Baker Mayfield Is On To New Orleans
December 4th, 2025
Locked in.
Baker Mayfield is locked in.
Yesterday in Mayfield’s weekly press conference, the Sage of Tampa Bay sports, famed JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman, tried to get Mayfield to talk about the Stinking Panthers. Twice.
Mayfield wasn’t biting.
A main story around the NFL in the wake of last weekend’s games is that the Stinking Panthers are not just nipping at the ankles of the Bucs, they are breathing down their necks.
The three-game losing streak by the Bucs last month enabled the Stinking Panthers to pull within a half-game of Tampa Bay. Then Carolina beats the Rams, the very same team that seal-clubbed the Bucs a week prior.
Uh, oh.
First, Ira tried to ask Mayfield about former Bucs offensive coordinator and current Stinking Panthers coach Dave Canales. Mayfield was uninterested.
“We’ve got the Saints this week,” Mayfield said. “Dave can do what he wants.”
Realizing Mayfield was dismissing his question, Ira followed up saying how the Bucs have to play the Stinking Panthers two weeks from Sunday. Mayfield was unimpressed.
“Yeah… not yet,” Mayfield said. “We play the Saints this week.”
When you hate a team as much as the Bucs dislike the slimy Saints, you don’t look past them, you look forward to stomping their arses.
December 4th, 2025 at 10:04 am
Yes “Born Again Baker” is truly the leader of this Team and is the reason this team is in contention to win the Division again. Can’t say enough about him as a leader and the face of this franchise. We are so Blessed and Fortunate that things worked out the way they did with him landing here. Let’s get Baked! Now about that Putrid Pass Defense… Go Bucs!
December 4th, 2025 at 10:11 am
one game at a time!!!!
#beathesaint!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
December 4th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Don’t just beat the saints. Embarrass them! So hopefully our starters can rest the 4th qtr, since we have the thurs game.
December 4th, 2025 at 10:20 am
Quit all this whining…..we have beaten all the poor teams we played….and beaten two good teams….SF & Seattle.
The teams that beat us are all winning teams in playoff contention.
We are really not that bad…..sure, we could play better…..but let’s see how this shakes out.
December 4th, 2025 at 10:25 am
TB fan, I would say we beat 3 good teams ,, you forgot Houston who I think could end up winning the AFC south
December 4th, 2025 at 10:37 am
We are 3-5 vs Winning teams and 4-0 vs bad teams…I fig best we do was 11-6 and worst was 9-7 with this roster
December 4th, 2025 at 10:37 am
Panter games will determine who wins this division I bet.
December 4th, 2025 at 10:41 am
With the injuries, this is a upper to mid pack team. When/if the injury situation eases, we’ll be lower tier playoff team, unless the defense suddenly improves dramatically. Fact. No pass rush, poor tackling, and soft pass coverage will be the end of us.
December 4th, 2025 at 10:45 am
We need to make an example of the Saints. We beat them 23-3 with just 1 offensive TD which, we didn’t score until the start of the 2nd half. Gotta touch paint early and often in this game.
Our defense needs to use this as tune up game to get themselves back on track. Back in October Rashid Shaheed was their top targeted WR w/9 recs and 75 yards. Not even on the team anymore. Kamara(knee-ankle) & Olave(back) look like gametime decisions as they didn’t practice yesterday.
This game is an opportunity to make some strides on what has been holding us back on the field of play, streaky execution and not doing the little things that make a bigger difference on a consistent basis. Great opportunity to play a complete game
December 4th, 2025 at 10:46 am
Yes Shame on Ira for looking past the Saints!!, He knows better. WE all know how the Saints as bad as they are certainly capable, not on paper but the actual game in defeating us on Sunday. As casual as the Bucs can be with opponents, this could easily become a trap game. This is a division game, so throw everything out the window. It doesn’t matter who has the most talent, who has the better record, it will come down to who shows up ready to play. We have seen the Bucs can be casual on game day. Please just look at last week!!! Let’s hope Mayfield’s attitude becomes the whole team’s attitude Sunday. Yes sweeping division opponets in this league is not easy. I can guarantee you the Saints won’t get here and decide to roll over. They would love to throw a wrench into any division title!
Ira!!, just what were you thinking??
December 4th, 2025 at 10:48 am
Bucs better not underestimate the Saints! We do and the next thing you know they’ve thrown for 500 yards!
December 4th, 2025 at 10:55 am
BM6 is exactly correct! There is 5 games remaining. If the Bucs lose any of them, they may not make the playoffs! As far as BM6 is concerned, for the Bucs, the playoffs begin Sunday!
December 4th, 2025 at 11:09 am
Football is kinda, you know, tights and everything….
December 4th, 2025 at 11:09 am
BM6? Bowel Movement number 6. Stop the Acronym madness. Lets just win the next game.
December 4th, 2025 at 11:11 am
Everyone seems to be forgetting the Panthers bye week. When we win that week we will be an additional win ahead of them.
Aside from that…they have a few more hard games to win.
The division champs will be known before the last game (against the panthers).
December 4th, 2025 at 11:11 am
Glad Baker didn’t take the bait from Ira
Just shows journalist are always looking for their story and not what the story really is, the story this week is the AINTS
Wrong! It’s not bait. As Joe noted, it is a popular topic among fans and those interested in the team. Ira’s evaluation of “the story” is every bit as valid as your evaluation of what it is — and vice versal. For the record, Ira asked other questions of Mayfield, as well.–Joe
December 4th, 2025 at 11:14 am
Baker is the very last thing on this team I worry about. If 3/4 of the rest of the team had his desire and will to win we’d be in great shape right now.
