Tale Of The Tape
September 20th, 2023
Leader.
Maybe this is why the Browns are the Browns and why the Bucs won a Super Bowl under the team’s current shot-callers?
Back in 2020, the Bucs won it all, an improbable feat made realistic when Tom Brady was lured to town.
On another side of the country in the same season, a quarterback by the name of Baker Mayfield was able to lead the Browns to their first playoff win since Bill Belicheat was prowling the sidelines in the Mistake by the Lake.
My, how things changed. After Mayfield was injured, given up on and bounced between a pair of teams, Mayfield ends up replacing Brady with the Bucs.
Meanwhile, the Browns gave a king’s ransom to a guy who allegedly got way too handsy with women, Deshaun Watson. Not only could Watson replace Mayfield, the Browns believed, but the Browns could win with Watson.
(Yes, Joe knows there was a year between Mayfield leaving and the Browns playing Watson.)
Well, here we are two weeks into the 2023 season and look who has had a better season, the expensive overhyped Watson or the Bucs’ $4 million dollar man, Mayfield?
Watson is leading a 1-1 team. Mayfield has led the Bucs to a 2-0 record, which more often than not means a team is playoff-bound.
How wild would it be that the guy the Browns gave up on turns out to be better than the guy the Browns talked themselves into believing would be a franchise savior?
Perhaps this is why the Browns are the Browns, and the Bucs’ hierarchy has already built a Super Bowl champion.
.@Buccaneers @bakermayfield with great timing to @MikeEvans13_ & @CGtwelve_ you know…the way it has to be. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/CeaDxg6c0U
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 19, 2023
Stats this season for…
Baker Mayfield: 69.1%, 490 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 104.4 rating, 28 rush yards
Deshaun Watson: 55.1%, 389 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 69.1 rating, 67 rush yards, 1 rush TD pic.twitter.com/itA8kSfZ9W
— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) September 19, 2023
September 20th, 2023 at 12:11 am
Browns are 1-1. Not only did they let loose their franchise quarterback in Baker….they slandered him with “an adult in the qb room” bs. Life long browns fan but I left with baker after that bs.
September 20th, 2023 at 12:11 am
Yes Joe that all sounds correct to a lay person like myself, but apparently you haven’t read what the football gurus commenting on JBF are writing. You see The Bucs are winning, but it’s against the two worst teams in the league. And the good teams are losing, but they’re losing to the other good teams. See? It’s not if you win, it’s who you play. That’s what matters. I’ve also learned it’s not how much you score but how many yards you gain. Seriously I’m learning so much and I’m happy that I was able to share my enlightenment with you.
September 20th, 2023 at 12:37 am
I’m assuming that’s sarcasm Raining.
Just look at the 21st ranking by NFL.
Minnesota turned the ball over 4 almost 5 times without an offsides call by Philly and lost by 6.
It’s obvious that the rankings are mostly based on last year at the top.
And like you said who have you beat.
When the Bucs beat Philly, let’s see what they do.
Philly gave up 5 or 6 sacks to a team that didn’t sack us.
I’m not impressed.
September 20th, 2023 at 12:43 am
There wasn’t a year between. DW had to serve a suspension, but they were on the roster at the same time. Traded to Carolina on July 7, DW signed in March.
September 20th, 2023 at 12:48 am
Watching Watson play as poorly as he did Monday night, the investigation of him shoving a ref and his conduct on the field may get him another suspension…
Meanwhile Baker is just the latest proof of just how awful the Browns organization is at evaluating qbs,,,,
Hopefully Baker keeps it going and the Bucs are the surprise team this year!
September 20th, 2023 at 12:54 am
Billy the sports media and the bookies had us going 0-2 and Baker being a one man wrecking machine for The Bucs. They were wrong and now we’re 2-0. Not only are we 2-0 but the one man wrecking machine has done a good job. And honestly I couldn’t care less what the haters think about our wins.
