Time For Baker Mayfield To Rescue The Bucs
December 28th, 2025
Bucs need their leader now.
Early this season, when folks spoke about Baker Mayfield being an MVP, there was a solid reason.
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.
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.
Oh, it’s been longer 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.
Since, the Bucs’ defense has collapsed.
If you add up the four times someone (Todd Bowles twice, Lavonte David, Mayfield) has unloaded on teammates for lacking a killer instinct, being mentally checked out and not giving enough 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 at Miami, the Bucs need their franchise quarterback more than ever to resurrect himself.
If the Bucs are to make the playoffs, it seems to Joe that Mayfield will 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.
December 28th, 2025 at 7:26 am
Had it not been for early season heroics from Baker Mayfield, Bucs would be 2-13…..
Of course we will need to depend on him….
December 28th, 2025 at 7:30 am
Enough, with the Excuses for Baker, he’s just not good enough! Period! I’ll blame the GM,HC and Baker for this mess that we are in, we should have been a 12-13 win team this year, and the Coordinators are Awful as well! We are wasting talent on this team, with these people,that are supposed to be in charge! Let’s Go Bucs!
December 28th, 2025 at 7:41 am
Actually this is true,
No more Mr Nice Guy to all his teammates
Thing is it’s not in his DNA to get after his teammates
December 28th, 2025 at 7:48 am
I need specifics. Hurt what?
December 28th, 2025 at 7:51 am
Funny. No matter what team hes on when Baker plays bad, which is more often than him playing good, then all media outlets say it’s the injuries. Doesn’t matter if hes not on the injury report either.
If Baker could rescue the team, we’d have seen that after the bye. The market has corrected itself and Baker is playing back to his normal level.
The days of building a team around Baker are done. Its time for a fresh start for the Bucs. No old head coaches, no journeyman qbs and no defensive old HCs.
Young offensive HC with a young dynamic qb. That’s what the Bucs need.
December 28th, 2025 at 7:52 am
Most players are in it for the money and sit if they are hurt like Lamar, Watson, and the Cardinals guy. But not Baker and he gets criticized for it.
December 28th, 2025 at 7:58 am
I can’t help but think that if Coen was our HC we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
December 28th, 2025 at 8:05 am
Baker needs to go super saiyan mode and go on a run. He has the highest post season quarterback rating. Like you just have to win two to get to the dance and anything can happen
December 28th, 2025 at 8:05 am
Actually bee your scenario of the media protecting Baker is quite the opposite. The media savaged Baker in 2022 and it nearly ended his career. Mcvey rescued him and gave him a pep talk. Baker has to fight against the media who hates him because of his cocky immature college antics. Bucs do need to draft a QB this time but throwing a kid to the wolves don’t work either. Let Baker mentor him first like KC did in PH in his first season.
December 28th, 2025 at 8:09 am
“Lose out so we can blow this thing up and start over.”
So, you think picking 12-13th in the draft is going to be the answer to turning the whole thing around?
Yeah, moving up five or six spots in the draft will be a real game changer [insert eye roll here].
December 28th, 2025 at 8:11 am
Tough to take charge and lead the team when your coaches pre-determine that you need to run the ball at least 30 times.
December 28th, 2025 at 8:37 am
Hodad
Do you play these ‘what if’ games with the decisions you’ve made in your personal life as well?
Must be a miserable existence….
December 28th, 2025 at 8:52 am
The last minute heroics would not necessary, if his playing was better in the first 3 quarters. Like, praising the arsonist for rescuing the people in the house.
December 28th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Blow up the Bucs!!! Wow e have some of the goofiest fans in sports. We’d be 10-5 if this team beat the NFC South the last three games and none of those teams have half the talent we have. Baker wouldn’t be saving the Bucs he’d be saving Bowles. It’s time to get rid of this entire coaching staff AND get a veteran OC in here
December 28th, 2025 at 9:03 am
Baker needs to play good. It’s not the media. The media both destroyed him which was not fair but also elevated him to God’status which is also not true. He’s above average and definitely top 12, but it stops there. Not top six.
he committed to the city and the team and both reciprocated.
