Baker Mayfield Talks Falcons’ Knowledge Of Bucs
September 3rd, 2025
So in Baker Mayfield’s past Bucs opening days — at Minnesota and home for Washington — he faced teams largely unfamiliar to him and the Bucs.
It’ll be a different story on Sunday in Atlanta.
Atlanta beat the Bucs twice last season and returns its defensive guru/head coach Raheem Morris. Also back is second-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
Robinson was Mayfield’s quarterback coach during his brief stint with the Rams. And Robinson runs a Sean McVay-inspired system very similar to the Bucs’.
Joe asked Mayfield how preparation was different this year for opening day against Atlanta versus a far less familiar team.
Mayfield explained the Atlanta defense has a ton of experience not just against the Bucs but against a very familar unit in practice every week.
“When you’re preparing for Atlanta, it’s a similar offense with Zac Robinson there and it being similar to what Liam [Coen] installed last year [in Tampa],” Mayfield began. “So, you understand [Atlanta is] going to see a lot of [our] looks in practice, training camp, and offseason work. They know us, we know them. It’s about who executes and does the little things right. I can’t imagine a better Week 1 than on the road against an opponent that knows you, and divisional at that.”
It certainly will be a chess game. Thankfully, this time around the Bucs are playing it with SirVocea Dennis at inside linebacker instead of K.J. Britt, as well as a very healthy Antoine Winfield, Jr.
As for the Bucs offense, if the offensive line has a big day, the Bucs should be nearly impossible to slow down.
September 3rd, 2025 at 7:38 pm
Hopefully, Grizz will add a few wrinkles Raheem hasn’t seen before and Bowles will cover up the middle of the field and keep Penix from running.
September 3rd, 2025 at 7:51 pm
This game is getting more interesting by the minute. Their defense knows our offense. But can they stop ME13, EE2, BI7, RW1, ST44, KO88? Sunday we will find out!!
September 3rd, 2025 at 7:56 pm
Hopefully Haason feasts on the blind side! Show us fans why Jason passed on a young game wrecker.
September 3rd, 2025 at 7:58 pm
I think it will come down to Bucs have more talent
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:18 pm
Not even 3 questions in and he let that Jessie Bates ptsd out and referred to him as a ballhawk, AJ Terrell got him for one last year too. Baker better be sharp as shark teeth with his decision making.
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:19 pm
If we play Zone Defense more than 50% of the time, we prob lose.
C’mon, Todd, man up and call Man D!
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:34 pm
WBL, you say Terrell got him for one “too”. I don’t think Bates got him for one. Just a little slip I guess.
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:49 pm
30 points wasn’t enough that first game. 500 yards passing doomed us. The second go around we’d just lost our receiver corps and still hung 26. 24 plus wins 70% of the time in the NFL. Our defense has improved and we’ll win some of those this year. If you think Baker looked PTSD’d out by Bates you misread that WBL. In fact, you misread alot.
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:58 pm
Nah Kenton, the 2nd game we played the Falcons and wore the creamsicles, Baker threw 2 picks in 3 drives. We turned the ball of 3 times that game, and still ONLY lost by 6, but let the knuckleheads here tell it we lost because we played too much zone and not enough man 😂
Had nothing to do with the drive ending, win probably eroding turnovers on offense
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:08 pm
Atlanta did a lot to improve their defense
The Bucs didn’t do much to improve their defense
We’ll see Sunday
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:12 pm
“30 points wasn’t enough that first game. 500 yards passing doomed us.“
The first ATL game? Bucky lost a fumble w/3 minutes left in the game when we were up 30-27. Sound familiar? Like Commanders and playoffs familiar?
We all see the game differently, but if you were watching the game YOU should be able to recall this w/o any problems.
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:16 pm
Hopefully the coaches remind the players that Atlanta’s defense is very adept at ‘peanut punching’ the ball out. Went back and watched the 4 games from the last two years and it must have happened at least half a dozen times.
Even better, if our coaches remind our defense how effect the maneuver can be at creating turnovers and stopping drives. Go Bucs!
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:37 pm
“The Bucs didn’t do much to improve their defense”
I really don’t understand this comment… Bucs brought in a top tier OLB in the offseason. They drafted a corner who earned the starting slot position in camp. Our starting corners are both healthy. And we have a new safety next Winfield… who by the way is now healthy coming into the game. I agree we’ll see how it shakes out come Sunday but I’d say those stack up to a LOT of improvements in comparison to the starting unit we fielded against ATL last yr
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:59 pm
WBL, we don’t all see it differently. Some see it differently. If the offense can remain in the top five and turn the ball over a total of 18 times like last year and the defense can make a few more plays and lower their points allowed to 15th in the league- a few more turnovers will help, we will be better. Get to top 10 points allowed and offense cuts the turnovers a bit we’re where I reckon we’ll be. In the hunt. Right in the middle of it. Go Bucs.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:46 pm
Kenton, I’m not as forgiving as most on here when it comes to INTs or any other turnover. My disdain for them is the polar opposite of the elation I get when we record a takeaway as both directly impact a teams probability to win/lose a game.
