Is This Why Todd Bowles Wanted Baker Mayfield?
December 12th, 2023
Moxie.
There was no question one reason the Bucs signed Baker Mayfield is because Todd Bowles developed a relationship with Mayfield when Bowles was with the Jets and Gang Green was sniffing around at quarterbacks in the 2018 draft.
The Browns, of course, picked Mayfield No. 1 overall. Bowles and the Jets, picking two spots later, settled for San Darnold.
When the Bucs signed Mayfield in March, Bowles often referred to Mayfield’s “moxie” as an endearing trait.
Was that on display on Sunday? Sure seems like it.
Mayfield struggled most of the game against the Dixie Chicks. But in crunch time, boy did Mayfield deliver, as documented by Eric Edholm of NFL.com
Baker Mayfield was tremendous down the stretch—right down to the dime he hit Cade Otton with for the game-winning points in Atlanta. The win moved the Buccaneers into a tie with the Falcons and Saints atop the NFC South at 6–7, with the winner getting the honor of hosting the NFC East runner-up on the second weekend of January.
This wasn’t the first game where Mayfield was clutch in a high-pressure situation. Mayfield gave the Bucs a late lead against the Colts on the road earlier this season, and there were other games.
The ballsy performance by Mayfield was quickly wasted when the Bucs defense gave up the farm quicker than a businesswoman working the Lift Bar in Las Vegas at 3 a.m.
So that moxie Bowles bragged about with Mayfield, is that what Bowles meant the way Mayfield rises up for the Bucs in high-leverage situations late in games?
December 12th, 2023 at 7:38 am
Pick up a FA RB……Draft a stud TE & Interior lineman (C) or LG in rounds ! & 2 and maybe a Mayfield offense can perform.
We have invested heavily in our defense with the draft picking D with the first pick 4 out the last 5 years.
Or……blow the entire team up….give up a couple of #1s and get a QB……
December 12th, 2023 at 7:48 am
He wanted him because BM has no choice but to do as told. It’s his last rodeo.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:50 am
Were there any holding calls in this game? I sure didn’t hear one. Joes? I saw some whoppers courtesy of the Falcons O on the game highlights. That could be the reason why Atlanta’s QB had a field day slinging the ball around.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:53 am
If you only watch the Bucs and see the QB play, yes you can certainly say that Mayfield has played with a lot of heart and has gotten the Bucs a couple of comeback wins (counting the Texans, it wasn’t his issue that lost a game he had won with nice throw to Otton).
The thing is they need a new quarterback and it doesn’t matter where they draft because if you watch other games you have seen the last player in the draft, Brock Purdy, become an MVP candidate.
The Bengals backup Browning has been moving the his offense, throwing touchdown passes. Undrafted Tommy DeVito of the Giants led the Giants last night over the Packers. Will Levis beat the Dolphins with his arm down 14 with under 4 minutes!
Settling for journeymen quarterbacks when younger QB’s can quickly develop is a way to keep the QB salary underneath the caps and still have an effective offense.
The Bucs and Mayfield do not have the right offensive system but if they can pick up some athletic quarterbacks and a new coach they will turn the corner. They have good players at the skill position and if they aren’t paying tons of money to Devin, Jamel, Shaq, JTS, Godwin, Gholston, Neal, Davis and other underachievers, they can spend it on young talent.
You are seeing what youth can do. JJ Russell, Kancey, Otton, R White are all playing well as is Izien and McCollum. Licht needs to learn his lesson from other GM’s. You can scout athletism and intelligence in quarterbacks and not have to draft the highest guys on the board to find talent. Its out there, just get rid of Bowles, who plays veteran bums until they get hurt and then the young guys come in and light it up. Bucs need a youthful coach and money to spend on the right players.
December 12th, 2023 at 8:14 am
@ED comparing BM to DeVito, Browning is a weak comparison both of these players NO TAPE on them for defenses to ready up and control them…. BM is a fine QB he’s got GUTS to me that can win a few games alone, NOW if we can get other key parts set O-line etc then we’ll be fine,,, Remember all the talking heads said we were going to be a 3 win team this year, well looks like they are WRONG! GO BUCS!
December 12th, 2023 at 8:26 am
Mayfeild may have heart but he is an inaccurate passer. We need a QB for 4 quarters not just the last drive.
December 12th, 2023 at 8:26 am
This team could easily be 8-5 because of Baker 4th quarter drives at the end of the game only to have the defense collapse.
December 12th, 2023 at 8:33 am
As bad as the offense is, the defense is even worse. They go into total collapse mode in the fourth quarter. Neither Brady or Baker could save this pathetic Defense from their blunders . JTS,Hall, Neal, Davis and Dean are all pathetic. Shaq has seen better days.