Now we just need to figure out the pass defense and secondary and maybe get a better offensive coordinator.
December 28th, 2025 at 9:09 am
You whiny Baker bashers are clueless. The offensive line is a wreck. Luke Goedeke was limited all week. Wirfs is out. Bredeson is on IR. Mauch is on IR. You expect a quarterback to single handedly have a great game behind a makeshift offensive line?
December 28th, 2025 at 9:13 am
Baker is not playing well.
Tristan Wirfs is not playing well.
Most players are not playing well.
If all one has to talk about at this point in the season is that Baker is not playing well..You may want to find another hobby.
Because you suck at this one.
December 28th, 2025 at 9:27 am
It sure would be a great time because he’s been MIA for half the year
December 28th, 2025 at 9:48 am
The Buccaneers have never drafted a QB and developed them. But sure. Keep screaming they need to draft yet another one.
December 28th, 2025 at 9:50 am
Two runs up the middle , third and seven and then they tell Baker to do something ,,, that Carolina game there was about 10 good opportunities to do a play action ,,, but that wasn’t the game plan
December 28th, 2025 at 10:02 am
BucaneroJim. Last week we drove the length of the field with the opening kickoff to take a 7-3 lead. Then we took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove the length of the field to take a 17-13 lead. I can’t pinpoint what’s wrong with this team. Neither can you.
December 28th, 2025 at 10:18 am
“Let’s blow this thing up and start over.” Joe Bucs Fan has be me the MAGA site. That hasn’t worked in our country and it won’t work in the NFL either. We tried that once and ended up with the lost decade. There is a lot of talent on this team and in the front office. This has been a disappointing year largely, in my opinion, due to a rash of injuries to top players, an absence of decent backups, and a tough schedule. We have been competitive in all but one game. We are very much like l as st year’s 49ers. They didn’t blow up the whole franchise and are again a double-digit win team. Drop the anger, stay calm, and come back strong next year. Every.life faces disappointments. Cope don’t quit.
December 28th, 2025 at 10:28 am
Bee Says:
December 28th, 2025 at 7:51 am
Funny. No matter what team hes on when Baker plays bad, which is more often than him playing good, then all media outlets say it’s the injuries. Doesn’t matter if hes not on the injury report either.
If Baker could rescue the team, we’d have seen that after the bye. The market has corrected itself and Baker is playing back to his normal level.
The days of building a team around Baker are done. Its time for a fresh start for the Bucs. No old head coaches, no journeyman qbs and no defensive old HCs.
Young offensive HC with a young dynamic qb. That’s what the Bucs need.”
The Bucs need better fans that aren’t clueless
December 28th, 2025 at 10:43 am
Play 4 WR and have a different WR run a double move every single play.
December 28th, 2025 at 11:35 am
It’s hard to blame Baker while missing both starting guards and our All Pro RT (today).
With that, I would love a young offensive HC and a new QB being mentored. Draft and FA should be DE and LB focused.
December 28th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
For those of you that want a new HC and dynamic QB,, A) QBs are not falling out of trees these days ,, could trade for Lamar or Kyler I guess,, Beyond that who ya gonna get who’s better
December 28th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
This season began with some of the media gaslighting fans that the Bucs had all the pieces of the puzzle not just to win the South but to even go to the Super Bowl! Sadly, even before preseason, some of the main parts of the puzzle were not available. Then, as the season progressed, other parts of the puzzle were lost for extended periods of time. Yes, replacement pieces were available, but most were likened to putting a square peg into a round hole! So now, management has to deal with the folks who put the fractured puzzle together and/or replace the entire puzzle? Either way, it appears Buc fans are heading to same fate of the dinosaurs.
December 28th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
Watching Jags/Colts listen to Bucs Radio, they are always good.. Should be fun. May the best teams win. JBF ready to roll online….Fans on the run.
December 28th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
With an injured Mayfield and his performance in the last several games means a quick out for the Bucs in 2025.
Will the Bucs make needed changes. If they think they’re contenders a late house cleaning should mean coaches and players will need to upgrade their resumes. That’s how businesses
work.
December 28th, 2025 at 8:36 pm
Bucs need a new OC with imagination