Baker Mayfield Shoulders Blame, Says Lay Off The Defense
December 12th, 2025
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield doesn’t want to hear any smack run about the Bucs defense.
Oh, the Bucs quarterback understands why Bucs fans are outraged at a defensive collapse, coughing up a two-touchdown lead in the second half to put the Bucs on the brink of collapse for the 2025 season.
Mayfield, instead, believes he set the table for the collapse. Mayfield threw a gruesome interception in the second half that gave the Dixie Chicks life and they responded.
“Falls on my shoulders,” Mayfield said. “Can’t turn the ball over. Can’t have that interception. Just got to hit [Emeka Egbuka] in stride on that third down.
“Listen, you can say what you want about being up two scores and the defense right there. We have to be better on offense. It comes down to how I play.”
While Mayfield’s play has slipped a great deal the past six weeks, he had a decent game on Thursday night. And despite having a terrible post-bye season, Mayfield is still the ultimate team guy. So Mayfield taking the blame is what he does to protect his teammates.
This loss is absolutely on the defense and, in particular, the defensive coordinator who still hasn’t learned to hatch a defense to stop Kirk freaking Cousins.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:05 am
How is the loss on the defense? Did they play great? No, but Baker threw a CRUCIAL interception in field goal range when you could’ve gone up 2 scores.
You cant say this was just on the defense. Both offensive and defensive collapse.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:05 am
Lee and Steve please bring this up on the next podcast. Baker mayfield is not the guy. He is overrated and it pains me to say bc I like him. Look at his record vs good teams and don’t even get me started in primetime. He’s won one regular season game (pritmetime) since being a buc. He is also inaccurate.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:07 am
Our Guru Bozo learned how to be a Guru from Timothy Leary. His defense shows it.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:13 am
T-Bucs, they were up two scores. Baker didn’t have his best game. But the defense gave up the booty, no matter what rod munching haters say.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:13 am
Baker if you are hurt then don’t play. I love you as a player but you had multiple weapons on the Browns and failed and you have the same on the Bucs….that ain’t no 6/7….Coach in my opinion is already fired but the QB play has also gotten me worried as of late. Go Bucs! Maybe next year!
December 12th, 2025 at 2:20 am
Zion lost the game with his neutral zone infraction before halftime. He solely changed the scoreboard from a field goal to a touchdown. Four point differential due to his mental mistake. He got bored and cost his team a victory.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:25 am
On the bright side (and there aren’t many) we don’t have to read comments this week whining about what Cade Otton chooses to wear on his hands
December 12th, 2025 at 2:29 am
This loss is on everyone in creamsicle to a certain extent.
But the worst consistent through line is the defense and the the poor special teams play.
Grizzard and and banged up Baker and Oline and WR core and Bucky didn’t help either.
Hoping the Glazers will make wise and prudent decisions going forward to improve the future.
Namaste
December 12th, 2025 at 2:38 am
3rd and 28
4th and 14
That’s on ReTodd and his miserable useless defense.
December 12th, 2025 at 2:40 am
What complete waste. Why should I watch? The players clearly don’t care. The coach just stands there, no fire at all! Utterly embarrassing
December 12th, 2025 at 2:50 am
Munch is right, If Baker is hurt then he should sit but imagine under the bridge in there. Baker seemed out of sorts for the past 2 weeks but he is all we have now. Maybe they can beg Trask back. Sorry….. Just kidding. I still think for next year Bowles must go. He is really a bad head coach. Nice guy bad head coach. Go bucs
December 12th, 2025 at 2:51 am
14 scored in the 2nd, 15 scored in the 4th….I like you Bake, but no, im not laying off the D and todd, and neither should anyone….lets be intelligent here.
December 12th, 2025 at 3:04 am
BOWLES HAS GOT TO GO.
The reality is, we squeaked out so many close games early in the season. We should probably be sitting at like 5-9 right now.
The fact that they cut Trask in favor of Bridgewater is also ridiculous.
With Trask, at least you had a guy with some upside potential that could have played some when Mayfield was banged up. Instead, you have Mayfield under pressure to feel like he has to play no matter how hurt he is.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR = FAILING GRADE
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR (BOWLES) = FAILING GRADE
HEAD COACHING = FAILING GRADE
SPECIAL TEAMS = FAILING GRADE
Glazers needs to CLEAN HOUSE and rebuild the entire coaching staff.