December 12th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Warren Sapp once said , “Put up 7 points up there and we’ll take care of the rest….” Current Bucs defense needs to toughen up. They are giving a lot of points.
December 12th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Philosophically at this point I am all about re fortifying the trenches until we know QB is our weak spot.
Mayfield has not played at an elite level but given the make up of the team he’s done well.
I am primarily disappointed in the defense and Bowles and I think most are on that page. To have the talent we brought back in terms of former SB winners / probowlers/ top draft picks / etc, and to pay 2 top corners top 12 money, and have a bottom 2 pass D in the league in yards, and bottom 3 in YPA is simply a massive failure from the organization.
We haven’t had a hard schedule or major injuries. There is zero excuse for this. It just seems like for whatever reason Bowles’ defense is way worse with him as HC than as DC.
The fact that we are 13th in scoring defense is a massive fluke IMO.
We do miss Suh from our elite D days but that’s one guy man, and at the same time they invested heavily in draft picks for Bowles, with Kancey looking like a beast, and the result has been one of the worst pass D’s in the NFL. While playing in the worst division of QB’s and a soft schedule?
Doesn’t add up.
If we were an elite D this year, we’d be 9-4. That was the formula all offseason IMO. But the D / Bowles haven’t done their job IMO. Not for the talent level.
I was never expecting an elite offense or good run game. The ingredients were not there (entirely new O-line not built with high draft picks or all pros outside of Wirfs, no established target outside of Evans/Godiwn, and no established ability to run the ball going into the season)
December 12th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Remember when Jameis would throw an INT on the first drive of a game, then pile up yards late trying to bail himself out of the hole he dug?
Baker’s not throwing the early INTs, he’s just not doing anything at all. Completely squandering his possessions all game long. Then he shows a pulse at the end.
Results are the same; a sub-500 team.
December 12th, 2023 at 8:47 am
When it’s crunch time, the man is Brady-esque–last minute scores against Atlanta, Houston, Atlanta AGAIN, Colts. It’s a rare quality
December 12th, 2023 at 8:52 am
BM seems to be the right QB at this point of the season. If only DC would scheme open our skill players more often and use some play action on first downs things would be looking better!! Green Bay didn’t look so tough last night.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:01 am
To play devils advocate – and not that I think Tampa is anywhere near what I would call great, very good, or good. But take a look across the league. Exactly how the NFL wants it. There is Mediocrity EVERY-WHERE. Call it parity all you want, but maybe also call it for what it is, and that is a lot of bad football being played. Tom Brady was 100% correct. People are fixated on his comments about the hitting, but his over arching point is that the level of play has declined across the board due to lack of practice time and other areas that contribute to quality of play. The allegedly powerful AFC – all I see is a bunch of 7-6 team, a KC team that has scored under 20 6 times themselves and a Baltimore team that isnt exactly dominant. And for all the talk about how good the 49ers are, theyre 10-3 ok. This isnt the 98 Broncos, this isnt the 07 Patriots or the 93 Cowboys. So as bad as Tampa can look, it is not like they would not have a punchers chance in the post season. I dont see greatness anywhere.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:02 am
It is true that the Bucs were once highly respected for their defense. Bowles is supposedly a defense guru. Who is bull shifting who? The results this year speak for the reality of a mediocre defense. The only bright spots being a few of the vets and some rookies finally getting their chance. The Bucs defense was trampled most of this season. And in most games the offense struggled to score.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:02 am
BM definitely had a bad first half. But when cruch time came around he did answer the bell. I hate to say it again but the first half offense looked very similar to many games played last season with TB12, and with a different OC. Same HC! Same game plan???? Coincidence????
December 12th, 2023 at 9:14 am
@gofortheface30, did you really just pooh-pooh a 10-3 team and a 8-5 team? The Bucs are the only division leader with a negative point differential! They have lost to SF, DET, PHI, HOU, and BUF. All of them are playoff-calibre teams.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:20 am
Good post gofortheface30
December 12th, 2023 at 9:28 am
Coming from a guy with the handle realistic – optimistic. Are you really disputing the reality that there is mediocrity across the league? Please advise. Also why don’t you re-read the beginning as I literally prefaced my entire comment by stating that Tampa isnt what you would even call “good” to prevent annoying comments that cherry pick such as yours. Considering this is the internet though, should I be surpised that someone got menstrual cramps over a take that was fairly pragmatic? Well no, but i digress. The lowest common denominator of pointing out who they lost to isnt (and has never been) a good faith argument because you can point to who Detroit lost to on Sunday whom Tampa handled fairly easily. The Buf game, Hou game and SF game were all competitive, you act like theyre dominant. They arent. And at the end of the day Buffalo for example is 7-7 while Tampa is 6-7. Ooooh, real strong argument pal. It’s not like the Bucs are 2-9 or 1-10. At the end of the day they are right there with everyone else. Take a lap
December 12th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Jack Sparrow Says:
December 12th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Warren Sapp once said , “Put up 7 points up there and we’ll take care of the rest….”
