“Something That Is Ingrained In You”
September 12th, 2024
BY IRA KAUFMAN
When the Bucs signed Baker Mayfield as a free agent 18 months ago, they didn’t realize they were hiring an escape artist.
They knew Mayfield had an NFL arm and a competitive streak to be admired. They knew he had bounced around from the Browns to the Panthers and Rams in recent years and was considered by many as a reclamation project.
But through 20 games as a Buccaneers, Mayfield has surprised fans, coaches and teammates with his gift for sensing trouble and turning it into a problem for opposing defenses. Call it pocket presence, keen instincts or an innate awareness, but Mayfield’s resourcefulness was on full display again in Sunday’s season opener.
On several third-down situations, Mayfield dodged a flurry of pass rushers and kept the chains moving by either finding an open receiver downfield or running past the sticks.
“Sometimes, you just have to make plays,” he says. “They get paid, too; to make plays and cover the pass game so I’m just trying to help our guys up front out. If we don’t have anything open down the field, I’m avoiding a tackle or two and getting the ball out or using my legs to make a positive play.”
By the numbers, Mayfield will never be confused with Josh Allen, Justin Fields or Kyler Murray as a running threat. For his career, he averages 3.3 yards per scramble and only 9.4 yards per game on the ground.
Sunday’s counterpart, Washington rookie Jayden Daniels, just ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns in his pro debut. In the process, Daniels took some substantial hits. Daniels will learn the hard way to avoid contact.
Meanwhile, Todd Bowles has no complaints with his quarterback’s mobility. Mayfield was sacked only once by the Commanders, who displayed a decent pass rush.
“I feel like you can’t teach the pocket presence Baker has, it’s phenomenal,” says new left guard Ben Bredeson. “He’s still pretty quick. He has that great feel for the pocket. That comes with having confidence in the line. We scored 37 points — that’s a testament of what our offense can do. I think we’ll only keep growing from here.”
For Bowles, there’s a lot to like about Mayfield’s game. He doesn’t throw many interceptions and he has a flair for avoiding sacks.
“That’s a quarterback thing,” Bowles says of Mayfield’s instincts within the pocket.. “You have to have a feel for that. I can’t sit up here and take credit for that and I don’t think our coaches can, either. That’s something that is ingrained in you that you learn to do over time and Baker has a knack for it.”
O-linemen love the awareness and execution.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn saw enough of Mayfield on Sunday to last a good while.
“I’ve always admired the competitor there,” Quinn said. “I thought tonight especially he was really effective avoiding the rush.”
A quarterback who can buy time within the pocket is an offensive lineman’s best friend. While Mayfield will never be considered a running threat. he’s no sitting duck, either.
Against the Commanders, Mayfield repeatedly kept hope alive when protection broke down. He continually frustrated the Commanders by side-stepping the rush and keeping his eyes downfield.
Next up, a trip to Detroit to face the team that ended Tampa Bay’s 2023 season.
“It was awesome,” Tristan Wirfs said of an offense that scored on 7-of-8 possessions against Washington. “Putting up 37 was a lot of fun. It’s awesome. These guys are ballers and It’s fun to see. We’ve got a tough test next week and it’s gonna be fun. Baker’s shifty. He’s got great awareness. Bake scrambles a little bit more than Tom (Brady) did. Tom would go down if he felt somebody close to him. Bake tried to keep the play alive.”
Alive and well.
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September 12th, 2024 at 12:04 pm
Looks like he has eyes in the back of his head sometimes lol. Week 1 was elite level pocket mobility and footwork. I love my QB!
September 12th, 2024 at 12:06 pm
Not only can he escape pressure and a sack, the guy is Houdini like some of the more athletic QBs in the league. There were at least 2 pressures where Tom Brady would have been sacked.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
Also, if you’ve ever played QB, you know that sensing pressure is not enough. Sensing pressure and making a positive play is HARD to do. Over time you develop trust in your teammates to recognize you’re under duress and respond or you yourself stay calm and look for opportunities to get out of that situation. A lot of QBs can escape the pressure but still make a bad play in that frenzy.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:13 pm
He’s gonna need this skill in spades Sunday. I don’t think Goedeke is going to play.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:13 pm
If Goedeke is out, Baker will need to escape Hutch all game.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Baker looked like a Top 10 QB against Washington. Here’s hoping the line continues to protect him and give him opportunities to make plays down the field.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:21 pm
Goedke was limited in practice I seen little bit ago same as zyon. I’ll take that over DNP.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
I’m digging it. Score a lot of points and put pressure on the opponent.
With the injury decimated defense, Bucs offense need a 40 burger for any hope to go 2-0.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:25 pm
He is no good, just ask the experts on here.
September 12th, 2024 at 12:27 pm
Saw one escape/ completion he made (defender had him by the ankles) that was Mahomes-ish
September 12th, 2024 at 12:30 pm
At 1:05 today on “The Herd,” Greg Cosell will be breaking down Baker’s Week-1 Performance!!!!
