Time For Baker Mayfield To Rescue The Bucs
December 28th, 2025
Bucs need their leader now.
Earlier in the season, when folks were speaking about Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield being an MVP, there was a solid reason for that.
There were games — Houston springs to mind — where Mayfield simply willed the Bucs to win. Put his body on the line. Sacrificed his health.
Mayfield was having a career year it seemed. And then he got hurt. He hasn’t been the same since. Jeff Howe of The Athletic points out Mayfield’s past six games have been bad, in part, because he has been hurt.
Oh, it’s been earlier than that. The last good defensive game the Bucs had is when they took over and stomped the slimy Saints in New Orleans. Mayfield was almost a non-factor that day as he was fighting through that game much less than 100 percent.
Mayfield, who is playing through injuries, has seven turnovers and seven total touchdowns over the Bucs’ last six games, and he has completed 57 percent of his passes for an average of 158.7 passing yards along with 29.5 rushing yards over that span. The Bucs are 1-5 and have fallen out of the playoff picture during that stretch.
Since, the Bucs’ defense has collapsed. If you add up the four times someone (Todd Bowles twice, Lavonte David, Mayfield) has unloaded on defensive teammates for lacking a killer instinct, being mentally checked out and not giving a “s(p)it” — the last word was Bowles’ description — it’s clear the defense is checked out, for whatever reason.
The next two games, starting this afternoon, the Bucs need their franchise quarterback more than ever to resurrect himself.
If the Bucs make the playoffs, it seems to Joe that Mayfield is going to have to put the team on his back and carry them to the postseason.
December 28th, 2025 at 12:40 am
Lose out so we can blow this thing up and start over.
December 28th, 2025 at 1:10 am
Baker carr sucks he plays his heart out but he ain’t the answer a qb
December 28th, 2025 at 1:36 am
Well, Baker said that he was finally, fully healthy, and feeling great last weekend leading up to the game… So much so, that he said, he had taken off the extra padding on his NON throwing shoulder.
December 28th, 2025 at 1:40 am
So, I guess they’re ALL just fulluvit then… Lickt full of himself, and Bowles full of cluelessness.
December 28th, 2025 at 1:44 am
We are desperately lacking in the mental heavyweight department, THAT IS FOR SURE.
December 28th, 2025 at 1:57 am
Ain’t gonna happen. Bwoles has him in handcuffs.
December 28th, 2025 at 2:41 am
The icing on the season and the head coach would be 35+ points for the offense but still loose the game!
December 28th, 2025 at 4:00 am
Malik Willis is pricing himself out of our range, he’s got to relax.
December 28th, 2025 at 5:09 am
Go watch the last drive versus Carolina.
Vea looked miserable. Like he didn’t want to be out there.
And we called an all out blitz that got no pressure.
December 28th, 2025 at 5:23 am
Hes not a franchise QB or he wouldn’t be on his fourth team in five years.
What’s he won? Two playoff games.
I like him, but stop trying to make him better than he is.
It’s also the NFL. Players get hurt. You still must perform well.
His legs and right arm look fine to me.
December 28th, 2025 at 5:45 am
The Bucs have 5 1st round picks starting on offense, although Wirfs is out this week.
The Defense has Vea the only 1st round starter.
Kancey has been out, JTS was a bust, White is floundering with the Raiders and Hall and Braswell (2nd rounders) merely serviceable.
And the FA signings on D haven’t helped much.
The offense has to carry this team and they have been failing.