Actually, it was 14 points…but regardless, those days are gone in todays NFL. We need to score 30+ points to be realistically competitive.We’re just lucky this year that the rest of the division is bad as well.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:35 am
suckin less is spot on
December 12th, 2023 at 9:37 am
17.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:48 am
Unfortunately, the need for that Moxy play
in the 4th quarter is caused by incompetent play in the first three quarters. If he could see and hit open receivers consistently we would have leads going into the fourth instead of trying to catch up. It’s silly to praise him for getting out of predicaments that he caused. That’s like commending someone for getting parole!!!
December 12th, 2023 at 9:52 am
LOL you don’t think Kyle Trask couldn’t go 48% for 144?
Delusional
December 12th, 2023 at 9:57 am
Haters: they were talking up potential MVP Tua last night, he of 24 TDs/10 Ints
Mayfield is at 20/8
His rating is 90 on a flawed team
Many many of you have just written so many checks that can only be cashed by Baker being a bust
Let it goooooooo
December 12th, 2023 at 9:59 am
It’s deff conflicting with BM6. He’s won us some games but at the same time lost us some games. People will yell it’s a team sport and I agree but he’s missed on to many open WR throwing it and not seeing them. People talk about how he hasn’t given the ball away while this is tru defenses have dropped 4 ints and let me tell you they were Winston type of throws straight to the defender. Love the heart he plays with but for a former 1st overall pick he’s got to play a lot more consistent maybe another year with the offense idk but the offense runs thru BM6.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:01 am
Yes they think it would be hard for anyone to reproduce Mayfields stellar 49 yards at halftime and 144 overall. All Pro material apparently. Losing with Mayfield or bust!!
December 12th, 2023 at 10:10 am
17 points. amatuers.
thx for clearing it up joe
December 12th, 2023 at 10:12 am
Couch fan: Stroud had 89 yards passing in the 4th Q before he was concussed vs the Jets, who CRUSHED the Texans
Many many other examples of good QBs whose numbers aren’t always elite
Bottom line: with 4 games left in reg season, the man has 3000 yds, 20/8, and 90 rating and they are in 1st place.
I suppose you wouldn’t have taken that in preseason??
December 12th, 2023 at 10:23 am
Baker’s numbers are very comparable to Brady’s last year in Tampa. Stellar? No. But I don’t recall anyone clamouring to dump Brady for Trask.
Draft O-Line and see what happens.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:31 am
JK
This isnt a 1 time thing. Check his stats all season. He is routinely doing nothing for 3 qrts. We are 6-7. Losing more than we win. Yes our defense is bad. Our offense is equally bad and it starts with play calling and lousy QB play for a majority of the game, every game. If you are here on game day threads you would see me calling it out at halftime almost weekly. He is terrible. His numbers are deceiving untiil you break his yards down and sees most of them come in garbage time. I dont assume to know you but I would think that you are smart. So then if you are smart then you must agree that if we had better offensive production starting in the 1st instead of the 4th we have a better record? And obviously the same can be said for the defense. But lets stop pretending the QB has been good enough. He hasent. Plan and simple.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Lol Theres a big difference between The Goat and the career loser. Just stop with the silly comparisons.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:42 am
Couch fan: I’ve watched every game. Also have seen many drops and miscommications.
One play late in the last game with Godwin where BM threw to sideline where Chris should have been, but wasn’t
Houston game should have been a W
It’s also Bakers first year with a 1st year coordinator
We could go on and on…….
If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, it would be Christmas every day
The bottom line remains the same; people lie but numbers dont
December 12th, 2023 at 10:48 am
Your right and yet you havent even responded to the fact he has virtually no yards during the 1st half of games. Numbers dont lie. Remember? but yet apparently you want to make excuses for his numbers. Drops, miscommuications Im sure the defense has miscommunications to. I dont see you using that as excuse for them…
December 12th, 2023 at 11:03 am
Couch: I’ve tried to use pure results as my logic, but you won’t have it, OK
If Trask was named starter in preseason, played every game, had 3000/20/8 going into week 15 in 1st place, I imagine you and so many others wouldn’t even be able to type posts due to the ejaculate all over your keyboard
Goodbye
December 12th, 2023 at 11:12 am
Lol You’ve tried nothing offering excuses and then you get so mad you had to throw a trask comment in there that has nothing to do with this conversation. That is called projecting. Now we know why you are defending such a bad QB so thoroughly LMAO
December 12th, 2023 at 11:19 am
Haha, are you joking? If he didn’t crap himself the whole game he wouldn’t have needed to have a game-winning drive. You can twist it however you like he was terrible against Atlanta.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:24 am
NY- I agree he was terrible and the D was keeping us in it with those 9 points in the. First place.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:36 am
Nothing but excuses???? What I gave nothing but facts and stats until trying to reason with YOUR HATE. Which must be some kind of projection I guess, Dr. Couch.
