For Bucs To Succeed, Baker Mayfield Must Play Well
June 28th, 2023
Key to winning.
So in the eyes of an analyst/humorist who works for NFL.com, if the Bucs are to repeat as NFC South champions, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield must play well.
Or is it Kyle Trask?
Adam Rank — Joe doesn’t fully understand when to take this guy seriously or when Joe is supposed to pretend Rank is some sort of football version of Steven Wright — recently typed a column highlighting the Bucs’ 2023 season.
There, Rank types there is no way around it. If the Bucs hope to make the playoffs, the team will not be able to overcome poor quarterback play. So Mayfield must be at the top of his game.
Or is it Trask?
As a result, Mayfield (Trask?) will be the team MVP.
Projected 2023 MVP: Mayfield. I mean, Mayfield could easily be replaced by former second-round pick Kyle Trask, who is also competing for the starting job. So, let’s just say that this award will come down to the quarterback position. There are still good players on defense, but to get back to last year’s level, the quarterback will need to play pretty well.
This really isn’t a wild suggestion — or was it a flaccid joke? Unless Rachaad White magically turns into Barry Sanders, does anyone believe the Bucs will ride his back into the playoffs?
Joe truly believes the Bucs defense will be solid. The only potential weakness is a pass rush and it’s not like the Bucs didn’t use premium draft picks on a pass rush, so who knows if the light bulb suddenly lights for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and/or Logan Hall?
So basically Rank is saying the Bucs will go as far as Mayfield (Trask?) takes them. That’s not far-fetched.
June 28th, 2023 at 3:52 am
Last year was billed as ‘The Big Move’ by Plan 9. He was going to dominate.
June 28th, 2023 at 4:02 am
HC Grover Says:
June 28th, 2023 at 3:52 am
Last year was billed as ‘The Big Move’ by Plan 9. He was going to dominate.
^^^^^^^
From what I remember, a grand total of zero people thought JTS would “dominate”. We were hoping for decent. You and Da Bucs Guy have a way of rewriting history (aka, making stuff up).
June 28th, 2023 at 6:23 am
What if he doesn’t play well but still has moxie?
June 28th, 2023 at 6:32 am
Thank you Capt Obvious. Usually true on any team that if your QB is doo doo, the teams in trouble. Five more weeks? Can’t wait!
June 28th, 2023 at 7:10 am
And as the great Bill Russel once said live on air.
I think the team that will win this game will …score more points.
Go Bucs!
June 28th, 2023 at 7:39 am
I don’t have much confidence in either dude.
June 28th, 2023 at 7:43 am
Joe … ‘As a result, Mayfield (Trask?) will be the team MVP.’
How come Trask is in parentheses AND has a question mark after his name? It is a COMPETITION after all. Oh wait, I forgot, Kyle doesn’t have MOXIE, thus he’ll never be the media’s favorite son. My bad.
June 28th, 2023 at 8:02 am
Every team’s Quarterback needs to play well to win.
June 28th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Stands to reason Mayfield will get the nod on opening day, that really shouldn’t be a surprise. 50/50 he fails by mid season, and THEN the Trask lovers will get their wish
June 28th, 2023 at 8:18 am
Da!!!
June 28th, 2023 at 8:39 am
So it is back to the bottom for the Bucs.
June 28th, 2023 at 8:40 am
@Beej
You mistake REAL BUCS FANS for Trask Lovers. I would explain but your ignorance shines bright like a train in a tunnel.
I will give you this however but mainly for others to understand.
Baker has career number worse than Winston. We just don’t want to wait for him to fail to see what we have in Trask. It’s as simple as that.
June 28th, 2023 at 9:25 am
The fate of the Bucs is tied to the QB. That is the bottom line.
The running game will be better, partly because it can’t get worse, and partly because our new OC believes in match ups. That is a big step up from last season when Leftie was unsupervised five year old in an adult game.
Baker (since my derogatory term for him was flagged) has the edge because he has “experience”. The Bowles cleaner is insecure enough that “experience” counts as 5 points in a 10 point game.
I do think Baker will try his best, but he brought his happy feet with him and they cause too many problems. Trask will take over somewhere around the bye.
June 28th, 2023 at 10:15 am
For water to be water it must be wet
June 28th, 2023 at 10:59 am
DUH…isn’t every NFL team tied to the play of their QB. That’s why they get the big bucks and suck up all the publicity.
The major difference between Mayfield and Mahomes, Burrow and a few others is there is not doubt about how they’re going to play. There are a couple of others.
But does anybody not believe that the Saints/Falcons/Panthers fates in 2023 are also tied to how their QB plays? They are no different.
June 28th, 2023 at 11:05 am
How dare you, sir! Football is a team game! There is no “I” in “team.”
(Or, as Michael Jordan once said, “There’s no “W” in “team,” either.)
June 28th, 2023 at 11:44 am
“Michael Jordan once said, “There’s no “W” in “team,” either.”
There’s no “W” in “individual” either. 😛
June 28th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
No 5hit Sherlock.
June 28th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Obligatory Captain Checkdown post quota met for the day.
June 28th, 2023 at 12:33 pm
The new and hopefully improved offensive line is the key to this season for Bucs.
June 28th, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Well, Bowles has no excuses this season (barring injuries). He hired his staff. He’s implementing his plans. He was present with opinions in the draft. Foote and Rodgers are still coaching defense (where is a new DC?). The new OC will have more to say in-game plays possibly than Bowles. No excuses. So either we do much better or Bowles will be scuttling in pressers.
June 28th, 2023 at 3:03 pm
“The QB has to play well for the team to succeed”
Genius take. Amazing incite.
June 28th, 2023 at 3:23 pm
I believe thar with a full training camp, Baker Mayfield should be able to play far better than he had last year; I still believe in him.
June 28th, 2023 at 6:15 pm
Make Baker Great Again can be our slogan
June 28th, 2023 at 6:31 pm
Riveting
June 30th, 2023 at 10:00 am
So let me ask you guys this question? So Nick Foles, Brady Johnson, was the only reason why there team won the super bowl and it’s others like Joe Flacio and Goff who got there but they were the only reason why they won ?? I know y’all believe Brady was the only reason even though he threw 3 picks in the NFC championship game and defense step up!! This is why I don’t believe this national meadi crap about the quarterback position.
June 30th, 2023 at 10:00 am
Brad Johnson