Monday Night Mayfield & Increased Pressure Rate
September 14th, 2025
NFL stats queen Cynthia Frelund.
Baker Mayfield is no fan of questions about night games.
It could have something to do with his 1-7 career record on Monday Night Football.
Mayfield doesn’t want to hear it and he doesn’t want to joke about it with a snarky one-liner.
As Bucs fans know well, Mayfield is not a great night quarterback no matter the day of week.
Perhaps the Bucs’ 7 p.m. EDT start tomorrow in Houston will help, versus the traditional 8:15 p.m. kickoff. Something has to give, right?
NFL Network data queen Cynthia Frelund talked about Mayfield’s night struggles on her NFL IQ and Numbers Game show. She predicts the Buccaneers and Mayfield will snap their cold spell after dark with a 22-20 victory on Monday.
Frelund is confident the Texans’ leaky offensive line will be too much for Houston to overcome. However, Frelund also sees a leaky Bucs offensive line, the last-minute retooled unit because Charlie Heck couldn’t cut it led by Graham Barton at left tackle.
Armed with official NFL NextGen Stats data, Frelund notes Mayfield was pressured on 41 percent of his dropbacks against the Falcons in Week 1. That’s the second-most pressure he’s seen since Robert Hainsey was the starting center in 2023, she said.
Last year, the Bucs allowed pressure on just 26 percent of Mayfield dropbacks, the second-best mark in the league.
Joe’s not concerned about the pressure rates. Joe just wants Mayfield to stay healthy. If the offense is humming, with a running attack and using Rachaad White catching passes, Mayfield is far less likely to run or get hit.
September 14th, 2025 at 9:34 am
We see the problem with Bucky. And the need for White (at least this season).
Rachaad is superior in the blocking category. And elite in receiving. (Bucky’s good there, too). White is now the change-of-pace back and the larger between-the-tackles option.
He’s replaceable — aren’t we all — but he’s so important for how this offense plays. Hope to see him more in future games — and to see him do more as the season goes on.
September 14th, 2025 at 9:53 am
Damn. That looks ‘rougher’ than a night jail!
September 14th, 2025 at 10:45 am
A real head coach would tell his GM to find a competent swing tackle and offload the Pornstache so he can start working the career he’s better suited for.
September 14th, 2025 at 11:07 am
Joe, Why would you use that gross photo of her? Lol
I wouldn’t even bang her if I was going by that photo alone Lol
Harsh, man. Cynthia has been doing a lot more on-camera media without much makeup. Joe applauds here work. –Joe
September 14th, 2025 at 11:34 am
Baker is going to be great Monday night. More short passes underneath to get Texans on their heals and then seam and/or crossing routes to ME13. Bucs score 35 and hope D can hold Houston to 30. Going to be a shootout with hopes that WinJr.31 makes multiple big plays.
September 14th, 2025 at 11:35 am
Need to get Rachaad out wide on some screens. Spread it out a little and get our backs more involved in the passing game.
September 14th, 2025 at 12:01 pm
Umm…
We maybe In Trouble boys and girls….
We’re already out the Best offensive lineman possibly in All of football once again. THAT in Its self is bad enough against a Far tougher defensive line in what the Texans are bringing to the table…. We “maybe” Down our other tackle for this game, Geodoke!
I may have missed it but I haven’t read anywhere that Geodeke is a Go???…
If Luke is also out for the count, do we really Expect to win? As much as my feelings Are Clear that I don’t believe Bowkes is worth mentioning in the ability to “actually coach” the defense up beyond a First String player, maybe second string (that is Already elite and doesn’t need to be taught how to play ball well), if we get into the third string and beyond, We are “automatically screwed” if we have to call apon them with poor coaching and play as Lost as the look on Bowles face…
Nope. Not talking about that fact. Talking about SERIOUS PROBLEMS if we’re out BOTH of Our first string tackles. CLEARLY the talent falls pretty far away from “decent” with anymore than ONE, “Maybe” back up on the O line! Both Tackles?? NOT GONNA BE OK… Baker WILL BE on a swivel Every Play!
My greatest fear this game is a pressed and not cohesive line to give us a chance at all. The question isn’t whether we may muttle around with a couple of screen plays… Not At All! That and a run game that Won’t Work behind a Destroyed line Isn’t a good option either!