December 12th, 2025 at 3:10 am
Unfortunately for Baker & todd, it’s really hard to control the narrative when people can see what’s happening with their own eyes. This defense has been cheeks since before he was here. That being said, Baker is doing what MANY other players (and coaches) should be doing and shouldering the blame for his shortcomings. Not in a vague, passive way, but in a specific “here’s how I screwed up” kind of way. The next part of that SHOULD be “here’s what I’m doing to fix it,” but I guess we’re taking baby steps. Either that or he doesn’t have any answers either.
December 12th, 2025 at 3:11 am
So…Baker is now 27-24 here. 10-6 vs NFC South. 17-18 vs everyone else. Every year has a losing record against teams over 500. 1-9 in prime time games. He is like 8-17 vs pro bowl QBs and that’s not including his 1-3 record vs Kirk Cousins. He ended your last 2 playoff runs with a turnout. I’ll be fair. Detroit was a better team, better QB and at home. But that loss to Washington was inexcusable. A rookie QB with inferior offensive weapons and a WORSE defense (look it up) came to your stadium and pimp slapped you in his first playoff game. ANY and I mean ANY veteran QB with 50-75 or more starts would put up numbers with this team if they threw the ball 35 times a game over 17 games. Flacco,Brissett or whoever. A guy like Herbert would make them a 13-15 win juggernaut. Especially in this division. Throw all that in and Baker is 31 and cannot play from the pocket. Remember, since he came into the leauge he is the MOST inaccurate QB of all the ones with 100 or more starts since he came into the leauge in 2018. A younger,cheaperQb with a higher upside is not a luxury pick. It should be top priority
December 12th, 2025 at 3:22 am
Baker is 27-24 here. 10-6 vs NFC South,17-18 vs the rest of the league. Every year has a losing record vs winning teams..1-9 in prime time. 8-17 vs pro bowl QBs and that’s NOT including 1-3 vs Cousins because he is not a current/recent pro bowler. On a personal note: his time here he is 19th, 3rd and currently like 29th in completion percentage. Since he entered the league in 2018, of ALL the QBs with 100 or more starts Baker has the LOWEST completion percentage. Tell me again going back to 2023 he’s second on TD passes and I’ll tell you Jared Goff is first on tds and yards and Goff is exponentially better then Baker,he’s just boring and not as popular but that shows the problem with volume stats. What I will say about Goff also is he complied those numbers while going 35-12 in the Brutal NFC North. I don’t care about volume stats when your playing catch up ball against prevent defenses. I’ve seen Baker get so many garbage yards and tds these past 3 years. And this is the best Baker will ever be……
December 12th, 2025 at 3:23 am
I challenge anyone to tell me these linebackers are playing at the same level as the linebackers in 2020 including Lavonte David. meanwhile blame it on the DC who is the same DC as 2020. hmmm. GET SOME LINEBACKERS, and RBS won’t cut through our D
December 12th, 2025 at 3:29 am
Something to chew on: Alex Smith/Mahomes in 2017, Flacco/Lamar in 2018. Wentz/Hurts in 2020, Rogers/Love in 2020. Wentz was 26 and coming off a 4000 yard,27td/7int ,9-7 division winning year in 2019. First time in history a QB had 4000 yards and not one wide out to get 500 yards. His leading rusher had 800 yards,did they baby him? No. They drafted Hurts in the second round 3 months after the season. Greenbay traded up to take Jordan Love and Rogers was 36 and coming off a great season and that’s AROD. Baltimore traded up for Lamar 5 years after Flacco won the SB and had obe of the best SB runs ever.Im.sorry, one wildcard win in 3 years is not enough of a sentimental attachment to put off the obvious. I still think we win the division this year but it’s obvious what needs to be done.
December 12th, 2025 at 3:33 am
Keeps getting deleted but Baker is 27-24 here. 1-9 in prime time games. 8-17 vs pro bowl QBs and that’s not including a 1-3 record vs Kirk cousins. 10-6 vs NFC South, 17-18 vs the rest of the league. Every year losing record vs teams over 500. Since he came in the league (2018) he ihas the LOWEST competition % of ANY QB with at least 100 starts. Y’all know how the last 2 playoffs ended. Fun fact: The Washington Commanders defense gave up more points then our defense did in 2024, yet their rookie QB led them to the NFC title game.