Ain’t mad brah, but you sure are that your team isn’t in the cellar
December 12th, 2023 at 11:45 am
As I said in another thread, Baker Mayfield is a serviceable QB, who will excel in the right system. He is what he is, for every ‘Oh My God’ did you see that moment there will usually be an “Oh Crap’ I can’t believe he did that moment. Any give NFL season, Mayfield will be in the 10-15 range of QB rankings.
Yes, the Bucs, should draft a QB in 2024, but not in round one. Resigning Winfield, Wirfs, ME13, David, adding a center, guard, edge rusher, cornerback, safety, linebacker, running back, it’s a long list should be a higher priority. This isn’t fantasy football, where the addition of one player or even a new coach can solve everything overnight.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:49 am
I’m ready to roll with Mayfield next year,we don’t have a high enough pick for anything better.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:49 am
This stuff about Mayfield being inaccurate is just drudge coming from know nothing “fans”. Mayfield in college completed 70% of his passes. Mayfield can make the most difficult seam routes look easy. This is Mayfield first year with a new group of receivers,new head coach, and new OC. Notwithstanding all of that, he is averaging 62% completion with 20TD and 8 INT. Several TD passes have been dropped in the end zone this year and others stopped just short of goal line. These aren’t excuses, they are facts.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:51 am
Couch Fan Says:
Lol Theres a big difference between The Goat and the career loser. Just stop with the silly comparisons.
——————-
Why, in your opinion, were Brady’s numbers so down last year? I suspect the answer is coaching, o-line and run support, right?
So maybe, just maybe, QB isn’t the real problem here.
December 12th, 2023 at 12:01 pm
sdm5821 and Gipper: ding, ding……correct
UKBuccaneer: you can’t reason with a guy who calls a Heisman winner and a guy who took the Clowns to the playoffs, won a road playoff game at Heinz field, and is carrying a suspect TB team to the playoffs a “career loser”
December 12th, 2023 at 12:05 pm
Yeah, I’m a Baker Mayfield fan. And for good reason. Before he was drafted and played in his first game with the Browns their record was 4-44 over the previous three seasons. As a rookie in 2018 he won 7 games and began to turn the franchise around bringing them to the playoffs just two years later. And that’s the reason I like him. The guy is a winner but (rarely) had a lot of talent around him. Yes, he had Nick Chubb, but his O-Line was injured early and often and his defense lost a number of crucial games for him. Then in 2021, he badly injured himself in the first half of game 2 and was never the same for the remainder of the year. Then he gets traded to the Panthers in 2021, the worst team in the league. After that his reputation suffered greatly. The guy is only 28 and in 6 pro seasons has had 7 head coaches and 6 OCs. Oh, and in his first three seasons with an average team around him he averaged 25 TDs and 3700 yards passing. So cut this guy some slack and give him a better O-Line and great things could happen.
December 12th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
I’ll say again, if they keep two high safeties we HAVE to be able to run the ball, because they have 5-6 in coverage
December 12th, 2023 at 12:38 pm
Pass Yards: 144
Comp%: 48%
Rush Yards: 3
Devin White didn’t even make the flight and almost had the same stats as Baker. Baker sucks.
December 12th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
Dude had a bad game against Atlanta but got lucky that the refs didn’t rule the fumble by white recovered by Atlanta, then the one good throw to otton. Other than that he did terrible and struggled like he has most of the season, that’s the facts. He would be better with an oline that was great but he’s no franchise qb who deserves to be paid handsomely
December 12th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
We’re always told on here that only points matter.
We scored 29.
December 12th, 2023 at 12:49 pm
Wyoming Joe above at 1205 is telling the truth. Actually in the 2 years prior to Mayfield arrival in Cleveland they were 1-31. Baker almost beat the Chiefs in the second playoff game in 2021. There was a goal line fumble on a completion ruled a touchback that would have given the Browns a late lead. Actually, on that play the receiver (Rashard Higgins) was hit with a helmet tackle that was not called. Chiefs went on to win game and then SuperBowl. Baker is tough, accountable and a winner. Give him the time that Brady had in pocket and he will deliver.
