The Bucs last season were more boring than the average Bears team. This year is way more fun.

  20. Tbbucs3 Says:

    No risk it no biscuit simply would not of worked for the Bucs in 2022…….that oline was undersized and terrible…thats why the Bucs relied heavily on screens…..if the Bucs tried no risk it no biscuit last year 45 year old Brady wouldve gotten destroyed.

  21. Buccos Says:

    Canales is better than Leftwich no matter that Leftwich won a Super Bowl holding BA’s clipboard. If BA stays another year we win another Super Bowl and BA goes into the HOF. Best coach in Bucs history. The second best coach is Jon Gruden who I can’t believe the Glazers removed from the ring of honor. I also can’t believe we have male cheerleaders. I hate that woke bs the Glazers bring. Tony Dungy is the third best coach and he will certainly be in the aHOF too. Gruden got screwed and if the Glazers weren’t complete p**sies Gruden would be brought back. I think the Bucs have a punchers chance to win the Super Bowl this year. They are as hot and healthy as anyone right now

  22. confido75 Says:

    I said BM could be our version of Drew Brees before the season started and folks laughed at me. BMs CLE stats line up with what Brees had when he was at SDG. When Brees left for NO, he flourished in that system and now he will be a HOF. BM is having similar success in Tampa now as Brees did his first year in NO. Both are the same height and size and can throw the deep ball well. Its just crazy how similar these guys are. Time of course will tell, but BM is looking at the best season of his career regardless of whether the Bucs make the playoffs or not. That is a great indicator of progress. Canales is also starting to figure things out and take what the defense gives him, which is what he needs to keep doing. I don’t see much of a test over the next three games, but that may be a blessing to continue to improve and grow. Now we just need to get the D on the right track and I have concerns with this D line and LBs and their ability to put consistent pressure on the QB. Not looking for lots of sacks, just disrupt the play and take some pressure off the DBs. They can’t do it alone!

  23. bill Says:

    good coaches do not try to put a square peg in a round hole…..maybe canales has it figured out….. godwin in the slot is nightmare for any nickle back….but bowles doesn’t want his crappy ‘d’ on the field so running the ball takes time off the clock…..not quite the defensive wizard to me….his cover 3 zone is a gift to the other team.

  24. Tony Marks Says:

    “As usual, Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman was ahead of the curve on this stuff. He got skewered by context-challenged fans last week for writing that Mayfield has been better this season than Brady was in 2022.”

    I think most people had a problem with the CLEAR Click bait title than anything else. Ira deserves his praise but lets keep it even kiel here . He was also throwing around the four letter word “Kyle” quite a bit as well a week or two ago. Ira was talking “Kyle” if the Bucs were eliminated from playoff contention, not because he thought Mayfield couldn’t play. —Joe

    Where Ira gets major props is with the Devin situation. Devin might play again to save face but I think Ira had a pretty good inside source something was up. Sometimes you can’t spell it out to keep the source private.

  25. Buckeyebuckchuck Says:

    You just can’t compare Baker to Brady until he starts smashing tablets.

  26. Merryplankster777 Says:

    Shout out to to Baker and cheese baking gang on MNF. credit where it is due. Don’t blame the QB!

  27. Tony Marks Says:

    Falconrap Says:
    Put Baker on this team last year, and we would have been lucky to win 5 games


    Put Bake on your REAL team and they would be division leaders and with a winning record. Bonus is they wouldn’t have embarrassed themselves and you yesterday.

  28. Merryplankster777 Says:

    In other news, Michael Jackson is a parent ly playing Defence. Billy Jean is not convinced, and is still the King o pop

  29. Tbbucs3 Says:

    “If BA stays another year we win another Super Bowl”

    That is an absurd statement!…..no coach was winning a SB with last years roster.

    A declined and disinterested Brady, 0 running game, an atrocious/weak Oline, no Gronk, and Godwin who was far from fully healthy last year.

    Thats a superbowl roster to you? LOL!

