Baker Mayfield Said He Is To Blame For Rough Offensive Line Play Early
September 7th, 2025
There is so much mystery to Joe surrounding the Bucs’ decision to bench projected starting left tackle Charlie Heck, moving Graham Barton from center to left tackle, move Ben Bredeson to center and plugging in Michael Jordan the football player at left guard.
So much juggling right before Week 1 is just plain weird. And early on the Bucs offensive line struggled. That is expected with a thrown-together line.
Ben Bredeson on the Buccaneers Radio Network from the locker room would not directly answer T.J. Rives’ question about when he learned the Bucs were going to make the change. Graham Barton told Joe, however,.
(All through minicamp, training camp and worthless preseason, Heck played at left tackle with the first-team offense.)
Todd Bowles said on the Buccaneers Radio Network they had Barton take snaps at left tackle in training camp for an “emergency.” Bredeson said Barton was taking snaps at left tackle and he at center “throughout” the past week.
It looked like the line had little practice with that combination as was, well, rusty.
However, Baker Mayfield was a team leader as he said emphaticall the early struggles of the line today in Atlanta were his fault, not the offensive linemen.
“I did not play sharp early,” Mayfield said deflecting blame from the offensive line. “It was NOT on the offensive line. It was on me. I should have called different protections.”
And that is an example of why Mayfield’s teammates worship him. He is quick to accept blame when he is in fact not remotely close to being at fault.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
He didn’t play great early or mid. Wide open Otton for a touchdown.
That was terrible.
He’s also to blame for the shanked FG and Extra Point. The game should never have been in question in the 4th. Chase sucked.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Something doesn’t add up here – keep digging Joe!
September 7th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Glad Mayfield is here.
That drive at the end when we needed it was huge.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
You said it yourself Joe. There’s no excuse once they knighted Charlie Heck at left tackle. They knew a thrown together like was better than Charlie Heck who practiced all off-season at that position. That’s concerning. Good recovery by whoever made that call.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
Don’t appreciate the Bucs not providing some information.
All the talk of character and culture and then they make up BS.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:26 pm
Baker made up for his bad play with the last drive…. When it mattered he showed up and made plays.
I don’t think Dean even knows he plays in the NFL. Dude looks lost and has no passion at all. 10 yards off the ball all day and gave up easy catches. Trade him for a cheeseburger.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
It kinda has a Trask vibe to it.. sudden and swift
September 7th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
On Mayfield leadership…no Mayfield no winning that game. He won’t last long at this rate. That dude throws his body around and takes huge damage. If we don’t have him we don’t win that game. Pennix sits back and throws lasers, Mayfield is running around and getting out yards. No Bucs QB ever has done that like Mayfield. He is a competitor. He also probably eats crayons. He needs to smarten up with his body. But I’ll take the W for now.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:30 pm
WHAT THE Heck
September 7th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
That O line combination never looked comfortable. If they plan on doing that until Wirfs is back, they need a LOT more practice. And I think it’s a bad idea overall because then they will be rusty when Wirfs does come back. Dumb.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:33 pm
Yah Baker was not very sharp but he delivered when it really counted. Phenix is a very exciting qb. Atlanta is not far from being a very good team. This could be a Hella competion every game.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:35 pm
No idea what they were doing on the offensive line unless they really didn’t like how Heck was progressing at tackle. As for Baker, he had a rough game but came through in the end. Baker’s play, and the offensive lines play, is why you need to have guys plat at least a couple of series in the preseason, so you’re not using the 1st game as a warm-up for the season.
With that said, I expect a much sharper Baker next week, and some better offensive line play as well (although the Texans are a better defense, so it might not be obvious even if the line improves).
September 7th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Baker, the Leader . Stud.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
As for the first game we got a win on the road. This offense is only gonna get better and defense looked pretty good all things considered it doesn’t matter how many yards they gave up it only matters that they kept Tampa in the game when the offense started slow. The unsung hero has got to be Jamel Dean he played well today. Antoine Winfield looks like he’s back to his old self. Mike Evans is still drawing double coverage giving Emeka Egbuke great opportunities. Yeah it was sloppy but a win is a win!!! Go Bucs!!!
September 7th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Was not one of Baker’s better games but he came through when needed and he will play much better as the season goes on. Week one is always a little odd, but to have a road win within the division when every break seemed to go the Falcons way is a big win.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
Offense was fighting all day to get some rhythm. Defense played lights out until that 4th quarter drive ate up over 10 minutes. Everyone played tough and they had to grind 4 quarters. Bowles coached a great game. Dennis, Reddick, Winfield played great. Parrish too. I like our punt returner. Division #1 rival on the road! SWEET!!!