December 12th, 2025 at 3:35 am
Bring on Belichick!
December 12th, 2025 at 3:39 am
This season is over, but Bake is still my guy…but we need someone in the wings waiting. Sawyer Robertson. I thought we could wait for the 3rd or 4th rd but it needs to be a 2nd. I see what i see…dont hate.
Sonny Styles 1st, Sawyer 2nd.
We need a legit bu to Baker…and to take over if the time comes….
You paying attention Jason?
December 12th, 2025 at 3:48 am
Yes Baker you sucked.
The D also sucked.
I always bash conservative play calling around here and I gotta rewatch this 2nd half to fully grasp what all happened but probably should have been running the ball when Baker threw his pick.
Amazing that we lost 2 tie to the offense fumbles. Looked to me like the Bucs had both.
Why did Todd accept the penalty to give them another down!? 10 yards is useful to be sure but 3rd and 18 is pretty good. Make the D stop 2 plays instead of 3.
And then you put the blitz away. 4 man rush has been useless for the better part of the season. Against Cousins… it’s rush 3 or send 6. Should have been no in between, especially late.
December 12th, 2025 at 3:49 am
Madmax: it’s not over due to the putrid nature of the division. IF Carolina lose we back in first. Even if they win if we beat them were back in first. I am worried about their moment I’m and having a energetic,vibrant HC but they are very inconsistent. Season far from over, if it were any other division it would be. If Carolina loses this weekend they would need to sweep us. I don’t see that but these are 2 deflating losses.
December 12th, 2025 at 4:13 am
Stop with the excuses for Baker Mayfield he is who is at this point of his career. He’s not a Superbowl type of quarterback and it’s just time to admit it. He had all of his weapons and most of those sacks were on him holding on the ball to long. And this defense is trash to time for Bowles to go. No more excuses!!!
December 12th, 2025 at 4:14 am
Baker let them back into the game. Baker has looked like a losing QB since the BYE. He isn’t getting rid of the ball and his happy feet show his fundamentals have gone backwards.
Bowles has lost the defense. They don’t play hard enough for him. They have fallen towards the bottom of the league in most defensive categories and after 14 games that unit has shown no improvement.
Bowles has written his own pink slip. Mayfield will have to satisfy next coach to decide on what QB makes sense for rebuild
December 12th, 2025 at 4:19 am
3rd/38
4th/14
To hang this on Mayfield is absurd. This defense would stink in a jr high game. The defense has been nonexistent for 3 years.
December 12th, 2025 at 4:27 am
Gipper your delusional in 2023 the defense was 7th in points allowed and 5th in turnovers LOL. Tell me your a casual without telling me your a casual. Last year the Commanders defense gave up MORE points then ours in the regular season and then went on to allow OVER 35 PPG in the playoffs YET their ROOKIE QB keep them to the NFC title game. It’s hysterical you Baker bros blame the defense for why we didn’t do squat last year ,yet a ROOkIE QB with a worse defense for his team to the final 4. And there will be more then one team in the playoffs with a defense that allows more points then ours. Wait until this weekend ends and everyone has played 14 games. Also, all INTs are not the same. When, where you throw them. If your leading or not. I can point to the Buffalo game. Not due to him but the team almost had 200 yards rushing thru 3 quarters and Baker threw a momentum changing picks. He did last week and last night too. All 3 times we were winning and all 3 of those ked to points to relinquish the lead. Facts Gipper.
December 12th, 2025 at 4:36 am
The defense gave up nearly 400 yards and 3 TDs to Cousins, a guy who lost his starting job to Penix. How is this not on the defense?
December 12th, 2025 at 4:44 am
He throws crucial picks and let the other team in the game. Buffalo. We were winning. He throws a pick, they get the ball at our 25. Next play,TD. They have the lead. Never gave it back up. Game over. Last week, Baker threw a pick, they get it back at midfield. Score, they retake the lead. The pick tonight ket them back in the game. I’m not absolving the defense but the the QB plays a role. He’s a inaccurate, sub.500 well tracked journeyman for a reason. He doesn’t make winning plays regularly
December 12th, 2025 at 4:45 am
And how come our QB never lights anyone up? He was good against Houston, Seattle, 49ers. The rest of the year he’s been Cleveland Baker