Huge MVP Opportunity For Baker Mayfield
November 21st, 2025
NFL fans heard the endless buzz earlier this season for Baker Mayfield’s late-game heroics and his status as a strong MVP candidate.
And then it all disappeared.
The NFL is the ultimate week-to-week league. The hype cycle doesn’t last long and media and fans will forget you in a hurry. But they’ll also put you right back in the spotlight if earned.
Baker Mayfield will have that kind of opportunity Sunday night against the Rams. If Mayfield can put a depleted Bucs offense on his back with a big game and beat the mighty Rams to up the Bucs’ record to 7-4 on national TV, Mayfield will find himself right back in the MVP spotlight.
The Rams (8-2) have arguably the NFL’s hottest team and best defense (ESPN graphic below). The nation, including all those media panelists with an MVP vote, will be watching.
Mayfield has 17 touchdowns against just 3 interceptions this season. What if he can up that to 21 TDs and 3 interceptions and kick start the Bucs to a 12-win season, and beat top MVP candidate Matthew Stafford of the Rams in the process?
It’s a big game for Mayfield’s status and potential summer contract extension, not just a big game for the Bucs.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:30 am
Baker will need to help put up 45 points for the Bucs to win.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:31 am
Winning cures all, just go out and win Bucs
November 21st, 2025 at 8:31 am
Miami beat the bills…
Texans beat the bills…
We gave up 44…. Talk about an eye opener
I wouldn’t watch the Rams game if I were you
November 21st, 2025 at 8:32 am
@bucma, I was thinking more like 145 lol
November 21st, 2025 at 8:33 am
Miami beat the bills…
Texans beat the bills…
We gave up 44…. Talk about an eye opener
I wouldn’t watch the Rams game if I were you
November 21st, 2025 at 8:35 am
Dolphins and Texans beat the bills and we gave up 44 lol talk about an eye opener
November 21st, 2025 at 8:40 am
I love the Bucs, ain’t no way in hell we win Sunday. Take the Rams and the points.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:43 am
Hang that thought up there is no chance in hell Tampa is going to LA and stomping that ass welcome to six and five.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:44 am
Guarantee winning the MVP is the furthest thing from Baker’s mind.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:47 am
Not going to happen now.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:51 am
Are you kidding me? What have you seen the last 2 games to suggest that Mayfield might throw 4 TDs? Sure, I’d like to see that, but it just isn’t going to happen given the current state of our offense. Forget the MVP discussion. I’d just be happy to see the Bucs pull off an upset.
November 21st, 2025 at 8:52 am
50 or lose, that is my prediction. Tucker has to run 3 TD’s, and we need at least 3 TD’s among Emeka, and Tez.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:00 am
Bucs WILL LOSE SUNDAY NIGHT. Bc the Rams are the much better and healthier team! Bc our defense is in shambles at the moment. Bc Baker has been playing below average since after the 49ers game. Bc The Bucs and Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield have an abysmal night game record. Let’s move on to the Cards game.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:01 am
Grizz does not know how to put up points, evidence of Bucs scoring in the Gold and Red zone. All he had was Evans now he does not know how to put points on the board. Licht did not bring in talent before trade deadline. Bowles defense is trash, that’s right I said it a complete hotbed of trash. I am sure people watch the edge rushers last night on the leagues crown prince Josh Allen, that dude was scared. Did you see him scared against the Bucs? NOPE
Baker can only take this team with this talent so far. Blame this on coaching and a smug GM. Lights out, season is over and even if they do make the playoffs it is one and done. Bowles plays to lose. Grizz is clueless and this team lacks mental toughness, always looking for someone else to make the tackle.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:15 am
Wow talk about fantasy football. If Baker had , CG, ME, JM, B E, I think we would still be talking Baker for MVP. However, yes it takes 11 on offense to make a team and Baker, just doesn’t have enough around him to have an mvp night. Then you have the Bucs defense and the Rams offense, which means the Bucs offense may not be on the field that much. Baker may do more watching than playing. Thhis game has a real chance to be a complete and total blow out unfortunately. The only reason I might turn this game on is if Chris Godwin plays. Yes it would be great to see him take the field again. I am definately a big Buc fan and as such don’t think I can stomach to see this game. Unfortunately this game may only add to our reputation of playing poorly in prime time.. This game has that potential and likely be a total blowout. Yes it will be to hard to stomach.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:28 am
Baker as MVP is so colossally stupid. He’s not even top 10. Rams 35 Yucs 13. Game will be over by 9:15pm.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:30 am
I don’t think I’ll skip my pre work nap for this game… Maybe catch the start or so, but this game is looking brutal
November 21st, 2025 at 9:32 am
Well, it certainly looks bleak for us this week. We often lay eggs in primetime and we don’t play well on the West Coast very often anyway. We are just good enough that the Rams won’t dare take us for granted, but they still have good reason to be confident.