December 12th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
Gipper, Baker is a loser not a winner. Those who want to stick with Mayfield are those that are pleased with mediocrity, the Bucs will continue to be average at best as long as he’s the QB.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
GIPPER: We’ll said…
December 12th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
RGA, did you learn about football in band camp? Have a feeling that you played the trumpet in high school.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:10 pm
@RGA
Absolutely correct, Tampa has been a bad organization for a long time till BA and Brady changed it recently so let’s not go back and be ok with mediocre football. We deserve to be better and see more from our team than what we have this year
December 12th, 2023 at 1:11 pm
@Gipper
Just finished reviewing the All-22 for the Carolina game. Baker had well under 2.75 seconds to throw on 85% of the passing plays. Only time he got more was when we play-actioned and rolled him out of the pocket (which we don’t do enough of). You cannot hit WRs deep on 2.75 or less seconds to throw. Don’t care if you are Baker, or Tom Brady (who averaged 2.5 seconds/throw last season – and didn’t complete too many bombs). TB did have a bit better luck with WR’s getting YAC though.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:16 pm
Baker sucks period. As announcers said during he game neither Bucs nor Falcons are playoffs teams due to their trash qb’s.
Joe,
Stop selling Baker to us after each lousy win. He is trash. 48% completions in back to back games.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:25 pm
RGA, you learned a lot of football in the high school band. Bet you were a pretty good clarinet player.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:30 pm
What I don’t understand is why the offense struggles so much for long stretches, and then came seemingly turn it on and march down the field at times. Why can’t they play with that same sense of urgency and fight for a full 60 minutes?
And no, I don’t expect them to never ever go 3 and out… but at one point I believe we 5 straight 3-and-outs in a row? That’s just unacceptable.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:42 pm
This is a horribly inconsistent and poorly coached. Even with that late rally, with 30 seconds left, the defense almost let ATL win — the got to the 3 yd line.
None of the Mayfield heroics, should save Bowles from Black Monday.
December 12th, 2023 at 1:48 pm
He’s better than MOST (admittedly not by much) of the QB’s in the league. Otoh, we have a safety, edge rusher(s), ILB and a center who are NOT
December 12th, 2023 at 1:54 pm
2023 Mayfield 62.6% 2934yds 20 TD 8Int
2023 Mahomes 66.9% 3398yds 23TD 11Int
2023 J. Allen 66.9% 3447yds 25TD 14Int
Have a feeling that Mahomes and Allen have had same head coaches and same offensive program for last 5 years and have stronger teams both offensively and defensively. Get off your never ending Mayfield idiocy.
December 12th, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Ok, I took your bait and looked it up. The criteria I used is (A) teams with a 0.700 record or better, (B) teams with a 0.400 record or worse, and (C) everybody in between. Let’s call the C group “mediocre” for the sake of argument.
I compared the current era (2014-2023) to a 5-year span in each of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Year sub-0.400 0.700+ the rest
2014 10 5 17
2015 11 5 16
2016 8 4 20
2017 11 4 17
2018 11 5 16
2019 10 6 16
2020 12 6 14
2021 7 6 19
2022 6 3 23
2023 10 4 18
1990 12 5 15
1991 9 4 19
1992 11 3 18
1993 8 3 21
1994 7 3 22
1980 10 3 19
1981 7 4 21
1982 8 4 20
1983 6 4 22
1984 8 4 20
1970 9 6 17
1971 8 5 19
1972 10 7 15
1973 11 7 14
1974 8 7 17
Here’s the average number of “mediocre” teams for each era:
Current (17.6)
1990s (19)
1980s (20.4)
1970s (16.4)
I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but the current era is not worse than any other era. They all look pretty similar to me. If anything, it actually looks like the 80s were the worst.
December 12th, 2023 at 2:17 pm
Average isn’t THAT bad, if you’ve been a Bucs fan for very long.
December 12th, 2023 at 2:26 pm
About half the posters here are getting it right about Baker.
The other half are so desperate they only use the negative when posting about him.
To those folks I say……
December 12th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Middle of the pack is what he is…….which is pretty good!
For the love of all that is holy…………
December 12th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
Yes Joe Bowles got Baker for his 48% and 144.
Shooting for the stars.
December 12th, 2023 at 2:38 pm
^^^^^^^^^ absolutel 🤡
December 12th, 2023 at 2:51 pm
He was awful the entire game, and then on the last drive he finally makes two throws that any high school QB is expected to make. Of course if he isn’t awful the entire game the Bucs are up big and aren’t having to make a comeback.
December 12th, 2023 at 2:54 pm
Realistic-optimistic: Your problem is that you’re only looking at the numbers which many times are misleading. Did you see all of Baker’s games over the years? Because you’re so ignorant of what really happened, I’d say no!
