Baker Mayfield Knew Vikings’ Signals
September 12th, 2023
“Hey Schefter, tell your pal Mike Greenberg I’m hunting $40 million next season.”
And here is possibly Exhibit 6.7 why Todd Bowles chose Baker Mayfield as his quarterback well before the Bucs officially ended the August competition between Mayfield and Kyle Trask.
Experience is a great teacher and Mayfield is known for his quick-study ways and impressive football IQ.
Rachaad White was on the Buccaneers Radio Network last night, available at Buccaneers.com, and he responded to a question about what turned the corner for the Bucs offense after such a rough start against the Vikings on Sunday.
One aspect, per White ,was Mayfield cracking codes to the Vikings defense.
“I just remember Bake came in the locker room, literally at halftime, he said, ‘I got it. We got all these signals,'” White said of Mayfield. “We’re in there talking as an offense and he’s like, ‘I know all these signals. If they do this, they’re going into Cover-2. If they do this, they’re going into Cover-3. Every time I alert this and they do this signal, they’re dropping back to this.’ And I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’ … I was just listening to him and we were listening to him and we just kind of understood.”
How cool is that? Mayfield going all Wile E. Coyote on a defensive guru like Vikings defensive coordiantor Brian Flores.
White praised Mayfield for his composure all game. “He never tried to force anything,” White said.
A big trash talker himself, White said he loved what he heard and experienced from Mayfield: “You just seen the fire all game.”
September 12th, 2023 at 8:40 am
Sniff Arm Mayfield is starting to impress me.
September 12th, 2023 at 8:48 am
Dude was the #1 pick 5 years ago. He’s not talentless. Seems like the kind of guy to give his all to the organization if the organization believes in him. Cleveland ditched him after literally putting his body on the line and winning a playoff game. Carolina was a clusterpluck last season and he was a stop-gap in LA. I don’t know why the media consensus is the man is trash when he’s still young and is motivated. I can’t say what the future holds, but he showed be enough week 1 to wholeheartedly support him as our starting QB.
September 12th, 2023 at 8:51 am
Mayfield will make sure all the Bucs play with a chip on there shoulder.
September 12th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Baker mayfield not playing like a sorry as quarterback and Todd bowels not coaching like a big scaredy cat? What sorcery is this?!
September 12th, 2023 at 8:57 am
Yeah…but Trask can read minds.
September 12th, 2023 at 8:59 am
One down, 16 to go
September 12th, 2023 at 9:00 am
I hope the Bucs NEVER agree to be on Hard Knocks.
September 12th, 2023 at 9:06 am
Yep Hard Knocks = Cursed.
That said their defense is as advertised.
Can’t win with Zach Wilson IMO though.
September 12th, 2023 at 9:11 am
Except that they won with Zach Wilson last night……..
September 12th, 2023 at 9:19 am
So your running back goes on a radio show and broadcasts how Baker broke the signal codes? Well done Rachaad. You’re divulging secrets you Ding Dong.
September 12th, 2023 at 9:23 am
Got some doubts about that one. If that is the case we should have won by …a more substantial margin.
Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2023 at 9:32 am
When I say Baker Mayfield may hopefully become our Drew Brees, I’m not suggesting he will put up the passing numbers Brees did. Just look at the similarities to the start of each career. Both were considered smallish but talented and drafted high. Both got off to a rough start with injuries and were cast off by their first teams. Both were considered washed up. Brees then paired with Sean Peyton and magic happened for many years. I’m hoping Canales and Mayfield can find that same magic and so far so good. While their personalities are different the do even resemble one another.
September 12th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Bucs are going to be a tough, gritty team this year, and that is a good thing. I wonder what’s going to happen if we actually get a good running game going?
September 12th, 2023 at 9:34 am
R White is always talking dude break a freaking tackle
September 12th, 2023 at 9:36 am
White’s production was one of the few disappointments from Sunday’s game. He should also keep that type of info. in-house.
September 12th, 2023 at 9:47 am
I liked Rachaad better when he talked significantly less… The more he blabs, the less yards he gains, the more annoying this guy is to me. Tucker is playing it right and letting his work speak for himself IMO
September 12th, 2023 at 9:53 am
Shake N’ Baker!
…and I helped!
September 12th, 2023 at 9:58 am
Durango…
EXACTLY!
Also. he needs to keep his mouth shut until he proves he is RB1..
So far..he is unimpressive except for one game.
All he does is seek attention by running his mouth instead of his legs.
September 12th, 2023 at 10:14 am
Drew Brees was drafted and coached by the San Diego (back then) Chargers. His rookie contract expired and he became a free agent. The Chargers drafted another QB they were high on, and NOLA went after Brees like a house on fire. Brees was NOT chopped liver in San Diego. The Aints offered him a great deal and he took it. Sheesh! I don’t know much about Mayfield, but the more I learn, the more impressed I am. If he’s got the ability to read & figure out opposing D calls and signals, WOW! It’s becoming obvious that he’s got the respect of his fellow Bucs.
September 12th, 2023 at 10:16 am
I might have to re-up my nfl package.
September 12th, 2023 at 10:20 am
He played on the same team as Min DC last year.
September 12th, 2023 at 10:20 am
They drafted rivers when Brees got hurt but still had time on his contract…. they gave up on him. Simular to bakers situation except san Diego’s gm didn’t slander Brees to make himself look competent.
September 12th, 2023 at 10:24 am
If they knew the signals and White still had 17 carries for only less than 30 yards 😌
September 12th, 2023 at 10:28 am
Bakers has talent he’s just not consistently accurate.
September 12th, 2023 at 10:56 am
Hey, White, STFU BRO.