September 12th, 2024 at 12:52 pm
I said when it first happened and I will say it again now. The Bucs are lucky that Baker fell into their lap, and Baker is lucky that he had this opportunity with the Bucs. We found our franchise quarterback for the next at least 5 to 10 years. How can you not like the status of this team with Baker at the helm ? Please give me one quality, that as a fan you don’t like about him? If you don’t like Baker, you’re just a hater. Go Bucs! Let’s get Baked
September 12th, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Truth be Told Says:
September 12th, 2024 at 12:52 pm
I said when it first happened and I will say it again now. The Bucs are lucky that Baker fell into their lap
================================
You don’t know the truth of it. Baker was the best thing that happened to the resurrected Cleveland Browns and they threw him out in the cold. His crime was trying to play the entire 2021 season with a shoulder injury suffered in game 2. In his place they signed for $235Mill guaranteed Deshaun Watson, who was never going to play another down for Houston. Also, Browns gave Houston 3years of #1 draft picks. Question for all Tampa fans and Tampa management today is would you trade Baker today for Deshaun Watson even up? The Browns are the most ineptly run NFL professional franchise, with the possible exception of Carolina.
September 12th, 2024 at 1:47 pm
YouTube has several podcasts up of Cleveland fans still talking about “what if Baker had stayed in Cleveland”. What 3 years later? They can’t seem to get past it.
September 12th, 2024 at 1:55 pm
No doubt when Mayfield senses trouble his instinct is to run. Perhaps he has honed his escaping skills since his visit to Fayetteville Arkansas.
September 12th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
One more thing. Not many QB’s would have the guts to follow Brady in Tampa. Says a lot about Baker self confidence that he took on the almost impossible task knowing that he would be measured by the Brady standard. So far so good.
September 12th, 2024 at 1:59 pm
He gave those Redskins a haircut.
September 12th, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Similarly, Big Ben was not highly mobile, but was a master of extending plays by avoiding the rush.
September 12th, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Big Ben style.
September 12th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
“Tom would go down if he felt somebody close to him. Bake tried to keep the play alive.”
And that’s the clear difference. Brady obviously had a far more accurate arm than Baker but by the end of his career he needed protection big time!!!
September 12th, 2024 at 3:21 pm
stpetebucfan,
I’m not even sure Brady “had a far more accurate arm” than Baker. Remember Brady had a lot of time to throw the ball whether NE or Tampa. Baker has never played behind a line that was proficient in pass protection. Browns had a good run blocking line but not that great on pass protection. Baker had 70% completion rate at Oklahoma. Given a reasonable amount of time Baker will be back in the 70% camp this year. I realize that is a stretch from his pro history but Licht has made it a point to beef up pass protection and run blocking this year.
September 12th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
(Ominous, terrifying, impending doom rock n roll guitar chords throughout)
With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound, he throws a spinning high-arc for an Evans tou-uuchh downnn.
Helpless defenders on opposing teams scream “My God” as he scrambles for a first and te-nnn
(earsplitting rock n roll guitar riff)
He picks up the blitz and he checks it down; Chris Godwin scores a Bucs touccchhhh dowwnn!
(treacherous, earsplitting rock n roll guitar riffs continue)
Ohhhh No
They say he’s got to go
Oh no, BAKEZILLA!!!!
Ye-aaa-hhh
Ohhhh No
There goes Tokyo
Oh no, BAKEZILLA!!!
Ye-aaa-hhh
(With thanks (and apologies) to Blue Oyster Cult)
(Click my name to watch the music video on Youtube)
September 12th, 2024 at 7:01 pm
Vanessa Anne – bringing joy to others – that’s what you do ! Go Bucs !
September 12th, 2024 at 8:27 pm
Gipper: Not all of us Bucs faithful thought Methusaleh Brady was the second coming of NFL Christ. The 2021 SB was won by the entire team especially the Defense. I really like BM. He’s gutsy, smart, and feisty on top of being practically fearless. It’s contagious and his team mates, coaches and we fans are catching it. This next game is going to be a real character statement for our team. Now, I’m reading the Rams did some banging up on the Lions in terms of injuries. Is that true cos I know Aaron Donald didn’t play for LA?
September 12th, 2024 at 9:57 pm
Go back and watch the 4th quarter of Oklahoma and Tennessee in 2015. You will see exactly this
September 12th, 2024 at 11:20 pm
Thank you, @Kenton Smith.
September 13th, 2024 at 3:25 am
While I too appreciate Bakers ability to “extend plays” I don’t want him to be forced to do it as much as he was Sunday. Did it way too much last year. QBs who pull it down too often get injured. Mahomes is an exception. He knows how to get out of harms way and has the wheels to do it.
Sometimes I would prefer Baker to just get the ball out. At times it pays to just throw it to the hotdog guy so as to not wake up in the ICU. I like Trask but I do not want to see him except in mop up duty this year.
Go Bucs!