Look, I realize that I’m never going to be able to sway your negative attitude towards Baker and the Bucs because your kind of sickness can’t be healed no matter who the QB and HC are.
Keep winning Baker.
December 12th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
Just going to say, one or two bad games out of 13 isn’t the cause for benching your QB. No head coach in the league would bench a QB with 20 tds to 8 ins. Unless he did something stupid like missing practice to nail the coaches wife and getting caught doing it!
December 12th, 2023 at 3:21 pm
If you’re going by stats, BM is a strong middle of the league starting QB. About half of the other starters are doing better and about half doing worse. NFL has him rated 15 out of 32 starters. As of today.
December 12th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
@WyomingJoe, have you met Byron Leftwich? I think you two would get along like gangbusters. He doesn’t look at stats either.
December 12th, 2023 at 4:22 pm
Starting caliber QBs are extremely rare.
Most, if not all this years drafted QBs will be bust.
Mayfield has proven again that he can start and win in the NFL.
Only about 15 human beings can say that.
So why would Mayfield chose to come back here?
We will have a new head coach, still a bad line, still no pass rush.
Mayfield can go play for Any team he wants now, with only a few exceptions.
Any NFC south team would sign and start him, just for starters.
He has no contractural obligation to play for the Bucs next year.
My guess? Next year we have a new Head coach, some mid first round dumb ass rookie QB, same terrible Oline ad Dline. Still in Salary cap hell.
And everyone here will WISH we were playing for the NFC South title.
December 12th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
I think Hot Toddie allowed Baker in so he could blame him when the wheels came off.
Baker could also be used as the fulcrum to throw Licht under the bus, as Toddie burns his bridges getting out of town.
December 12th, 2023 at 5:22 pm
For all of the Mayfield fans seeing his work through rose colored glasses, there is one stat that really says how well the offense is running. How many punts does a team have?
Currently out of the 31 NFL teams, 26 of them have punted less than the Bucs. If Mayfield is an average QB, then he should be in the middle of the pack.
Only the Browns, Pats, Steelers, Jets and Giant punt less than the Bucs. You want a good defense then move the ball and let the D rest. All of those possessions in the first half where the Bucs get 75 yards of offense result in overextending the defense and falling behind.
The elite teams in the NFL, Cowboys (32 punts), Eagles (39 punts), Lions, Dolphins, Niners and Chiefs have all punted less than 44 times. The Bucs have lost on downs 63 times this year. Winning teams extend drives. Good QB play
backs up that stat. There is only one losing team in the top 10 least punts, the Chicago Bears.
December 12th, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Positive trend in postings here as many previously negative posters are seeing the light. The NFL is the most sophisticated professional sports league on the planet when it comes to planning, strategy and execution.
What we’re witnessing is a team that has been steadily evolving through play call adjustment and team effort. The good news is that we are witnessing this in what is now the last quarter of the regular season.
We’re good to go ladies and gentlemen as we travel to Green Bay this week. Forecast currently calling for good playing conditions. After watching GBP vs NYG last night, I think that we can expect to see Sunday’s contest result in a W!
Go Bucs!!!
December 12th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Couch Fan Says:
December 12th, 2023 at 11:12 am
Lol You’ve tried nothing offering excuses and then you get so mad you had to throw a trask comment in there that has nothing to do with this conversation.
—–
See? this is why normal people can’t take traskies seriously. You are all so blithering dishonest . We are supposed to ignore the user names we know are pro trask and divorce it from a discussion about Baker? 60% at least of all Baker insults and put downs are for the purpose of clamoring for Trask. We all know the user names by now and we all know THAT is what its about. Try again.
Thats why you collectively have rooted for Baker to get injured, “Your” team to be embarrassed on Thursday night football and thats why you are salty because “your” team is in first place in the division
We know its all about Trask and
we all know
#KYLESUCKS
December 12th, 2023 at 6:07 pm
RGA,
The nice part about being in your high school band was you got to see the boys playing football. Understand you were a pretty mediocre clarinet player but you tried very hard.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:25 pm
Bucfan1988 – I don’t know what’s going on with #TEAMPOSITIVE, but every post I tried to make on gameday was going to moderation.
I know the Joe’s are just using some automated software to hand that stuff, but no idea what that is suddenly triggering the software.
In fact I’m going to guess there’s about a 80% chance this gets flagged. But we shall see when I hit submit.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:25 pm
…and sure enough, it got flagged.
