Baker Mayfield Is More Valuable Than He Appears
September 12th, 2024
Many NFL fans don’t realize scoring was down across the league last season.
The NFL is no fan of that stat. Fans prefer offense. No club even averaged 30 points a game for the 2023 campaign.
The graphic above is from FS1. It illustrates how touchdown passes in Week 1 last season nosedived, and they dropped even further this year. So Baker Mayfield’s four touchdown passes Sunday against Washington are a lot more significant. They represent 11.4 percent of the league total!
And Mayfield did it easily. There also was a possible dropped Mayfield TD pass to Jalen McMillan.
Joe really was stunned in the moment by the data here. It was a welcome break from former Bucs running back LeSean “Shady” McCoy ranting on FS1 about how Mayfield hasn’t proven anything. McCoy is convinced the only reason people even think Mayfield is on the cusp being a special quarterback is because he was a failed No. 1 overall pick — not because of what he’s accomplished on the field.
September 12th, 2024 at 2:30 pm
I saw that. McCoy is bullish on Mayfield. He is one of the very few NFL players that does not like Baker at all and I have to wonder why?
While Chase Daniel was recapping Mayfields day and Shady was aggressive and dismissive about it.
September 12th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
Shady, ex buc with zero stats
September 12th, 2024 at 2:44 pm
It’s obvious the defenses starting to figure out the offenses… Even with the continuous added restrictions the NFL puts on the defenses each year…
September 12th, 2024 at 2:48 pm
BETTER DO IT AGAIN …
The Bucs defense is injured. With almost half the starters out, the Bucs offense needs to carry the day. We need long sustained drives and points. I’m guessing 35 points will be required for the win.
September 12th, 2024 at 2:51 pm
Baking with Coen!!!!
September 12th, 2024 at 3:15 pm
Um, the more accurate measurement would be week two due to the extended, preseason/game that now counts.
September 12th, 2024 at 3:16 pm
Scoring was down last year because the majority of starting QBs got injured, which is why only 9 QBs started all 17 games.
Also, keep in mind in a year when no team averaged 30 points on offense, the Redskins defense gave up more than 30.
Let’s maybe a few weeks before starting an early boat parade. Act like you’ve been here before.
September 12th, 2024 at 3:28 pm
Shady is a clown, he laughed in Josh Allens face when Josh Allen mentioned that Baker had a strong arm. He’s a talking head that does 0 research.
September 12th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
Small assist, A buc fan, something that’s probably already known by you, but in case not. For future use, a bull market is a good thing, think raging like a bull. A bear market is the opposite, think hibernating like a bear.
Considering both can rip a person to shreds and begin with the letter B, they’re not the clearest terms that could’ve been used. It’s a clunky word, perhaps, but bearish is the McCoy point of view. That’s if I’ve remembered my Eco 101 classes correctly. 😉
September 12th, 2024 at 3:52 pm
40 burger
September 12th, 2024 at 3:53 pm
Bulls help build everything up. Positive
Bears tend to bring things down. Negative
I’m an animal person
September 12th, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Go Bucs
September 12th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
@Wisecrack thanks for the assist. I misused the term. Bearish is correct. It was my mistake.
September 12th, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Rod, I think you might have yourself stuck up your @$$, you should pull it out, just like your father should have.
September 12th, 2024 at 4:21 pm
On Monday I put a bet in as Baker Mayfield NFL Mvp🤣
September 12th, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Shady is so biased against Baker, he’d probably dismiss even an NFC championship win from Baker and the team. Every single time QBs got their $55 million contracts, he kept bringing up Baker as an example of ‘overpaid’ QBs, even though Baker’s contract I’d argue is the most realistically priced of the acknowledged starters.
The man is on less money per year than Daniel Jones! Shady mentioned his contract in the same breath as Trevor Lawrence’s even though Baker’s is only 66% of what the ‘top’ QBs were getting and there was never any talk of Baker trying to get next man up or top of the market salary
September 12th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
Tykee smith did not practice. List put with an illness. Bucs got the flu or a bug running through the team.
September 12th, 2024 at 4:46 pm
Bake show is great,,, Shady has a few rings so he knows a few things ,,, But it is easy to get some rings when you hitch your wagons to Mahomes and Brady
September 12th, 2024 at 4:51 pm
Mike C – yeah, I know right, I’m not celebrating like we won the SB because we beat probably the worst defense in the NFL, and I’m saying wait a few weeks before acting like a clown – that’s just ridiculous of me. No, I should be like everyone here and jump in head first having no idea what the depth is.
BTW, a poll came out of the worst fans in the NFL, and the Bucs are ranked very low (which is good), but it said Bucs fans worst trait is bragging – the other team to have that as their top trait, the Cowboys. So you’re in good company.