September 20th, 2023 at 1:02 am
This offense is a good fit with Baker. Maximizes his skills, minimizes his deficiencies, and he’s chucking the ball to a top 5 WR duo. This offense is just getting started. ME said as much and I’m pretty sure he knows what a realistic expectation is. Dont sleep on this team
September 20th, 2023 at 1:32 am
Everyone says the Bears are the worst team, but I don’t think they played like that. They gave us about as much as we could handle. BTW, because of last season, they had the #1 pick in the draft. Some of you guys think that is so important. Let us not forget that the Bears traded it away for a nice pkg that included two 1st round picks next draft which the Panthers thought that was worth.
September 20th, 2023 at 2:43 am
You do realize that Baker in Cleveland could and probably was a different Baker than he is in Tampa, right? It’s not uncommon for QBs to be immature early in their career ala Trent and Josh. Some of them just turn it around after they get a wake up call by being released. Sometimes it’s not the club giving up too early.
September 20th, 2023 at 3:09 am
“How wild would it be that the guy the Browns gave up on turns out to be better than the guy the Browns talked themselves into believing would be a franchise savior?”
Stranger things have happened Joe. If it does the Glazers better be fattening the Piggy Bank for Jason Lichts next contract. Not to mention some player contracts.
For the record, I and many others thought the Browns had lost their minds with the whole Watson thing. Not the first time those folks in Cleveland have done that BTW.
Go Bucs!
September 20th, 2023 at 3:21 am
Same thing happened many years ago with Drew Brees. Having injured his shoulder, like Baker, Brees was castoff. Landing in a perfect spot with Peyton as his coach. The Chargers drafted Ryan Leaf. I hope this works out for Baker, and the Bucs. Unlike so many fans I’m hoping Bowles is around for a long time too. Carolina wanted a new coach, and first pick QB, how’s that working out? How’s it working out in Houston, Indy? Better watch what you wish for.
September 20th, 2023 at 3:52 am
Far too often media & fans evaluate just the young QB and not the coaching & players that QB is surrounded by. Then when that QB (and team) has a couple of bad years, he gets launched as the Scapegoat du Jour. That’s very likely what happened to Mayfield in Cleveland (new coaching staffs every year didn’t help his development for sure).
What I think we’re seeing now is Baker playing within a system that doesn’t ask him to play savior. Love Bowles’ line that Mayfield doesn’t have to build the engine just drive the car. Is ours the type of offense that’ll consistently put up 30-35 points every game? I seriously doubt it, but then again, it doesn’t have to.
It’s more about a philosophy IMO that says ‘Don’t beat yourself’. Yes it’s conservative and more ‘balanced’ in its’ attack AND construction. And yes it relies on having a very solid defense to keep opponents in-check, but it also has a lot of built-in flexibility to deal with a broad range of opponent attack schemes. What we’re doing is not unlike what the Eagles ran last year & what they’re running this year. Monday night will be 2 very similar teams going against each other. Should tell us a lot about who our Bucs really are.
September 20th, 2023 at 4:41 am
“It’s more about a philosophy IMO that says ‘Don’t beat yourself’.”
Yeah, Defense…I hope we don’t beat ourselves; we had too many penalties last game. Minimize the penalties and we can definitely beat Philly.
September 20th, 2023 at 6:16 am
DR:
great post
September 20th, 2023 at 7:04 am
I want to fight BillyBucco.
September 20th, 2023 at 7:04 am
Also, when was the last Time anybody heard from NDog or OneilBuc ?
September 20th, 2023 at 7:09 am
Interesting article…as so many of them are. Watson looks a step ( or two ) slower than he was before the trade/kink parade. He makes the Russell Wilson trade look like a steal by comparison.
The Browns owner Jimmy Haslem is a bit shady. The Bros. Glazer are shrewd…and have been overall very good caretakers of the team their father bought. I’m rooting for Mayfield ( as he’s a Buc of course )…seems like a good dude. Watson is simply a deviant creep who the Browns gave a quarter of a billion dollar contract to…guaranteed.
