Baker Mayfield: Bucs Aren’t Looking At The Standings
October 16th, 2025
The Bucs’ franchise quarterback made a great point today.
After strong starts to the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the Bucs found their way to miserable November records. Since Todd Bowles has been Bucs head coach, the Bucs never have had a winning record on Thanksgiving.
Today, Mayfield was asked whether he’s watching the NFL standings, where the Bucs are perched alone atop the NFC with a 5-1 record.
Not a chance, Mayfield said, and it would be foolish to do so.
“If we were looking at the standings the last couple of years here in Tampa, [we] probably would have gone in the tank,” Mayfield said. “There’s a lot of ball left.”
Amen.
The Bucs should have a one-week-at-a-time focus. That mindset clearly is part of the Todd Bowles culture, and it’s a good thing.
Joe is confident Mayfield has probably turned down dozens of interview requests over the past few weeks, a nod to not feeding the hype. Interestingly, the last big national interview Mayfield did was a few weeks ago with elder abuser Mark Sanchez.
Joe was intrigued to hear Mayfield say his team “probably would have gone in the tank” if it was focused on the standings. Yeah, that happens in the NFL, and Mayfield probably experienced some of that with the Panthers and Browns.
October 16th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
The less these men pay attention to the media they better. Just read JBF fellas.
October 16th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
Baker Mayfield is not interested in the “rat poison” as he and (more famously) Nick Saban would phrase it!
October 16th, 2025 at 3:20 pm
Just this morning I came across an article about someone mentioning the Colts QB in the running for MVP… Seen the beat reaction…
Who cares!…. It’s week 6 in the NFL and a lot can happen by the end…
Just because things look great now does not mean that’s how it will end..
October 16th, 2025 at 3:24 pm
One Game at a Time!! Next .. Detroit!! Get it done !!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
YES SIR!!!!
ONE GAME AT A TIME!!!!
6-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
Good, go with the whole one week season mentality.
October 16th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
I guess it depends on whether one is a glass half full or half empty person. The glass half full type believes there’s still a chance as long as they are not mathematically eliminated and will still give their all. People can try to avoid watching the standings but it’s impossible not to know where you stand. You’ll see it or hear it somewhere.
October 16th, 2025 at 3:47 pm
@Coconut Doughnut
Why would coaches or players want to read JBF?
Better to read, or listen to, the national talking heads.
I think they know IT’S ALL RAT POISON!
Listen to your coaches, listen to the vets. Ignore the noise.
October 16th, 2025 at 3:51 pm
NO … AT LEAST NOT THE PLAYERS
You absolutely pay attention to the standings and schedule. The Bucs have a lead in the division, a game on ATL, and our divisions in December. They have the luxury of resting injured players for a few games so they are ready when it matters.
GARBAGE STANDINGS
Things like Power Rankings, QBR, and other contrived media rankings are all a total joke. I hope they don’t pay attention to stats.
October 16th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
Amen.
elder abuser Mark Sanchez. 😂😂
October 16th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
Love Bakes philosophy. The media will have you believing you are giant killers. Then when you lose, thatr same media will be going, Told you so. ZOne game at a time guys. Its still very early. Lets slay them Lions come Monday.
October 16th, 2025 at 4:36 pm
I hate when everyone is on the Bucs nutz. I prefer we cruise under the radar, this will be a good test to see where the team is at mentally.
October 16th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
Baker … “If we were looking at the standings the last couple of years here in Tampa, [we] probably would have gone in the tank.’
That’s awesome, and I’m confident you nailed it Joe in that it’s from his years ‘with the Panthers and Browns’.
Makes me think though that Todd Bowles is close to being the perfect head coach for Baker Mayfield. Todd provides the ‘vision’ & the ‘philosophy’ (and the ‘steady hand’) that works extremely well for Baker, but probably isn’t really an offensive guru who gets into the detailed X’s and O’s with Baker. Todd seems more like father, Ward Cleaver, on ‘Leave It To Beaver’ or maybe the father, Jim Anderson, on ‘Father Knows Best’. Regardless, it works … and that’s all that really matters.
October 16th, 2025 at 5:09 pm
That Bowles video outbreak of GREAT RUN BAKER, GREAT JOB ,now on to the next play defines a good coach and player. It’s is a building process during the season, it’s the repetitions that show up on Sundays. It’s a lot of smaller things sandwiched in between the great things that produce the results. Sure these guys hear and see some of it and know where they are in the standings but the key Baker was talking about was ignoring it and will lay out in the end. I really don’t think he cares about an MVP, wouldn’t surprise me for him to say keep it, I’ll hold this Lombardi trophy.
October 16th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Mayfield learned the hard way that being a media darling so early in your career can do a lot of damage if you haven’t proven yourself yet. Look at all the commercials he was making when he was with the Browns. All the sponsors dropped him like a hot potato when he stopped living up to the hype.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
sorry but this blog has been an engine of the hype train. posting and reposting every tweet or burp or fart of MVP, baker is this that and they other. hype hype hype.
its good to know the players are mature enough to know what has happened in previous season unlike the blind cheerleaders who non stop talk MVP, franchise this, best that based on a few games which means nothing!!!!NOOTHING!!! BUCS 99-1!!!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 6:25 pm
Love it.
Don’t look at the standings, don’t look at the schedule. Each game is the only game that matters.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:42 pm
Joe said, “ The Bucs should have a one-week-at-a-time focus. That mindset clearly is part of the Todd Bowles culture, and it’s a good thing. “
I know what you’re saying and it’s the preferred mindset, but the Todd Bowles culture has produced a losing record for three consecutive Thanksgivings. That is definitional.
Break the trend this season. Please.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:56 pm
Every week is the playoffs
October 16th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
Thanksgiving?
October 16th, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Can I pet that dawg?
October 16th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
We’re just looking at winning one game at a time…simple as that…the rest falls in place….
October 16th, 2025 at 9:18 pm
@Aqua, did Todd rape you or something? I mean ive been a critic of him at times, but not overboard like you…..is what it is
October 16th, 2025 at 11:58 pm
Just get hot fast Monday night in Detroit!! No mercy
October 17th, 2025 at 6:35 am
Bring yer musket to this Lions,den.
October 17th, 2025 at 8:42 am
When I put the 2025 schedule on my fridge last spring, this game jumped out at me. I thought, uh oh, not again. Cos right after Tampa upset Detroit last year, the injury bug started hitting the Bucs hard. So, here we are, injuries and all. Lions have their problems, too. The whole Bucs team has Bake’s attitude: serious, focused on one game at a time. It shows a unit made up of talented players with good human character. The team reflects both Bowles and Licht with their emphasis on both elements. Campbell is also dealing with character headaches. Lions are in for a surprise. Go Bucs!! 6-1!!