My thing is can Baker even be Lamar Jackson good? Can he throw +40 TDs to just 4 INTs? Can he go >3 games w/o a giveaway? Can he throw anything but fastballs?
This is the type of discussions I notice triggers fellow
Bucs fans because in 2 years they’ve propped him up like a folk hero lol
Even “let’s bake” I chuckle at, because it’s legit one of the slowest forms of cooking anything can’t we get an air fryer?
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:12 pm
It’s hilarious to contemplate Raheehaw as a chess player. He seems more like a tic tac toe kind of guy. Meanwhile, our guy isn’t satisfied with regular chess. He wants to play 4-dimensional chess with caveats for changes in the space time continuum and considers the potential impact of quantum gravity for every player’s assignments. Can’t be known as a genius if you keep it simple, so, like, your players know what they’re doing 95% of the time instead of 5% of the time.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:15 pm
Bucs win 17-14 in an unlikely defensive battle.
September 4th, 2025 at 2:16 am
Hope Grizz coached the guys up good last thing we need is Charlie heck to get a couple false starts and ruin a drive or two leading to a loss. Would be so predictable
September 4th, 2025 at 2:19 am
WBL, Lamar has only thrown 41 TD’s with 4 interceptions 1 time in his career. Let’s not act like he does it every year because he doesnt, hasnt. Concerning can Baker be Lamar Jackson good? Well if Baker performed Lamar Jackson good in the playoffs no one would be happy because it would be a step down. In the Ravens loss to the Bills in the AFC Divisional round this year, Lamar threw an interception, Baker didnt. He also had a passer rating of 114.4 to Bakers postseason best 146.5. No one had a better passer rating. LJ completion rate was 72% to Bakers 83.3%, also the postseasons best. Why would we want Baker to do LJ good in the playoffs? Remember Baker has history’s best passer rating of 105.9 in the playoffs. He is the best when it comes to the playoffs. No one is better when money is on the line, no one🤑 Even Patrick Mahomes isn’t as good in the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes has done what he has done because he has had the advantage of having the #1 coach in the NFL along with the best organization in the NFL while Baker has had the worst from the git go. It all matters whether you want to admit it or not. As fast balls are concerned, I seem to remember numerous 30 and 40 yard passes right in the chest while on the run. I also seem to remember Tom Brady commenting on a 40 yard pass to McMillan in the corner of the endzone also on the run. Tom said unbelievable, what a dime!! So, questioning Baker’s ability to throw anything other than fastballs is just being purposefully disingenuous. Oh well…
September 4th, 2025 at 5:46 am
ATL will try hard to make us turn the ball over. Baker should only throw if a guy is wide open w nobody around for 10yards, no cute stuff fleaflickers that make the ball arrive late bc ATL will intercept guaranteed
September 4th, 2025 at 7:41 am
I really have to disagree with those who say the bucs have done nothing to their defense. Yes we may only make one big free agent signing, which is potentially a big signing. We have regained health added in top seeded young talent this defense has been revamped with speed upgraded Ball hawk talent, and I believe an added chip on their shoulder. I believe this defense will be playing with its ears back while keeping the offense on our back heels much more so than 2024
September 4th, 2025 at 7:59 am
These Ads are overtaking the site here Joes…..Go Bucs!
September 4th, 2025 at 10:11 am
Being arrogant and ignorant at the same time has a maroon believing the defense is just great, and that allowing almost 1000 yards and 8TDs to Kirk’s Crippled Cousin is normal. Naw, that wouldn’t put any pressure on Baker to make a play because he knows he needs a 40 burger to win. Naw.
Aqualung is sad for the maroon.
September 4th, 2025 at 4:07 pm
🤑
September 4th, 2025 at 6:38 pm
Atlanta be like Waterboy style, ” Where’s my b!atch? Where’s my b!atch? Ahh there’s Bowles defense!!!”
September 5th, 2025 at 6:27 am
I think week 1 is interesting not only is there a game between the 2 previous Bucs Offensive Cordinators who are both head coachs. We also got a match up of both Bucs Coaches that took over for superbowl winning coaches.