No idea what is going on.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:30 pm
LMAO @ normal. As if there is something wrong with a fan wanting to see a change because their team is struggling. No. No. That IS normal. Whats not normal is to repeatedly insert a player into a conversation who hasent been mentioned. Whats not normal is for a “fan” to be ok with losing as long as their hero gets to start. Whats not normal is this same “fan” calling others “Bad fans’ simply for wanting to see what a change could do. Whats not normal is labeling people as a cult when you yourself talk about him more than anyone else. LMAO But keep shaking those pompoms like a good boy.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:35 pm
There are 5 teams in the nfc with a better record than tampa bay and fans on here want them to tank for a QB that could very easily be a bust. QB play across the league has been up and down. Baker may not be the best in the league but he’s far from the worst and it’s his first year in the offense. The same morons like Rod munch spew nonsense on here.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:37 pm
Rod Munch Says:
December 12th, 2023 at 2:51 pm
he finally makes two throws that any high school QB is expected to make.
———-
ROFL….That was an only NFL QB DIME especially when you watch in in slow mo on replay.
PUUUUURFECT PASS
If you could make love as well as that throw your wife wouldn’t have left you Mush.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
WyomingJoe – tough to debate stupid and that’s what majority of the people on here are. Rod munch leads the pack along with bucsfan1988. Facts don’t matter to them. They just want to see trailer park trask.
December 12th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
unbelievable Says:
December 12th, 2023 at 1:30 pm
What I don’t understand is why the offense struggles so much for long stretches, and then came seemingly turn it on and march down the field at times. Why can’t they play with that same sense of urgency and fight for a full 60 minutes?
———-
Simple because thats not the game plan. Defensive coaches like offenses that grind it out and eat up clock. run the ball, short passed etc . I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again . Bowles as a first choice (as a defensive coach) DOES NOT WANT an explosive offense. He will take it to win a game but as a defensive coach the QB and the OC gets the credit.
I am not even saying he thinks that way purposefully. Its just human nature to want an organization to flourish based on your skill set.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Bucfan1988,
Somehow I think Mike Evans knows more about QB play than a even an expert like you. Mike indicates he likes Baker and the year he is having reflects that.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:10 pm
@UK
I’ve never said QB play was the #1 problem. That obviously would be the coaching. But it absolutely is a problem that needs to be addressed.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:16 pm
Bucfan1988 Says:
as usual – pure childish nonsense that only needs one response –
Son Of Mother Trask – Kyle – with his 23 yards in 3 years and completion of 30%
SUCKS!
as badly as his being picked 64th showed three years ago indicated.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:19 pm
I cant seem to find the comment now but someone tried to say that I was wrong about Baker being a career loser. Well his record as a starter is…. 37-45.
That means he’s lost more games than he’s won. That would make him a career loser. Does it not?
December 12th, 2023 at 7:22 pm
I think far too much emphasis is placed on the QB in terms of this team’s weaknesses. All I have to do is point to the Chargers. Many people think that Herbert is an elite QB but the Chargers suck year after year after year and with major talent at the skill positions on offense and what, on paper, should be a formidable defense.
I guess if he was playing for the Bucs, folks who pretend to be real Bucs fans would be trashing Herbert and blaming him for all of the Bucs losses (his numbers are nearly identical compared to Mayfield’s this year).
The Bucs problem this year is their defense. The bend but don’t break philosophy means the offense consistently gets the ball in bad field position and in fact, the defense, itself, is the reason they are spending so much time on the field, not the offense. When/if the defense forces more 3 and outs than the offense commits, you can start blaming the offense but that just isn’t close to the case with this year’s team.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:25 pm
Incorrect. The problem with your comparison is thinking same stats means same quality of player. Now I cant speak for Herbert as I dont watch Chargers games. But if he sucked for 3 Qrts of practically every game, then yes I’d be saying the samething about him or anyone else that compiled their stats in the same manner Baker usually does.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:28 pm
Couch Fan Says:
That means he’s lost more games than he’s won. That would make him a career loser. Does it not?
—–
For intelligent people it depends on the teams Only an idiot would see a team lose 16 games straight and categorize a rookie coming in and winning 7 as a loser.
then again traskie is another word for such a person so it makes sense.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:33 pm
Sounds like more excuses from the cheerleaders. Again losing more games than he’s won means he’s a career loser, correct?
“Why yes CouchFan but it makes my mancrush look as bad as he actually is and it hurts my feelings so stop it. Trask sucks!”
Your welcome TonyPomPoms
December 12th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Nah I’ve been calling him that for a little while now. I think he likes it. LoL
December 12th, 2023 at 7:48 pm
Bucfan1988 Says:
December 12th, 2023 at 7:25 pm
Tony Marks, another thing….
As much as you don’t wanna admit it, you know darn well Trask looked totally different this year in OTA’s & training camp.