September 20th, 2023 at 7:14 am
You measure your waist at the widest point it 56. Measure it an inch up and it’s 52. Either way you are a Fat Ashe.
Two game sample size and any QB can look good.
At Houston Watson had no choice but to be ‘The Man’, he was and thus signed a deal with 240 million guaranteed. At Cleveland Stefanski does’t want, doesn’t need him to be the man, and he has to learn a new role. Once he does he will be fine.Two face mask penalties tells me he is frustrated.
At Cleveland your boy ‘needed’ be the man. His problem at the Browns was what is on top of the shoulders and not the shoulder itself. His ego didn’t fit with the plan and Stefanski cut him loose.
Baker ate his Humble Pie. Cost him 3.5 million of his own money to just have a job last year. Cost him 15 million this year because Cleveland wasn’t supplementing his pay anymore.
As it looks your guy has learned a very expensive lesson and may give you a good return on the 4 million you are bragging of.
As long as the line keeps protecting him like the line that Cleveland invested in Heavily the year Mayfield arrived. O Line that has or had a 5 yards plus career rusher since. You’ll win some games.
BTW Watson first two games against #4 and #10 Team Defense in 2022
Mayfield first two games against #28 and #32 Team Defense in 2022
Compare Apples to Apple and at the Bottom Line Watson is a better QB. If it was based on pay 56 million a year better.
Whatever you need to do to feed the Ego.
Can’t wait to see his little Daddies come out to his defense saying ‘ you’re a hater’. Not at all. Just a bottom line guy and firm believer in the ‘Peter Principle’
Google it.
September 20th, 2023 at 8:17 am
Quarterbacks are only as good as their coaches and supporting offensive players are. Comparing two guys in extremely different situations is not a fair comparison. And we’re only two games into the season, so it is possible Baker is going to stumble or crumble later this season, and it is possible that Watson will get over the early season issues … or not.
I think what is clear right now is that Baker Mayfield has landed with a team with the desire and ability to lean on what he does well (short to medium passes, good scrambling ability, and good accuracy) and does not depend upon Baker to do stuff that he isn’t necessarily good at (passing the ball more than 40 times a game, with long downfield air balls a la “no riskit, no biskit” offense. How well all of that will work out season long is a totally open question today. Let’s see how we’re doing two months from now.
September 20th, 2023 at 8:29 am
The Browns are a terribly run franchise! During the Baker Mayfield era they once fired their head coach, made the D coordinator the interem head coach and he pulled the nose up on the season. Instead of sticking with the guy who was winning, they fired him only to hire the offensive coordinator who’d been on staff the whole time and could’ve been tested as the head coach during the interem period!
That offensive coordinator was Freddie Kitchens (who they could’ve just kept as their offensive coordinator) who lasted one season as head coach, and was fired.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is how incompetent the Browns are, and precisely how you ruin your franchise QB!
Go Bucs!
September 20th, 2023 at 8:36 am
odad Says:
September 20th, 2023 at 3:21 am
Same thing happened many years ago with Drew Brees. Having injured his shoulder, like Baker, Brees was castoff. Landing in a perfect spot with Peyton as his coach. The Chargers drafted Ryan Leaf.
——————
Way off, bro. Leaf was drafted in 1998. Drew Brees came out in 2001. Philip Rivers was drafted in 2004. That was the year that Brees finally started his ascent as a Hall of Fame talent. A couple years later, Brees got hurt and the Chargers had to make a decision and their decision was to stick with Rivers and let Brees leave via free agency.
September 20th, 2023 at 8:37 am
I still don’t know how an franchise signs Watson. He’s creepy.
September 20th, 2023 at 11:34 am
D Cone says: Two game sample size and any QB can look good.