We MUST HAVE Geodeke in This game.. Without him or Wirfs…. DON’T WAIST YOUR MONEY ON A BET TO WIN! If Geo is in, We’ve got a Great “chance” of winning against a possible Elite defensive Texans line.
Sincerely, on the fence until I hear our Normal right tackle IS IN the game
September 14th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Joe found the Ugliest picture of Cynthia Ive ever seen!
I got a feeling Bucs D takes over the game
September 14th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
BUCS have a very good team this year. JL has drafted & signed players/coaches as good or better than any other NFL franchise since 2020. What an amazing time to be a BUCS fan. Thank You to the Glazer family for putting these pieces in place to honor our city Title Town Tampa Bay.
Winning is the practice of a process. A process that requires a monumental amount of effort and dedication that few can even comprehend much less produce. The Buccaneers give us excitement on Sundays. I love it.
We will not win them all but we are getting better.
I bet we deal with a lot of pressure this week. I bet it won’t be pretty. I bet it will be difficult to run the ball & hard to score. I bet the defense will be the best it has been since week 2 last year. I bet the under in the first half.
September 14th, 2025 at 1:19 pm
Love the Bake. He is in my opinion definitely among the top 10 qb’s and objectively could be argued among the top 8.
Great leader on and off the field, with everything + needed between the ears.
Bake and TB’s apparent lack of strategy to aggressively attack the team’s well-documented Achilles heel of poor performance in night games, that this laissez-faire approach is so perplexing.
I am no expert or anything close when it comes to football, but it would seem that given his past approach to night games of just “focusing on the small details” isn’t getting it done. Perhaps TB or Bake already have a new plan to address the issue in the upcoming game. We can always hope.
September 14th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
@Erik
Followed your link, saw your picture. Showed it to Cynthia. She threw up in her mouth and said she wouldn’t bang you with TB12s prick.
And she knows waaaay more about football.
September 14th, 2025 at 1:46 pm
Thought that was the Jags QB in the picture for a minute.
Bake breaks the prime time curse, Bucs win 34-24
September 14th, 2025 at 5:39 pm
If Mayfield doesn’t want to hear concerns about his night game performance, all he needs to do is win a few. Don’t shoot the messengers; heed the message.
September 14th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
Why is Heck on the team if he is that bad? Odd concept.
September 14th, 2025 at 10:29 pm
Joe’s not concerned about the pressure rates.
———-
Houston has one of the best one-two edge rushing combos in the league, to go along with two of the best corners. Their defense is in a different league from the Falcons – so the Bucs should be worried, and need to be ready. The one thing the Bucs can hope for is that having another week of practice with this combo leads to better play, and maybe that offsets things.
In any case, 1-7 isn’t a small sample size – and while it should mean the Bucs are due to win, the Bucs are also 0-7 all-time in Houston (vs Texans or Oilers). All those numbers tell me to expect a loss – which is what I’m expecting. It’s sort of like playing the Bears in Chicago, it’s just a game the Bucs pretty much always lose – makes no sense – but it’s such a huge sample size you need to just accept the fact it’s going to happen again.
September 15th, 2025 at 12:49 am
The OL is everything when it comes to a quarterbacks success or lack thereof. They make and break their quarterback. Example: Kansas City’s OL for the first time during the Mahomes era is rated outside the top 10, at #20 and look how bad he is playing. He has looked terrible so far, especially today. Not to mention they are 0-2 for the first time in over 10 years. If we are going to be missing both of our tackles Monday night it is going to be a really tough game, especially with their DL. If that’s the case, I sure hope Grizzard goes for the short fast passes to get that ball out of Bakers hands. Or maybe he will come up with something more creative. It will be a good look at how our young OC handles adversity. Hopefully, we will be very impressed with his overall game plan for Monday night under those bright lights. Impress us Mr. Grizzard, IMPRESS US!!! 🏴☠️
September 15th, 2025 at 5:29 am
For those saying Cynthia doesn’t look hot – I’d give anything to see your wife or girlfriend. Bet you can’t get her to move her fat butt out of bed without a cattle prod. Cynthia still has 10 body and she’s 43. And since some of you are apparently virgins and have never woken up next to a woman I have news for you – most women, ADULT women look a bit different waking up as opposed to when they’re not all dolled up and have makeup on
September 15th, 2025 at 6:06 am
Ditto on getting the ball to White Joe.
We do have a couple of TEs as well I believe.
Bottom line is get the ball out and start the run game!
Go Bucs!