But we can confuse and confound the Rams just fine by playing a normal defense for once. Stafford drops back expecting Vita Via to cover his slot receiver, but he gets Jacob Parrish instead…or whoever is playing nickel. I guess Parrish might be playing corner.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:32 am
IF, if the Bucs run and run and run and run, Baker could pass just enough to win this one.
The Rams defense is 11th against the run – 110.7 yards per game. The Bucs are 10th – 100.4 yards per game.
The Rams defense is 21st against the pass – 222 yards per game. The Bucs are 27th against the pass – 242 yards per game.
The Rams defense is 10th in sacks with 27; the Bucs are tied for 11th with 26.
The Bucs ran for 5 yards per carry against the Patriots when Patriots had the best run defense in the NFL. The Bucs should be able to run against the Rams’ 11th ranked run defense.
The Bucs defense is not as strong as those numbers suggest without Reddick. Reddick wasn’t racking up big sack numbers, but his pressures where setting up sacks for Diaby, the DTs and assorted blitzers.
So, the Bucs offense needs to keep the Bucs defense off the field by running the ball every time their is a chance and a choice.
The Rams have mostly given up only short gains to the run. But, sometimes tight ends have opened holes for some big runs against the Rams. And, tight ends have also made some big catches against the Rams. It makes no sense to me that the Bucs did not pick up a TE/FB to replace Ko Kieft when he was injured. But, the Rams are a team that the Bucs could grind away at with steady three, four and five yard gains if they had that extra bit of umpf at the point of attack. Heck looks like someone who could line up at FB or as a TE in motion to blast open the point of attack running between the guard and tackle or to the outside.
The one thing that the Bucs cannot do is just plant Baker in the shotgun with a big target painted on his chest. The run effort must be real, sustained, and used enough on second and third and fourth downs and two point tries that it cannot be ignored. And, every play needs play action or razzle dazzle of some sort with plenty of chipping on pass plays. And, every pass play needs a hot read route that opens immediately.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:33 am
He’ll have to play at that level to overcome Bowles getting out coached by McVay. Again.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:44 am
Mayfield has literally no shot at being MVP this year. None.
Grizz has no shot at becoming a HC next year.
The Bucs have no shot at winning the Super Bowl this year, or any time under Bowles.
I understand a certain amount of blindness and illogical thinking comes with being a fan (short for fanatic, look it up) but you guys need to pump the brakes.
This has been a rinse and repeat season and next year will be the same if Bowles is allowed to stay.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:55 am
Oh please!
I love Baker but he is Not having that type of year, started like he might be but that was a long time ago play wise.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:02 am
No one thought Miami or Houston would beat Buffalo, anything can happen, teams get cocky and don’t show up, injuries happen, you just never know, only thing you can count on is Bowles dropping DL to cover slot receivers, DBs playing 10 yards off, my personal favorite, incompetent game management
November 21st, 2025 at 10:07 am
as much as i’d like to see the bucs win on sunday it seems like a longshot with the current injuries and poor play by the D…. add in the flu bug and it just gets worse.
baker has cleaned up the INT problem from last year, i hope it continues. mvp is another longshot though….
November 21st, 2025 at 10:18 am
I know this is off topic, but I hope Baker is giving bucky a sh*tload of one-on-one non-football time right now. Anybody? Joe?
November 21st, 2025 at 10:31 am
So, anyway… Joe, when people talk about baker, do they understand that he has never had the same OC two years in a row? He’s had one team, to play 4 games, that had a competent organization and head coach. He’s fallen, he’s been young and dumb, he’s been the darling. I wonder how many of our contributors here have done that.