September 12th, 2024 at 4:55 pm
Still needing to see more out of Baker isn’t some lost feeling felt by fans. I will say I feel pretty good about his trajectory this year, but to have such a harsh opinion from McCoy, this far into the “is he a franchise QB” discussion… it’s bad look for McCoy, especially after that opening day display by Baker.
September 12th, 2024 at 4:56 pm
Scoring was down because starters don’t play in the worthless preseason games and come out rusty. This week will be bad football again and usually week 3 we see offenses catching up to defenses.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
yeah he’s on pace for 68 td passes for the year…
sheesh, i will take half…!
so would baker and so would coach…34 for the season and we’re all good
September 12th, 2024 at 5:19 pm
For those that need to know;
A bull charges with his head lowered. When he meets the target he rapidly uplifts his head goring the target with the horns. He has to come from below because the horns point upward. Hence a bullish/upward market.
The bear term comes from the large paw of a bear smacking down on the target or swiping downward because the claws curve down ward. Hence a bearish/downward market.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:26 pm
I remember in 1987, the Bucs opened the season by beating the Falcons 48-10, and Steve Deberg had over 300 yards passing and 5 TDs.
The next week they went on the road to a Central Division opponent, the Chicago Bears, and lost 20-3, on the way to a 4-11 season.
Maybe, just maybe, wait a few weeks before crowning yourself SB champs. Heck, maybe wait until the actual SB.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:28 pm
Thank you Citrus County.
It’s a Joe Bucs thing that an article about football ends with an old episode lesson from Marlin Perkins’ Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom.
An oft neglected classic when nostalgia rates the best from the past.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:40 pm
Shady seems to be truly jealous of Baker and obsessed with him. Baker is doing very well with the Bucs. What did Shady do while here…
September 12th, 2024 at 6:10 pm
WanderingWallflower Says: Marlin Perkins’ Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom.
^^^^
Nice. You certainly dusted off the memory bank for that one.
September 12th, 2024 at 6:21 pm
Rod Munch
we beat probably the worst defense in the NFL
That’s funny because Mike Evans scored two touchdowns and I remember the corner being all over him. They aren’t running the same scheme as last year. Our receivers are just better than their secondary
September 12th, 2024 at 6:21 pm
Shady, your ass is the target. A Bull charges with his head lowered. When he meets the target he rapidly uplifts his head goring the target ( your asshole ) with the horns.
September 12th, 2024 at 6:22 pm
Credit to Citrus County
September 12th, 2024 at 6:24 pm
Its L.McCoy is dumb. So whatever…
September 12th, 2024 at 6:55 pm
Those low TDs coincides with the taking away one of the worthless preseason games. In the past, most starting quarterbacks played, albeit sparingly, in the pressure. Now, when the real bullet start flying, they are not mentally prepared and not sync with their receivers.
September 12th, 2024 at 7:06 pm
I commented that WanderingWallflower d.u.s.t.e.d. o.f.f. the memory b.a.n.k. remembering Marlin Perkins but apparently housework can be compared to common activities on city streets. It is truly amazing what can be considered as d.a.n.g.e.r.o.u.s. speech and shut down by a mathematical formula being applied by a.r.t.i.f.i.c.i.a.l. intelligence.
September 12th, 2024 at 7:24 pm
2 hours now and the algorythm can’t decide if d.u.s.t.e.d. o.f.f. is allowed speech or not.
September 12th, 2024 at 7:46 pm
Rod – I was enjoying your insightful posts recently, but recent posts seem to have negative tones again. Hoping for more of the other brother.
September 12th, 2024 at 8:05 pm
McMillan is going off Sunday
September 12th, 2024 at 8:15 pm
Rod Munch, I compliment you on your incredible memory.
September 12th, 2024 at 8:34 pm
Yeah my opinion of Shady has really gone down since he got on TV.
And I could care less if he’s talking about the Bucs or any one else, he just spews hot takes and seems to hate on most players he talks about… It’s bizarre.
September 12th, 2024 at 8:57 pm
I also bet baker mvp. Sam darnold cpoy. The darnold bet is more realistic, but one can hope bake keeps bakin…
September 12th, 2024 at 9:43 pm
Hey Rod, this Bucs team is light years different from that 1987 Dark Ages joke. You look that up or were you, of all people, an actual fan? Yeah, you read it right. I was a fan back then. It was rough, and please save the 2024 insults, ok?
September 12th, 2024 at 10:28 pm
From the second that Hugh Culverhose ran off Doug Williams, the Bucs became the Yucs for 13 seasons. Then Dungy arrived.
September 12th, 2024 at 11:10 pm
The point isn’t being negative, the point is that it’s week 1.
Both times the Bucs won the SB they lost in week 1.
Week 1 means nothing, that’s the point.
There’s a difference between enjoying a victory, and spiking the ball like the Bucs have the season wrapped up. It’s only just starting. So if the Bucs come out in week 2 and lose – that’s OK as well, it doesn’t mean you slit your wrists. Act like you’ve been here before.