Now, all teams have to do is switch their signals up at halftime and there goes that advantage we could’ve had…
Idiot! (Napolean Dynamite voice)
September 12th, 2023 at 10:58 am
Hey, Bucs, NEVER ALLOW WHITE ON THE AIR AGAIN IN AN UNSCRIPTED FORMAT.
Dude is too much of sn open book.
While I respect that in most aspects of life, this is football and you can’t divulge trade secrets bro or you hurt the team.
Smh
September 12th, 2023 at 11:08 am
I don’t think White gave up any “secrets” with what he said about Mayfield knowing the defensive calls. It means Baker was paying attention and figuring them out. That’s the job of a QB and OC.
It’s not like Alex Cora and the Astros stealing signs using covert tactics. It’s film study of tendencies, probably a few whispers from Canales during the game “Hey, Bake…do you see what we see when they call “X” or “Y”?. Here…look at the tablet.”
I’m glad Mayfield and the coaches were paying attention. That’s how you adjust and we saw it in the second half. No secret there. Just don’t get so overconfident that you “know” what they’ll do and get hit with a curveball.
“I know they think they know and they know that we think they know so we’ll do what they don’t know, ya know?”
Joe’s spot-on about Baker’s experience. It took guys like Brady, Manning, Rodgers, Brees many years to start “playing chess when the defense was playing checkers” .Mayfield still only has a few years playing in the league but it’s a few years more than our QB2 (relax, not a dig at Kyle, just facts). He’s showing a good football IQ and seems to want to keep getting better.
The fact that White and the rest of the guys believe in him is huge. I think that’s the point White was making.
September 12th, 2023 at 11:22 am
I’m a Bucs fan. I arrived in the Tampa Bay area in 1995 just in time to see Malcolm Glazer purchase the Bucs for a huge (at that time) sum of money. From my perch in Maine I had followed the Pats, Dolphins, Falcons (yes they SUCKED but I was from Georgia) and this new team called the Buccaneers down in Tampa. I loved those “creamsicle” uniforms. I saw Pete Carroll coach the Pats unsuccessfully but I’m not sure he was treated fairly and I have followed him since. I thought Drew Brees got a RAW DEAL in San Diego. I was glad to see NO get him and was always sort of rooting for him but not to the Bucs expense. Now you know where I coming from. Don’t get me going on Jerry Glanville racing in NASCAR.
September 12th, 2023 at 11:26 am
I have to admit though, Bucco Bruce always gave me pause.
September 12th, 2023 at 11:47 am
That’s what Brady used to do. He’d suck first half as he figured out their signals in the second and tear ’em up.
Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2023 at 11:50 am
Malcolm Glazer’s first Coaching hire was Tony Dungy. I think his children are happy with the Todd Bowles hire for many reasons.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:05 pm
If you guys are doubting Mayfield’s brain, go search Mayfield Athletic intelligence quotient and let me know what you come up with. The guy is smart and has elite arm talent.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:11 pm
I* don’t think anyone was screaming for Dungy’s head after one season.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:13 pm
Baker Mayfield will have to play well in more than one half to impress me.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:31 pm
No Bonzai they weren’t. I must admit to having doubts about Mr. Coach Triple B.
However, from professional sports journalists to speculators such as myself 99% of us will never ( as Paul Harvey used to say ) ” know the rest of the story”.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
Joe … ‘How cool is that? Mayfield going all Wile E. Coyote on a defensive guru like Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Not cool at all in my opinion; more like ‘Dumber than dirt’. White needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut.
So now the question arises ‘Was it Canales’ adjustments that allowed us to do so much better in the 2nd half OR was it that Mayfield had figured out Vikings’ defensive calls & was able to take advantage?’
September 12th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says: Baker Mayfield will have to play well in more than one half to impress me.
Yeah dude, I’m sure that’s keeping him up at night knowing some troll on JBF isn’t impressed with him.
September 12th, 2023 at 1:01 pm
Defense Rules…are you trying to become a speculator ? I don’t know a lot about the game of football as I only played one year in high school but I don’t think Rachaad White gave away any secrets. These players, coaches and GM’s are way smarter and aware than you appear to be.
September 12th, 2023 at 1:03 pm
should have said…way smarter and more aware
September 12th, 2023 at 1:40 pm
Maybe don’t broadcast that you know what codes Minnesota is using RW.
September 12th, 2023 at 1:49 pm
Just tell everyone! smh
September 12th, 2023 at 2:14 pm
As time goes on, White has been less and less impressive.
The fact we are still talking about this is telling.
OL woes aside, something else is missing.
September 12th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
19 games and counting. One good outing in 19 games. Not a good ratio.
September 12th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
I don’t believe it was such a “secret” that White shared. If the Bucs played the Vikings again this season perhaps but it’s part of the game.
If we don’t think the Vikes haven’t dissected tape thoroughly and realized the Bucs made adjustments that did them in we are very respectful of their coaching.
Flores already knows what happened. It’s not really important whether he credits it to the Dawg or to the new OC.
What can he do different? Disguise his D better? Do we not think he had already disguised it? It’s a chess match and on Sunday he lost. Mayfield or Canalas or both figured out the moves to checkmate Flores.
September 12th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
Oops AREN’t RESPECTFUL OF VIKINGS COACHING.
September 12th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
Richie Rich I didn’t know that Baker played for Pittsburgh last year
September 13th, 2023 at 12:01 am
Only Game 1, Baker looked and sounded great as expected. Need a Running game though. Hoping Tucker gets on a run
September 13th, 2023 at 8:28 pm
Calm down people. Haven’t any of you played football on a high school or collegiate level ?
If it had been a division game I would have a problem with what R.White said but it wasn’t and every coach uses different terminology . We need to be more concerned with the O-line play.
Not good enough . We gonna see Trask if we want it or not .
Go Bucs since 1978