  30. Buccos Says:

    Gronkowski would have played for BA. Godwin caught how many balls last year. Marley would have played. BA would have coached Brady right out of his funk with Giselle. And many more things would have taken place. BA equals God. Best coach EVER

  31. Since76 Says:

    Baker has to put 3 more good games together. You don’t get a contract for 2 good games out 14. Play 3 more good games and he’ll get paid. Sundays game was only the second game this year I thought he played well. We lost the other. I hope he does well and wins 3 more games, but I’m not very confident about it. Why. Look at his game just two weeks ago.

  32. Buccos Says:

    Marpet

  33. Buccos Says:

    BA equals Super Bowl

  34. Buccos Says:

    Barry Sanders retired because he didn’t want to break Walter Payton’s all time rushing leader record
    BA retired because he didn’t want to be in the HOF

  35. m milligan Says:

    LMAO, where’s the regular Trask crowd.
    BM better #’s sunday better than at any time in Bradys tenure with Buc’s
    I thought we were talking last yr to 2023. Brady would have 100 sacks and be out with ankle or knee. give credit where do.
    BUC’S TAKING IT TO SB

  36. Tony Marks Says:

    David Says:
    December 18th, 2023 at 8:15 pm

    Qb’s are measured more accurately by quarter back ratings which measure the total performance of qb’s not just their pass ratings. Baker is 17th in NFL

    ——–

    Funny stuff but I think i will go with the NFL that ranked him 13th

    and that was BEFORE yesterdays game

    another traskie try blown away by the winds of fact.

  37. Tbbucs3 Says:

    “BM better #’s sunday better than at any time in Bradys tenure with Buc’s”

    SMH, I guess there too many Sooner fans who are clueless to how great Brady was in 20/21…he had NUMEROUS 4-5 TD games. He was unbelievable.

    Im obviously a Baker fan but geez theres only a handful of QBs ever that could come close to what Brady did those 2 seasons.

    It was only in 2022 where TB12 fell off a cliff.

  38. BelleGladeBuc Says:

    Baker has yet to have a game that is statistically better than TB12’s.

    Google: Tom Brady On Pace For 6,011 Yards And 51 Touchdowns
    October 10th, 2021

    It will take you to the article this website and one of the Joes wrote about TB12’s 30-for-41 for 412 yards and 5 touchdowns without an interception and no fumbles in the Bucs 45-17 victory over the Dolphins.

    I hope that Baker breaks this as records are meant to be broken and it would mean he would have another monster game under his belt.

  39. Beeej Says:

    “Since76 Says:
    December 18th, 2023 at 10:29 pm
    Baker has to put 3 more good games together. You don’t get a contract for 2 good games out 14. Play 3 more good games and he’ll get paid. Sundays game was only the second game this year I thought he played well. We lost the other. I hope he does well and wins 3 more games, but I’m not very confident about it. Why. Look at his game just two weeks ago.”

    Two weeks ago, when there was a frikkin monsoon for half the game?

  40. OlBoy Says:

    Hahaha. Damn guys. So Tom Brady’s worst year is the is the best one for Baker to be compared to??
    Ok

  41. Tbbucs3 Says:

    “Damn guys. So Tom Brady’s worst year is the is the best one for Baker to be compared to??”

    In a Bucs uniform, yes. But Baker is currently on pace to throw for 29 Tds and Brady all tons of seasons where he threw for less on 29 TDs with the Pats.

  42. Tbbucs3 Says:

    Had

  43. ‘79 Defense Says:

    I wonder what Mariko Godwin would say about all this.

  44. Trask Cult Leader Says:

    Kyle is better than either one of them

  45. David Says:

    Trash Baker as usual loses to the teams with the wining records and sometimes defeat the bad teams. This year he has lost a few game to the bad teams also.
    Here are the records of the wining teams Baker lost to:
    49’rs 11W-3L
    Eagles 10W-4L
    Lions 10W-4L
    Bills 8W-6L
    Texans 7-7

    Here are the bad teams Baker defeated;
    Chicago 5W-9L
    Colts 8W-5L
    Packers 6W-8L
    Falcons 6W-8L
    Titans 5W-9L
    Vikings 7W-7L

    You uneducated Baker fans do you see any good team Baker defeated with wining records ? If answer is no then stop the BS in resigning Baker with multimillions salary.
    This tells you how bad this division is.

