Neutered Baker Mayfield
November 10th, 2025
Key Baker Mayfield challenge revealed.
Joe doesn’t believe in coincidences in the NFL. So Joe is convinced there is a connection between Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense becoming stagnant.Ke
Please do not misunderstand. Joe is a big Mayfield guy. One of the best things that has ever happened to the Bucs was his signing. And no, Joe is not saying Mayfield is the reason the Bucs have stunk on offense the past three games. This team would be royally screwed without him.
Since the Detroit game, Mayfield’s been neutered.
Mayfield would run maybe three or four times a game for first downs. The plays were not designed runs. Mayfield ain’t no Michael Vick. But when the offense broke down or receivers weren’t open, Mayfield took matters into his own hands and got key first downs.
That has vanished since the loss at Detroit. Mayfield later admitted the Lions put a spy on him to prevent him from hurting them with his feet.
Yesterday, Bucs coach Todd Bowles was asked again, like he was on the Ira Kaufman Podcast over the bye week, about Mayfield no longer running and he basically brushed off the question as a non-issue.
“If they’re taking [Mayfield’s scrambles] away, we’ve got to get open and we’ve got to block better,” Bowles said. “It’s not about Baker being a runner. He’s not a runner – he can make some plays with his feet, but he’s a passer.
“We’ve got to block it better, we’ve got to coach it better and we’ve got to play it better.”
The same thing happened in New Orleans, where Mayfield wasn’t his normal self. Mayfield didn’t say if the slimy Saints were spying him or not. Per the CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, who worked yesterday’s game, Mayfield told the CBS broadcast team he was playing at 50 percent health in recent weeks. Officially, he’s been battling knee and oblique issues but has been practicing.
Either Mayfield is still a bit injured, defenses are spying him, or the Lions put out something on tape to lasso the Bucs’ offense that the slimy Saints and the Patriots have copied.
Mayfield’s feet were a key reason why the Bucs were scoring points and extending drives. That’s gone now. And so too, is the Bucs’ offense.
November 10th, 2025 at 3:57 am
Baker was off many times on passes against the Pats, simple throws that just were off target. As far as him running, we all love to see the results, but we also know, it can come with a nasty price. Baker has not looked the same for the last 3 games and it is more than not running as much. For whatever reasons, this has been how he has played through out his career in the NFL. He can look like an MVP and sometimes the opposite. Bucs need the Good Baker. Joe you used to talk about Good Jameis and Bad Jameis. Well it is not quite like that extreme, but it reminds some of “Americas Q” W eating Jameis.
November 10th, 2025 at 4:01 am
Got to block it better, coach it better, play it better. Someone hit the needle on this broken record! Todd, you had two weeks to coach it better. Your defense got gashed for 4 game changing plays. Want to coach it better? Bench Dennis, he’s garbage. He defended one pass today, his only play of the day. After that he was chasing RBs from behind, because he can’t fit the right gap. He’s given up explosive plays all season, and your response is, he’ll get better. He hasn’t. Bench him, send a message. That’s what a good coach would do. How does Vrabel have his defense so sound after half a season, while your defense has bigger busts that Dolly Parton? Give one of your assistants a chance to call the defense. You ain’t the genius, defensive guru you think you are. Far from it.
November 10th, 2025 at 4:05 am
He’s def playing injured. I hate it. But he delivered some dimes today and looked like he was ready to block for Egbuka if he decided to run to the corner of the end zone on that TD attempt. But thats Baker. And thats the price you pay for laying your body out there. Hopefully he heals by playoff time.
November 10th, 2025 at 4:22 am
Bowles ain’t wrong. But, Baker still needs to be better. I believe he would be with a much better pace of play and some damn tempo. Baker is a rhythm-QB and there’s NO freakin’ RHYTHM. He’s not the same “Good-Ole Bake” with this SLOW sheet we’re tryin to run. He’s probably not getting any healthier, so they’ve all got to help HIM OUT!!!!
November 10th, 2025 at 4:30 am
Absurd reading this nonsense from August1976Buc. All these football geniuses assured us last year that Mayfield’s problem was interceptions and fumbles. This year he has had 2 INT’s and one of those was a simultaneous catch taken away by a defender on Cade Otton. In short, a bad call by the refs. It is obvious that Baker is playing hurt and further obvious that the deeper routes are not open. Maybe it has something to do with multi million dollar receivers not playing because of their own injuries? Finally, the O line has been a mess all year and Bucs had 2nd or 3rd string offensive guards playing Sunday. Mayfield is tough but watching today Detroit’s Goff in the pocket with time to eat a sandwich looks a lot different than Baker struggling to keep a play alive. Incidentally, Tucker looked really good today. He needs to see the ball more often. Probably has greater speed than either White or Bucky.
November 10th, 2025 at 4:43 am
I think you’re spot on, Joe. Has to be injuries. Watch Baker’s body language out there. Not the same, not the fire.
November 10th, 2025 at 5:03 am
Offense hasn’t been as crisp lately, granted, but defense was the problem yesterday. Dennis is terrible
November 10th, 2025 at 5:16 am
is anyone here thinks we even have a backup for baker? Hate to say it but where is Trask at least he knows the system or we can have a broken Bridgewater really
November 10th, 2025 at 5:18 am
Seems like everyone sees Dennis as a weakness except bowles.
November 10th, 2025 at 5:20 am
You can’t set up the long ball when your OL is a sieve.
November 10th, 2025 at 5:32 am
The wooden Indian was out coached by the Patriots coaching staff.
Bucs defense was atrocious.