When you have to force things bc your defense is a passing sieve, you are getting out of your wheelhouse. Let hope the guys on D play their instincts Sunday. Baker has been doing it since highschool.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:35 am
The Baker for MVP ship has sailed starting with the Detroit game. Not enough weapons around him due to injuries and his game was off a couple games due to his own injuries.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:46 am
Bakerfan, you are 100% correct. Allen was scared of that defense. And why was he scared? That defense… that defense will turn a quarterback inside out and discard his slimy remains in his own endzone. Top 3 if not top defense. What did Mayfield do to that defense when he was healthy, that last years MVP couldn’t do? Beat ’em. He was sure not afraid. Allen had a PR of 67 and QBR of 26 to Mayfield’s 98 and 70. When healthy and a beat up offense Baker can do what the top quarterback can’t. BM6 is the quarterback that will take us to a superbowl but he has to have some semblance of a team around him first. He’s not getting younger. I hope he doesn’t leave to finally get a better coach. I like Todd but just because you were a good assistant coach does not necessarily mean you will be a good HC. Seen it happen too many times.
I have come to the conclusion that BM6 is too tough for his own good. He will not stop no matter what. When he is healthy we saw what he did to the top defenses in the league. Bakers other problem is he will do whatever it takes to win and when you have games like we did the first 5 and you know some of your best players are hurt you have to pick up that slack and that means a higher chance of getting hurt, and he did. Now we are 6-4-0. If we would have had a healthy team we would be 8-2. IF we can get healthy in 5 or 6 weeks we will make a deep run and threaten any team.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:47 am
Cool! A whole thread deleted. Ok
November 21st, 2025 at 11:00 am
Bowles defensive scheme will be the reason Bucs lose this game and fall short in the playoffs. I have zero faith in a “DEFENSIVE GURU” that gets embarrassed why to often
November 21st, 2025 at 11:02 am
Win the MVP, Baker’s price goes up… so either his long term deal ruins the team for years or he goes elsewhere. Be careful what you wish for.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:12 am
Davis Mills > Baker Mayfield
That’s how you beat the Bills. Strong defense and smart QB play.
We have neither with Bowles and Baker.
The record speaks for itself.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:30 am
Too many wet blankets on this site. I am rooting for a repeat of Baker’s Ram debut three years ago. He led a depleted Rams team to victory over the raiders with a walk off TD on less than no preparation or reps. Go Bucs!
November 21st, 2025 at 11:31 am
Shlt for brains > amount of brain OneAndThree has
November 21st, 2025 at 11:41 am
Johnathan Taylor or Matt Stafford, anyone else is just wishful thinking
November 21st, 2025 at 12:00 pm
toopanca … ‘IF, if the Bucs run and run and run and run, Baker could pass just enough to win this one.’
Love the analysis Toopanca, and I’m convinced our best chance of winning comes if we run, run then run some more.
Noticed 2 additional things about the Rams season to date:
1 – Like us, the Rams rarely give the ball away (only 8 giveaways in 10 games). BUT … in their loss to the 49ers, that was the only time this year that they gave it away TWICE (only game in which they lost the Turnover Battle). Our defense is doing very well at taking the ball away (#6 in NFL); our offense has to respond by scoring TDs when we do that.
2 – The Rams’ defense DOESN’T give up explosive plays (like we do). They’ve allowed 16 TDs this season, but only TWO have been over 20 yds (both passes). Bucs’ defense has allowed 28 TDs this season, and TWELVE have been over 20 yards (4 runs & 8 passes).
I’m sure the Rams’ offense is licking its’ chops right now. Our biggest weakness is glaringly obvious. And for the record, NO Todd Bowles’ Bucs defense has ever given up 12 or more explosive TDs (over 20 yds) in a single season. This defense has now accomplished THAT in only 10 games. Disgusting.
November 21st, 2025 at 12:05 pm
toopanca … ‘IF, if the Bucs run and run and run and run, Baker could pass just enough to win this one.’
BINGO!!!!
been saying this since DET!!!!!
12 AND 21 personnel!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
November 21st, 2025 at 12:45 pm
@Kenton Smith
Take off your Bowles\Baker covered glasses and wake up to reality.
You’re only a success the moment you complete a successful act.
Bowles is 1-3 in postseason as our HC. Baker is 1-2 as our QB.
The lone win was against a floundering Philly team with their top receivers out.