September 7th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Kenton Smith Says:
Defense played lights out until that 4th quarter drive ate up over 10 minutes.
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You mean the drive where the refs literally bailed out the Falcons four times on 3rd or 4th down?
The defense played great that drive, made many stops, only to have them overturned. The Falcons got what, 8 plays from the goal line before the refs finally gave them a TD.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
I hope they get Wirfs back when we play the Jets. He just makes a world of difference when he is in the game. Atlanta can thank the refs and chase not making field goals on why they were even in this game at the end.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
Baker was probably just a little rusty due to this being his first game since January. I still rather a rusty baker for a game or 2 compared to him being injured in preseason
September 7th, 2025 at 5:54 pm
I think some of those missed throws were cross ups between reciever and Baker. On the Otton one Baker threw a seam and Otton ran a corner. A lot of that going around the league in week one with nobody playing starters at all in preseason.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
Rod, the refs did a great job. You couldn’t tell me one play they missed. I saw all the replays. Their QB outplayed our QB today. No matter. Our team was better. And the defense was the story. They somehow kept us in the game it’s just that 10 minute drive late almost cost us. But it didn’t because this team is better than last year’s team.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:03 pm
The call against vea seemed weak to me..don’t know why it’s always 15 yards by rule. That’s 30 yards on that drive. I believe the only reason they converted on 4th down was because Dennis didn’t want to get flagged. Any other position and the guy gets blown up short of the sticks. Awarded a 1st down due to qb privilege. Dennis dodges out of the way as it looks like he’s going out and it’s right at the sideline
September 7th, 2025 at 6:04 pm
It doesn’t matter how ugly it was, a win is a win and against a team who swept us last year was huge.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Yeah Rod and Kenton I agree, what a crock on the officials. At least they gave us a personal foul on Baker that last drive, killed them to do it though.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:08 pm
Was far from roses out there today.
Both teams proved starters need to play in the preseason. Penix only had three NFL career starts under his belt and Radio Raheem sat him throughout the preseason. Lucky for us Bowles met his match for ineptitude 500 miles north.
Granted, you can’t blame the coaches for missed kicks, but neither team was close to sharp today, or looked ready to play.
Other than Baker getting knocked around, Bowles’s crazy musical OL chairs affected Bucky as well, running into walls of tacklers from missed assignments.
A win is a win, but we were one missed easy FG from half of you wanting to put Bowles out to pasture.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:09 pm
No Baker Mayfield done what he supposed to forget stats he stepped up when needed. Good game Baker Mayfield!!
September 7th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
I don’t like the blame the ref game but I mean really? The holding call on Barton the defensive player litteraly had his arm around his neck, and the Buc’s guy they SHOULD have called for holding? He had the DE hands all in his grill and that’s not the only time, it happened all game and was never called, that’s why it continued. Multiple early starts by Atlanta OF but not called. But the Falcons did make plays after given a resurection so there’s that.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:12 pm
Kenton, a lot of the time it is what is not called or when you they call it. The out of bounds call and putting 21 seconds on the clock is really bum call. The Falcons ran another play then the refs took it back. I have never seen that.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:17 pm
You go Baker!!! You played your heart out again, any game you’re in the Bucks are in!!!! 1-0!!!
September 7th, 2025 at 6:25 pm
dumboldguy Says:
September 7th, 2025 at 5:54 pm
I think some of those missed throws were cross ups between reciever and Baker. On the Otton one Baker threw a seam and Otton ran a corner. A lot of that going around the league in week one with nobody playing starters at all in preseason.
Agree. Saw a few mixups. To be expected. On to TX!
September 7th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
There was good reason to make the switch, the ol didnt have a great pre-season.
I was surprised and pleased they made the adjustment.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
Our kicker missed a field goal and extra point. The Falcons got a lucky doink. Then they missed an easy field goal. The defense stopped them. And held them on what would have last year beenan easy TD. Everything worked out. This was not going to be an easy game. It is a win the team needed
September 7th, 2025 at 8:57 pm
Their QB out played ours ….. um statistically QBR and Passer Rating says ……
September 7th, 2025 at 9:01 pm
Their QB out played ours? QBR and RTG says otherwise ….
September 7th, 2025 at 9:40 pm
Penix-Passer Rating 93, QBR 83, TD 1
Baker-99, 87, 3
It wasn’t Bakers best day but statistically he did better, not to mention that stone cold last minute winning drive