“I’m Sure He’s Sore”
September 16th, 2025
Took a beating Monday.
Last night was not a pleasant night for Bucs quarterback coach Thad Lewis.
Lewis, in a spring media availability, stressed the importance of Baker Mayfield scaling back his running because Mayfield just turned 30 and all of his runs and the hits he absorbs will catch up with a guy on the wrong side of 30 much quicker than a rookie.
So much for those plans last night, right?
Mayfield put his body on the line last night for the Bucs with key, critical scrambles for first downs. Probably too many for his own liking.
As a result, Mayfield took a beating. Twice Mayfield grabbed a leg or a knee after a shot from a Houston defender and, for a brief moment stayed on the turf.
As usual, Mayfield bounced back up and was ready for the next play.
That hit Joe felt was Mayfield’s most important scramble. That came on fourth down on the Bucs’ final drive when Mayfield rambled for 15 yards and a first down. And Mayfield took a nasty tumble, landing on his back. Joe still doesn’t know how Mayfield didn’t have the wind knocked out of him on that landing.
Asked about Mayfield’s health this morning in his day-after presser, Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield will be good to go but Bowles is confident of one thing.
“I’m sure he’s sore,” Bowles said. “Baker is a competitor. I haven’t seen him yet since it’s too early in the morning for him to come in, but I’m sure he’s pretty sore.
“We’ll see how he’s feeling later today.”
Everyone in the Bucs’ building and probably Mayfield himself knows he needs to try to take fewer hits. But dang if the Bucs don’t feed off Mayfield’s energy and his clutch plays. It’s uplifting the way a quarterback is willing to pretend he’s a linebacker and barrel through people if he has to.
No wonder Mayfield hangs and pounds beers with the Bucs’ offensive line. He thinks he’s one of them, only he’s lining up behind center.
Mayfield is an old-school throwback who enjoys physical play, only he’s playing quarterback.
Can Baker and the Bucs pull off a comeback with under a minute to go?
TBvsHOU on ESPN/ABC
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September 16th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Baker is fun to watch.
September 16th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Bake these defenses! We still have the Jets, Saints and Panthers twice. Lets get this 12-win season, Baker.
Go Bucs!
September 16th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Not sure why no one recognizes that our old friend from the Saints, CGJ tried to blowout BM’s Knee on the play
September 16th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
He be REALLY sore if he would have taken that hit instead of diving and rolling/tumbling. Wondering if he is taking some sort of defensive type classes involving diving/tumbling.
September 16th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Bake reminds me of Jeff Garcia 2.0
September 16th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
The mission is to win. I’m glad Todd is now on board with the mission. Last year is in the past.
LFG!!!!!
September 16th, 2025 at 12:54 pm
The team fed into the beating Baker took ,,, you saw Bucky making hellacious blocks helping Barton who was overmatched ,,, not sure why we didn’t do this early when baker was getting creamed every play ,,, those Bucky blocks gave Baker extra time
September 16th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
Baker >>>>> Garcia. Garcia had happy feet and played nervous. Baker is intentional and plays fearless.
Scotty – I agree, he intentionally executed a tumble so the shock was more broadly distributed. The dude has really a special talent for just making plays. He puts a lot of work into it, that’s not just happening by accident.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
Bake be the man,
September 16th, 2025 at 1:43 pm
Feisty Bake handled that flip tumble like a gymnast. He landed precisely where he wanted to land and wasn’t sweating Houston pulling something dirty on him. He’s gonna be sore but it sure won’t be cos of that particular play.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
When you’re third down (in a critical drive) and you need the first in a game that is tight and/or it’s fourth down and the other option is losing the game everyone understands that he needs to do what he needs to do.
It’s trying to extend every play by running that gets him into potential trouble. In those scenarios there’s nothing wrong with taking the sack, throwing it away and living to play another down.
Eventually he will get hurt.
Ironically I thought last night he did a terrific job in making those determinations. There were a few sacks and toss aways where I think he would have traditionally tried to fight thru
September 16th, 2025 at 2:09 pm
BradentuckeyBuc Says:
September 16th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Bake reminds me of Jeff Garcia 2.0
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Not even close. Mayfield after a Super Bowl W is on his way to the HOF. Told most to expect that several years ago. Remember Rod Munchburger? You have been an unrelenting Mayfield critic from the time Bucs signed him. Not going to ever let you forget. You need to either go away completely or get a new screen name. Most who have followed this blog for the last couple of years know the truth. Here is an alternative: just admit you were Mayfield wrong and rarely know what you are talking about. If you do that, we will graciously allow you to continue to say stupid stuff.
September 16th, 2025 at 3:42 pm
He will never admitt he was wrong Gipper , it’s not in his DNA. But everyone by now knows he has been wrong. He will sit back every game hoping, praying Baker will do something, anything wrong so he can complain. But old Bakie is moving on because the cream always rises to the top!!!