  46. Trask Cult Leader Says:

    Don’t compare Mariah to Miko.
    Totally different results.

    # AllHailKyleTrask

  47. Trask Cult Leader Says:

    We know who you people are that talk badly about our leader.
    We’ve sent out our people to monitor you…

  48. Vlad The Impaler Says:

    So BM in one of his best seasons is slightly better than Brady in his worst season? Go it.

  49. unbelievable Says:

    Vlad The Impaler Says:
    December 19th, 2023 at 12:20 am
    So BM in one of his best seasons is slightly better than Brady in his worst season?

    ___________________________________

    Lol

    There’s a great part of a music documentary where the guitarist of this band says after their show “for a second there, I almost felt like James Brown. Like on his worst night ever.” The bassist laughs and says “We were almost as good as James brown on his worst night!”

  50. TampabayDJ Says:

    David , Bucs lost to the crappie Colts. One of at least 3 games our Bucs should have won, but instead blew in the last few minutes.
    I’m not falling for this Baker vs Brady shiz. Brady came in and and gave us 3 of the best years in franchise history. Baker has played well beyond what ANYONE thought he would. But we still have 3 games left in the season before we can start having a D measuring contest , in which case I would win anyway 😉. But this year is this year. When the season ends, we can start the bandwagon fans free-for-all jumping in and out of every ship they can until next year. Then eat and repeat .. Go Bucs

  51. Mike C Says:

    Ohhhh Nooooo Brady Buc is “Openly ” rooting against the Bucs! What ever will they do???!!!

  52. PewterStiffArm Says:

    It’s very simple, this offense doesn’t fit Brady’s style of play. We all know his pocket presence kept him from moving around on play action. The fakes and deception plays would have been discarded and substituted by dinks, doinks and bombs away plays. No logical comparison.

  53. Falconrap Says:

    Tony Marks Says:
    December 18th, 2023 at 10:12 pm

    Put Bake on your REAL team and they would be division leaders and with a winning record. Bonus is they wouldn’t have embarrassed themselves and you yesterday.

    ———-

    Bucs fan since 76. You: dumba$$ since…well…whenever you were born.
    I love how idjits like you think if someone doesn’t care for the starting QB they aren’t real Bucs fans. That shows me YOU aren’t a real fan, as Bucs fans have been through so much trauma at QB that we have a history of rooting for the backup when the starter ain’t doin’ so great.

  54. NE Fan Says:

    Brady, 4694yds 25 tds and 9 ints. All Joe goes off is what Bkaer is trending.

    1. Didn’t want to play for the Bucs
    2. BA QUIT on the team preseason
    3. Divorce
    4. Worst running game in league
    5. ME13 dripping layup TD passes wasn’t playing for his contract
    6. A broken Chris Godwin
    7. Two rookie TE’s
    8. A HC that took the ball out of his hands on occasion and sat him the final reg season game causing a losing season.
    9. Leftnut

    Bottom line, Brady on this team 3 more wins.

  55. garro Says:

    Not so fast Joe.

    “As usual, Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman was ahead of the curve on this stuff. He got skewered by context-challenged fans last week for writing that Mayfield has been better this season than Brady was in 2022.”

    I have ultimate respect for Ira but the idea is flawed because this is not at all last years squad, offense, or coaches. there is nothing much to compare because there is no context for comparison. The only two guys I can even come close to comparing to last year are Evans and Godwin. Everything else is too much changed.

    O line? Yeah right we got nobody playing in the same place except Hainsey. Who BTW scared the hell out of Brady early. Same this year to be fair.

    RB White Only started a handful of games last year.

    TE Otten was in for Brate.

    Leftnut? Really? Our offense was we do what we do last year.

    No risk it was for 4th quarter comebacks only when Todd finally OKed it.