December 4th, 2025 at 11:25 am
Did I miss the beef between Canales and Baker?
December 4th, 2025 at 11:25 am
The Bucs magic number is 3. Win three and we are in.
The Panthers need to win out. And they have an away game with the Seahawks that will be tough. They have to win all of their games to have a chance. And every Bucs win and Panthers loss will shrink their chances
IBarring another unforeseen injury, Bucs should win the next three. Unless we get more rain up in Charlotte. That rain was a big factor in the Panthers win over the Rams.
Go Bucs!!
December 4th, 2025 at 11:27 am
@joe if Graham Barton doesn’t have a podcast yet, he probably should. Listening to him in his interview yesterday somehow gives me some sort of comfort that not is all lost with this team. His insight seemed to shed light on what we all watched last week.
December 4th, 2025 at 11:41 am
stuck a dumb question to ask
December 4th, 2025 at 11:43 am
Irv The Nerve came on stronger than 3 sprays of Polo cologne…Baker beat him back. It’s good comedy if one can find the video of the interaction. Irv baited the hook by asking if Baler was “pissed” Can Do Canales was doing so well.
December 4th, 2025 at 11:47 am
Well considering the 2-11 Giants have scored the exact amount of points we have, I can’t tell what about this team is actually any good?
I am so tired of this Bowels experiment. How man years in a row do we have to watch this team implode after the bye and then go on a run to barely win the division, because this will be year 4?
We have way too good of a team on both side of the ball to be -22 in Net Points LMAO.
And yet PLAYOFFS? You are asking me about the PLAYOFFS!!
Embarrasing!!!!!!!!!!!
December 4th, 2025 at 11:56 am
Geez, worried about Atlanta more than Carolina. Cousins just destroys this defense. The guy does nothing all year long and then totally destroys Todd’s stinking defense every single time he plays us. Will Todd have any answers?
But yeah let’s worry about the Saints this week…. lol.
December 4th, 2025 at 11:59 am
Beating the Cardinals was a step in the right direction. The next two games will be critical in determining Bowles’s future with the team. If he goes 0-2 and loses 1 or both games against the Panthers, the Glazers might step in and pay the coach not to coach. They love to do that! I wonder who the interim would be? The Grizz? Yikes! Perish the thought! I believe that the Bucs can win out the rest of the season. LFG!!!
December 4th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Agree completely with TBBF!
December 4th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
buc4evr Says: “Will Todd have any answers?”
Yes, yes he will. Play soft coverage and drop the DEs to cover Drake London and Kyle Pitts. The Atl QB (doesn’t matter which one) will pass for 500+ yards and the Bucs will watch the playoffs from their couch come Jan.
How may years can this team wash-rinse-repeat to limp into the playoffs before something, anything, changes. Start with a new HC.
December 4th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
If you look up the most injured team in the NFL this year you will get the Bucs.
We have missed 73 games to injury.
It’s big name players too.
Even this week the Limited players are the QB, RB, Top 3 WRs and LT LOL.
Seriously.
December 4th, 2025 at 12:16 pm
Billy Bucco you are correct, but I think you’re missing context.
The players you mentioned for this week are all on offense, yet they have played pretty well through the injuries. The problem is with the defense. Also, injuries have nothing to do with effort. You can be upset that your defensive teammate is down, but you still have to give maximum effort. Are you seeing that on the defensive side? I doesn’t look like that a lot of Bucs fans.
December 4th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Bait, rat poison, call it what you want, Ira was laying it out!
December 4th, 2025 at 12:58 pm
…and the Bucs play the Falcons on Thursday night after the Saints’ game- they could be in big trouble before they even face the Panthers if they’re not focused.
December 4th, 2025 at 1:00 pm
“Does it piss you off how good canales is doing with the panthers this year” and then proceeds to follow up with another panthers questions when we are playing the saints this week lmfao are you have got to be kidding me. Way to piss off the franchise quarterback of the team you cover. Don’t expect much out of any questions joe asks from any of the players here in out. Little premature on the question Joe maybe could have waited until the week we play to ask those questions I’m sure you might’ve gotten a little more of a bite from baker. Was that you laughing by yourself in the background too?
December 4th, 2025 at 1:03 pm
It’s has the right to ask the question and Baker has the right to decline to go there!
December 4th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Ira
December 4th, 2025 at 1:07 pm
Whales are large.
December 4th, 2025 at 1:13 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
December 4th, 2025 at 10:45 am
This game is an opportunity to make some strides on what has been holding us back on the field of play,
only problem with that is the bowles haters will say the saints suck and we couldnt do it against teams like PHILLY, DET, NE, BUF, RAMS…
me personally, i just want to sweep the saints…dont care if its 2-3 or 55-56…sweep them and get ready for next week
GO BUCS!!!!
December 4th, 2025 at 1:22 pm
Exact mentality we need. Need these next two bad in order to have opportunity to clinch the division vs the Panthers. It all starts this week with the Saints. Hope the boys are ready and don’t come out flat like they are prone to doing sometimes
December 4th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
I just don’t care about the Saints, never will, they’re too boring to care about. Same for the Falcons and and absolutely the same for the most boring team in all of sports, the Panthers.