September 13th, 2024 at 12:06 am
Rod Munch Says; Week 1 means nothing, that’s the point…..So if the Bucs come out in week 2 and lose – that’s OK as well,….
^^^^
Rod,Rod, Rod, I don’t believe ownership, management, coaches, players, team employees, or fans are content with such a lackadaisical viewpoint.
September 13th, 2024 at 12:07 am
Shadÿ doesn’t like Baker for sure. I recall him dogging Baker last year and I believe he short changed him when he had that short stint with Rams. Where he walked in the first week and won his first game in dramatic fashion. Maybe he is tight with Odell or maybe he is just a hater. I’d prefer to listen to someone that is unbiased and actually does his homework.
September 13th, 2024 at 12:19 am
Rod Munch – nothing wrong with those of us who take a little more positive view of our upcoming season. I mean I think you’ve got a positive view of this season also. But if you’re waiting for the shoe to drop on this team well you better be patient. Some of us sensed early on that something was brewing last year. We know that this season is going to be special because we know what makes winners. We have those ingredients in spades. We’ll lose a few games this year – but not many.
September 13th, 2024 at 12:25 am
And the 3 best QBs in the league – Mahommes, Allen, and Mayfield. I said that here months ago. If some of you don’t believe that then just wait about 4 months. Getting to the Super Bowl this year is gonna be easier than winning it.
September 13th, 2024 at 12:30 am
For years and years everyone asked: “Will the Bucs ever have a franchise quarterback ?”
The answer to that question is this; We do now !
September 13th, 2024 at 12:42 am
Kenton Smith Says:
September 13th, 2024 at 12:19 am
Rod Munch – nothing wrong with those of us who take a little more positive view of our upcoming season.
——–
I have zero issues with that.
I have an issue with people spiking the ball, saying Atlanta is washed up, the Saints suck, the Bucs got this wrapped up and are booking their SB tickets and looking to cash out their Baker Mayfield MVP bet after week 1. And there’s tons of people in the comments here dong just that.
Any real Bucs fan, who isn’t just a SB bandwagon rider, that has been around for a long time, knows things generally go off the rails at this point. I’m not predicting that, but let’s just see how things play out before filing that lawsuit against the NFL website demanding the Bucs are #1 on the power rankings.
September 13th, 2024 at 1:13 am
Rod Munch- appreciate all the history I’ve learned from you about my only NFL team I’ve ever followed. I’m a college football fan and high school fan. All the years never followed players much after they left OU. But I followed Baker just enough to know he was getting screwed. And I always told my boys when he played in college that he was someday gonna win a Super Bowl someday. When he got to Tampa I knew they had some champions on the roster. They had to be better ran than Cleveland and Carolina. Turns out they had most of the pieces. And the GM and coach are Super. They wanted him to be himself. He needed this team and they needed him. Now where I know a little is about what makes a good team. Nobody is going to kick us around. This team is going nowhere but up because they are humbled enough to know the hard work it takes to get better. Sunday night with all the talk about we’ll be lucky to hang in there. No Way. At the dinner table Sunday I believe people will be saying “ I can’t believe it but we physically kicked their butts “. That’s how good this team is.
September 13th, 2024 at 1:38 am
Ok, I said before that week one was like an extended preseason game for us, and it was, but the point is we came out and looked great, just about as good as team could: a few things to clean up but all-in-all a really strong and dominant win in a situation where we should have won, and did- very convincingly.
Now you don’t crown champions in week 1 but this is exactly where we want to be going into week 2. Now we face the team who knocked us out of the play-offs last season and I’m not sure if people are all understanding the significance of that. However, I very much think our players do. Our performance will show us where we are right now compared to the end of last season and if we can beat them it will show we’re ready to take the next step and have the confidence that this can be our season! So let’s win this game and one week at a time show the stupid ‘know-it-alls’ that they know nothing and once again we’ll become champions! Go Bucs!!!
September 13th, 2024 at 2:35 am
Daniel Dream Says:
Now you don’t crown champions in week 1 but this is exactly where we want to be going into week 2. Now we face the team who knocked us out of the play-offs last season and I’m not sure if people are all understanding the significance of that. However, I very much think our players do. Our performance will show us where we are right now compared to the end of last season
——-
Well said. But even if things don’t go well in week 2, that’s not the end of the world. I personally don’t think the Bucs win this game, there’s too many major injuries on defense, but the big test will be the offense. Is this offense better than last year, or was week 1 just beating on the worst defense in football.
But if the Bucs win, fantastic, then people can start getting hyped – and with a week 3 game vs the creampuff Broncos, that would be a fantastic start to the season.
However, if the Bucs lose, it’s not the end of the world, they should still be 2-1 after 3 games.
September 13th, 2024 at 7:35 am
Keaton Smith says the horns up u r ass I am still laughing my ass off
September 13th, 2024 at 8:31 am
The nickname is appropriate. McCoy is shady and has some non football ax to grind.