Reminds me of the old saying, a stopped clock is right twice a day. If you keep saying The Bucs will lose, eventually you’ll be right. Just in case The Bucs organization isn’t scouring JBF for your helpful insights, maybe you should consider sending your science based evaluations to them directly. I’m sure they would love to know what you think their chances are for success. I know I enjoy reading them every time you post. Now the odds that you gave of them beating the Vikings, didn’t fare too well. But don’t give up, eventually The Bucs will lose and then you’ll be spot on.
-Based on Baker’s record against teams with a winning record (2-7-1 as of 2021) Bucs have a 1-4 chance of beating the Vikings.
September 20th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Listen as long as this guy stays humble and keeps grinding fans, teammates, coaches and the media will support him. If he becomes the a hole he was with the Browns he won’t last long. He is not bigger than the team. He is a spike in the wheel. As long as he accepts his role he will be on the right track to becoming a consistent winner.
September 20th, 2023 at 12:39 pm
BAKE 🔥🔥🔥
Also Joe, just wanna correct something. Lazy ppl (not you) have mentioned Baker almost INT on that throw to Mike Evans over the middle early in the game. If you watch the play you can see that Mike Evans actually slowed down & kinda stop running his crossing route. Baker was throwing expecting him to continue that route. Which lead to what we saw. Not really his fault, just wanted to highlight that.
Bucs 3-0 come Tuesday morning!
September 20th, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Pay Mike
September 20th, 2023 at 3:06 pm
Don’t tell me it’s raining Says:
The Bucs will lose, eventually you’ll be right.
I have never said they would lose or do I hope that they will.
I like Bowles, want him to succeed and if This Guy is His Guy then I hope he does very well.
New Coaches usually get to pick their guy and Stefanski got the chance to Pick his. When OBL and Mayfield’s Ego’s split HIS locker room their Fate was sealed with Cleveland no matter how many touchdowns or skills. Had nothing to do with poor performance while injured. Both had to go. OBJ did something with the Rams that put confidence in Ravens to shell out 15mil (13 mil ) for 1 year.
Bowles took a chance on Mayfield like Arians took a chance on AB. I really didn’t like that guy. It was at least a Baker to the 10th power. Did I Boo when he caught a TD in the SuperBowl. Hell No. Was I surprised when the wheels came off in year two? Absolutely not. Leopards don’t change their spots but if OBJ and Baker have then good for them. AB didn’t and that’s for sure.
Every time that someone gets a chance to take a shot at Donovan Smith, they do, and there is never a response. Take a shot at the beloved Baker and there is a Call to Arms. Seems like he has 100 Daddy’s on here but then you always know who the mother is.
If I were a betting man I’d take the Home Team on Monday Night getting points. 2-0-1 thru week two. Very Favorable based on MNF History.
Based on that alone Tampa wins.
September 20th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
Jimmy Haslem forced that Watson signing. I honestly don’t believe anyone else in that organization wanted Baker to leave…
September 20th, 2023 at 4:00 pm
D Cone: Well at least we agree about knowing who the mother is. And if you choose to hate Bake and bash him here every day, then that’s your business. Either way it’s time for Shake n Bake!!!
September 21st, 2023 at 12:41 am
People forget!!!!!
While at Cleveland, Baker Mayfield played under 4 head coaches and 3 offensive coordinators…..and 3 general managers.
The head coaches were:
Hue Jackson
Gregg Williams
Freddie Kitchens
Kevin Stefanski
And the offensive coordinators were:
Alex Van Pelt
Todd Monken
Todd Haley
And the Gm’s were:
Andrew Berry
John Dorsey
Sashi Brown
John Dorsey
Despite all of these factors that affect the QB more than any other player on the team, Baker was singled out as being the problem in Cleveland! The Browns organization is a dysfunctional organization that will never sustain a winning stretch of seasons. Baker Mayfield did not deserve to be sent to the Panthers which is another dysfunctional organization! Only the Rams knew that Baker had what it takes to win and grabbed him when Stafford was hurt. I don’t understand why there are “Baker haters” when the young man has always given his best effort….