    Still wanna make a reasonable QB comparison between last year and this? Good luck with that.

    Try again guys.

    Sorry Ira.

  56. Zoocomics Says:

    God I hate this post, it’s built to get fan over reaction because Bakers numbers looked to be better than Brady’s numbers from last season. Baker played his best game against GB, and yet the previous 2 games he played some of his worst football for Tampa. Just so inconsistent.

    This is not the same football team as last year, and I’m sorry Brady didn’t regress. This team was bad. Our Oline was patch work after losing the entire interior. And yet this guy still managed to will us to a couple of come from behind victories. I think Brady would have done well in whatever this offense is trying to do. I look forward to seeing if this offense continues to click these last 3 very winnable games of the season.

  57. Smashsquatch Says:

    Mayfield is playing better than Brady did last year. That’s a fact. It’s not a knock on Brady, father time is undefeated.

  58. Bring back the lawn chairs Says:

    @confido 75. Mayfield and brees grew up in Austin. The comparison is uncanny. This ownership better get that mayfield contract together yesterday before the qb needy teams see what we know…. Just sayin.

  59. Gipper Says:

    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?

  60. Gipper Says:

    Few can throw the seam routes as well as Baker. Last week TD to Evans was classic Baker. A rope between CB and safety right on the money. It has never mattered whether Baker rolls out or throws from the pocket it is just easier throwing seam routes from the pocket. Interesting hearing again from all the experts what Baker can or cannot do. For all experts suggest you watch Baker internet highlights from his Oklahoma days. He throws everything well with or without touch–deep ball, play action, crossing, seam and sideline out. Won’t take long to confirm what I have been saying on these pages. I didn’t just get Baker religion after 3 victories in a row.

  61. Brandon Says:

    Mayfield of 2023 is ten times better than Brady of 2022. Brady had two great seasons with us in 2020 and 2021 but whomever that was wearing #12 last season was a sham. He audibled to smokescreens constantly (ironically, we need more of those this season), he checked down very prematurely, and refused to push the ball down the field for the first three quarters of every game… interestingly… in quarter number four, he looked like Tom Brady but it was often too late as the game was out of hand. Anyways, Mayfield gives us more of a threat at the position, somebody that will challenge a defense, that will stand tall in the pocket, will leave the pocket to extend plays, or even run when he has to. His accuracy isn’t what Brady’s was, and few are, but he has kept us competitive in games where the playcalling and lack of success from the running game would have had most QBs in a big hole.

    Mayfield might be only 7-7 on the season, i’m not sure Brady of 2022 would have won any of these games given the circumstances.

  62. Brandon Says:

    Gipper Says:
    December 19th, 2023 at 10:12 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?

    ———————-

    Nobody is dumb enough to trade three firsts for a failed midget QB except the team that drafted him.

  63. Mike C Says:

    You can check it, I was saying before the season that the offense HAD to be better than last year, 17 points a game with the players we have was a easy mark to beat.

  64. Saskbucs Says:

    This is not a new development. Last season it was hard to blame Tom and not Leftwich. Leftwich deservedly took heat, but all off-season I said the same thing. You can’t structure a vertical passing scheme with that OL with a QB who can’t scramble and who can’t take big hits cause he’s an old man. Tom understanding this, needed to hold Byron’s hand and get things working. That didn’t seem to happen and they kept spinning their wheels out there, as a terrible offense. That vertical scheme needed to go horizontal with slants and outs everywhere. Anyway, Baker can move and he can take a hit and the Bucs have the luxury of letting plays/routes develop and that’s the difference. Canales > Leftwich though still.

  65. Gipper Says:

    @Brandon tell us that it is a waste drafting an OL with #1pick. Funny, I could swear the best tackle in the NFL, Tristan Wirfs, was a high 1st rounder. Also, Browns Joe Thomas was a #3 pick in 1st round and now retired was 1st ballot Hall of Famer.
    It is pretty insufferable reading this noise from people who couldn’t cut it driving city buses. Oh well, there is no shortage of opinions no matter how uniformed. Hope that most of these people aren’t voters.