—
Like a joe in a podcast recently said – yes he improved which shows how low he was coming from
Try and do the maths
IF no suck is a grade of 70 or more
and your previous grade was 20 and you improve 40 points
YOU STILL SUCK.
as to your other drivel. IN preseason Kyle had a start with the same guys baker did – and he threw a pick. Go cry by the river to hide your tears.
He lost the QB competition. he hasn’t played with starters for a reason. HE SUCKED compared to Baker and was benched. Thats on HIM . cry all you want. Your conspiracy theories are all washed up
Meanwhile no one here has to defend Baker except for the fun of watching you traskies blow steam out of yours ears ( and trust me its REAL fun) . The guy that matters is Bowles and he is on OUR side. All your keyboard hammering all season long hasn’t swayed him in the least
So all you do is lose
Pine the Kyle is still in full effect.
.
December 12th, 2023 at 7:53 pm
Couch Fan Says:
Your welcome TonyPomPoms
—
You had nothing to do with it.
I got the pom poms from a cheerleader. Trust me kid the real thing is way better than the inflatable you ordered from Walmart to sit next to you at chrstmas dinner…lolol.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:26 pm
Please stop saying that because we don’t think Baker is a good QB then we automatically want Trask.
It’s ok to see that the ceiling on this team is barely .500
With Baker. We need an upgrade at QB.
The Bucs are the definition of mediocrity. That’s not a compliment.
December 12th, 2023 at 9:35 pm
“Moxie”? TB12 was treated like dirt by Bowels because he couldn’t stand an alpha with real moxie, a brain, GOAT. No, Bowels prefers obedience, pliability, no one in his face, certainly not a team leader whose energies don’t compete, and stay “over there” in the offense wing of the facility. So sure, an inconsistent tarnished product who wants a third chance as a reclamation project fits the bill.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:04 pm
So who is your upgrade QB who is available? Name him or shut up. If you say someone in the 2024 Draft that QB is guaranteed to do much worse than Baker with this Line for at least the next 2 years.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:32 pm
@JOE
Can you verify or deny…”Only a couple of shows back on IRA’s podcast, the Joe’s even admitted that Trask had the better camp than Mayfield, hence HE WON.”
The impression I got during training camp was that you were amazed at Trasks improvement, giving Canales credit for the transformation. Then added one week that Trask’s improvement meant there was a battle for the starting spot surprising everyone. Final week of the season Mayfield earned the spot.
Perhaps my old memory is faded but I’m reading this all the time here. Joe said Trask won the position and Mayfield got it for (insert your own reason here)
December 12th, 2023 at 10:51 pm
stpete:
Joe had typed for months that Bowles was going to go with Mayfield because he wasn’t going to bank his career on a guy with just nine pass attempts. That’s exactly how it played out.
Remember Ira broke the story in early August that Mayfield was going to start.
Trask possibly outplayed Mayfield by the naked eye. Not by much, it was close to even. Experience (which cannot be seen with the naked eye on a practice field) gave the edge to Mayfield.
Yes, Joe was and still is blown away by the progress Trask made in like six weeks between minicamp and training camp. Props to Canales.
But what gets lost by so many readers when Joe states that is where Trask started from (way down there). So yes, he made tremendous progress. That doesn’t mean he was lighting stuff up on practice like Brady did or even Jameis.
Trask went from maybe not even being on Ryan Griffin’s level to looking like a legit backup.
December 13th, 2023 at 12:00 am
Bowles still remembers the victory Fridge game in Baker and Darnold’s rookie year. He was coaching the Jets, Mayfield came off the bench and outdueled Slinging Sammy, and CLE had it’s first win in forever
December 13th, 2023 at 9:27 am
Joes, you gonna tell why you’ve deleted all my comments from your posts??
December 13th, 2023 at 9:55 am
“All?” Joe sees seven of your comments just from yesterday are available for anyone to read. Don’t even see any of your comments in the Trash bin. You confusing something triggering the moderation queue for deleting?
December 13th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Joes, I had a bunch of comments on the articles you put out yesterday.
They were shown posted on here and weren’t indicated being in moderation at all.
You can see StPeteBucsFan, Tony Marks, & Rod Munch responding to me above…
There were regular comments as well with nothing that would cause issues…
Everything is deleted.
It’s like if I got flagged for one comment, you removed everything…
I don’t know how your moderation software works. If it reviews shown comments later then flags them, ok….
The issue is if that’s how your software is working, it decided to remove the bill of all my posts and I had normal regular comments on here that weren’t disrespectful or anything.
Y’all may need to re-examine your software as the bulk of my posts from yesterday got removed….
December 13th, 2023 at 11:56 am
Joes, for example…THIS ARTICLE..
All my posts are gone??
I posted a bunch of times on here yesterday and maybe one post had a borderline silly phrase being used…
ALL posts are deleted….