Extending Plays
October 4th, 2025
Bails out offense.
Apparently, this comes straight from the numbers crunchers who chug coffee in the great Northwest.
(Joe flew into Seattle for the first time Friday. A brief stroll around downtown, there are coffee shops on every block in this city plopped down into a forest. Sort of reminded Joe of Munich, which has a brauhaus on every block.)
By way of Brady Henderson of BPSN, Seahawks’ statheads fed Seattle coach Mike MacDonald intel that no quarterback in the NFL extends plays and gets production from extended plays as well as Baker Mayfield.
No stats were offered. But MacDonald seems to believe containing Mayfield is his defense’s key tomorrow.
Coach Mike Macdonald said that by the Seahawks’ in-house metrics, Mayfield is probably the best quarterback in the NFL right now in terms of extended-play situations. “That’s something you have to deal with, but he also plays on time,” Macdonald said. “He’s extremely accurate, he’s got a great arm, and then when he extends plays, obviously he’s a great competitor.” Mayfield has the eighth-fastest average time before throw at 2.68 seconds.
Now Joe doesn’t know what that stat means. Does it suggest Mayfield is one of the quickest quarterbacks to get off a pass? Does this mean that Mayfield is pressured so much that he has to get rid of the ball?
The injuries to the Bucs’ offensive line and all the shifting around and Charlie Heck’s struggles in pass blocking may indicate that.
However, Joe is wondering if looking at the flip side of the coin is the reason Mayfield is unloading passes. Could it be that Bucs receivers are getting open that quickly?
October 4th, 2025 at 8:19 am
Whether you have to rush to throw or not our receivers are getting open or Mayfield is dealing with another 60 plus percent passing percentage again this year
October 4th, 2025 at 8:23 am
Between total offensive line changes and losing key receivers it’s a credit to the team how well they have played. It hasn’t been pretty but this team has shown true grit, especially under the leadership of Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles.
This team has rallied as a unit. If most of the injured players return after the bye š week, the Super Bowl š could be number 3 for the Bucs.
It would amazing to watch how good the Bucs could be.
October 4th, 2025 at 8:25 am
I see tight window throws frequently which would indicate not a lot of time for plays to develop. And when he does hold it a little longer, thatās when he has to pull a Houdini occasionally to avoid the rush which has resulted in some nice runs for first downs.
October 4th, 2025 at 8:46 am
I think having The Great and Powerful Trask backing him up the last two years was the key to Bakerās career resurgence. I know I would have great confidence knowing that I came out on top competing against a guy that almost beat Alabama one time.
October 4th, 2025 at 9:11 am
@BAās Red Pen
Trask’s contributions can’t be overlooked even this season. His loyalty is unparalleled. He’s turned down other positions and stands in his backyard with a clipboard just to give Baker continuity – unsung hero.
October 4th, 2025 at 9:16 am
Bake is very slippery back there. Even in close quarters.
October 4th, 2025 at 9:24 am
āNow Joe doesnāt know what that stat means. Does it suggest Mayfield is one of the quickest quarterbacks to get off a pass? Does this mean that Mayfield is pressured so much that he has to get rid of the ball?ā
Look at his career splits between passing over/under 2.5 seconds, and tell me which youād prefer. 3 OCs in and theyāve all have mentioned the same thing in terms of getting the ball out of Bakersā hands. Who also has to get off his spot on his own because he canāt see over the OL evidenced by that botched fles flicker and tipped redzone pass or the instance he had to Billy ball spike his own tiipped pass.
October 4th, 2025 at 9:27 am
I thought Trask was cut loose. Has he been brought back?
October 4th, 2025 at 9:40 am
All of us who started following Baker early on already knew this. We are not Bros or a cult or biased just people with good judgement. It was the outside agitators with a non football agenda who were against him.
October 4th, 2025 at 10:08 am
Through 4 games I’m seeing 2 different things with Baker. First, he’s now run 14 times for 129 yds, an average of 9.2 YPC. That’s incredible all by itself, but even more incredible is that of those 14 runs, NINE have been scambles for 1st downs. Bucs have 23 first downs rushing in those 4 games … and Baker, scrambling, has generated almost 40% of those. Incredible.
But more worrisome is that he’s getting pummeled, and it’s obviously impacting his training days and most likely his performance in games. Last season he completed passes at a 71.4% completion rate. This season that’s down to 59.7% although the yardage (904 passing yards) is still on-track for 3,800 yds for the season, not monstrously far off of the 4,500 passing yards he threw for in 2024 considering all the receivers we’ve been missing.
Not counting our RBs (who are catching the ball at a 96.4% rate), our WRs & TEs are only averaging catching the ball at a 50.5% rate. Missing Godwin for the first 3 games, Evans for this last game, and McMillan for all 4 games certainly hasn’t helped. Neither has having a new OC I’m sure, with his own adjustments on how plays should be run. Last season our WRs caught the ball at a 67.5% rate, and our TEs caught it at a 70.1% rate. And the Drop percentage is actually lower this season (4.8% in 2024 versus 4.5% in 2025 thus far).
I think Oscar nailed the biggest part of why with his comment: ‘tight window throws frequently which would indicate not a lot of time for plays to develop’.
October 4th, 2025 at 11:18 am
As always, Defense Rules, your comments are well thought out and worth finding.
October 4th, 2025 at 11:49 am
If receivers were getting open quickly – then Baker’s completion % would be closer to 70% than 50%……
He’s getting rid of the ball faster than he wants to in a number of instances due to pressure. I’ve noticed a few times where receivers are just starting to look for the ball and its already there….
Mayfield is playing high level football to start this year considering all the limitations he’s working with…. (green OC, WR injuries, unprecedented OLine injuries).
October 4th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
We are 3-1 with all these injuries. People are going to start to come back soon and thenā¦.watch out!
October 4th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Baker has the best accuracy and arm on the run outside of the pocket. Heās almost better when heās rolling out so Iām surprised we donāt have that as a part of the gameplan. Some playaction rollout passes
October 4th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
I think it starts with the O line.
Pass plays don’t have time to develop, so it’s dink and dunk or scramble, unless it’s a run play.
Baker has to get rid of the ball quickly.
I don’t mean this as a knock on our O line. We’re 3-1 despite the musical chairs we’ve had to play with that unit. I think they’ve done quite well.
We get Luke back and the line settles in, Baker should have a little more time to get rid of the ball.
October 4th, 2025 at 7:22 pm
Joe,
It is natural to drink coffee morning, noon and night in Seattle. Something about the place. Even staying up late is natural there, hence coffee shops everywhere. Here in FL , I only drink morning coffee or risk not being able to sleep at night if drinking it later. They have some pretty good beer too!
October 4th, 2025 at 11:55 pm
Did we watch the same Eagles game? Outside of maybe 4 or 5 plays, Bucs receivers were most definitely NOT getting open, quickly or slowly.