Remind me of their greatness after the beat down we’ll recieve Sunday night.
November 21st, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Bowles and his special teams coach suck…
November 21st, 2025 at 1:39 pm
“Miami beat the bills…
Texans beat the bills…
We gave up 44…. ”
… and the Bucs beat the Texans and 49ers (Rams lost to 9ers).
Who was injured when the teams played each other? Running team vs. passing team? Great pass defense and bad run defense or vice versa? Good run blocking but bad pass protection or vice versa?
This is a week-to-week and match-up league. Little can be extrapolated by what other teams did against teams you played.
November 21st, 2025 at 2:08 pm
Tbh, I’m just hoping AWJ shows up. Maybe help the rookie, BM. Maybe cover over the top to prevent 50+ yd scoring plays, maybe a sack, tfl, int….something more than accumulating tackles 9+ yds beyond the LOS
November 21st, 2025 at 2:09 pm
Joseph!
Are you? HOPING?
lol
November 21st, 2025 at 2:19 pm
Jeffery, Mayfield is currently Tier 1 #4. You said “he’s not even top 10” ROFLMAO
November 21st, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Baker doesn’t play smart-1&3. What an ignorant statement. Maybe you should do a little reading before you comment. Opposing coaches take Mayfield’s abilities very serious. I would say that when 7 out of 11 offensive starters have been hurt it’s hard to win but I can tell it would fly right over the top of your poor little brain. It’s a Mayfield miracle we have the wins we have.
November 21st, 2025 at 2:45 pm
With Bowles defense Baker is going to have to play a perfect game for the Bucs to win. Both teams have similar talent, but the biggest mismatch of the season is the defensive mind of Todd Bowles vs the offensive mind of Sean McVay.
November 21st, 2025 at 2:49 pm
You know 1&3 you and a few others on this site are so shallow in your knowledge of sports you actually believe saying well their record says it all. Actually, just so you are aware NFL greats like Hershel Walker and others never had good teams to play on and on the surface like you can only see didn’t look good at all. But the reality of it is he was probably the best back to ever grace the field. 6′ 2″ 230lbs, strong as an ox, ran a 4.3 40 world class speed. He couldn’t be stopped if he had just a little help. But without that help he looked like an average back. There are a few greats that were never blessed with teammates and on the surface like you operate they just looked average but if you actually looked deeper they were a top 5 athlete of all time. Saying “their record says it all” just shows your ignorance on the matter. It takes a team to have a good record I don’t care how good you are. Try and remember that.
November 21st, 2025 at 5:30 pm
They look like the 2 win team they would be if not for those four plays early in the season. No MVP this season..
November 21st, 2025 at 5:41 pm
If? That’s a big if…
We’re most likely getting throttled tomorrow night. 37 – 16
November 21st, 2025 at 5:59 pm
More like Stafford for MVP. 27 TDs and 2 Ints. Bucs are going to get slaughtered.
Bowles will make more stupid mistakes on defense and our secondary is going to get lit up. Maybe the Glazers will finally see the light after this game.
November 21st, 2025 at 6:22 pm
We can let se this game and still get 12 wins.
November 21st, 2025 at 6:22 pm
We can lose, I mean
November 21st, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Go Bucs!
November 21st, 2025 at 10:15 pm
Way to give me HOPE JOEEE wayy to goo lol
November 21st, 2025 at 10:15 pm
Just win baby!!!
AD
November 21st, 2025 at 10:24 pm
He’ll always have the week 6 MVP title.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:16 pm
For all the colossal idiots who post here about players, here is a concept that might matter. Football is a team game. No QB can win an MVP if he is on his back for most of any game. Last year’s MVP Josh Allen ,who destroyed the Bucs last week, was on his back most of Thursday night. Did Allen change materially in just 4 days? Mayfield can make every throw a pro QB is required to make. He has outstanding leadership skills and is a great competitor. Really remarkable how this season has played out with an injured Mayfield throwing apart from EE, to his 4,5 and 6 receivers most of whom were doubtful to make the team in preseason. Finally, include yet another new OC still trying to find his way. A healthy Mayfield is a top 5 QB. The rest of this stuff is just noise.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:26 pm
😂🤣🤪
November 24th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
In the big MVP game… Baker went 9/19 for 41 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs.
I don’t think he’s getting the MVP title this year.