Baker Mayfield Found A Home
September 19th, 2024
Why Bucs worked for Baker Mayfield.
If you look at the big picture, this is just about remarkable.
Two years ago, Baker Mayfield was on the cusp of being out of football. The former No. 1 overall pick was benched by the Stinking Panthers (sound familiar?).
Mayfield then asked for his release and it was granted. So yeah, technically, Mayfield was out of football two years ago. Briefly.
In an emergency, Sean McVay of the Rams brought him in and before Mayfield could drop a No. 2 in a Los Angeles hotel, he was behind center for the Rams.
We know what happened after that.
But imagine the odds that from the beginning of the 2023 season until now, Mayfield would be in the top-five in touchdowns thrown. That’s what he has done in Tampa (Mayfield is actually No. 3 in touchdowns thrown since the start of the 2023 season).
Mayfield said yesterday he was looking for a spot to resuscitate his career and the Bucs were that team.
“This is what I wanted,” Mayfield said. “This is the group that [I wanted]. Taking a chance to come here, understanding the pieces that I had and the potential that this group could have.
“For me, there [were] a lot of low moments last year, so it could have even been better. It’s never about the individual stats anyway, it’s just about trying to find ways to win. It’s been awesome so far.”
The season is a long way from playing out. But with a bright offensive guy like Liam Coen, who worked with Mayfield in Los Angeles, Joe doesn’t see Mayfield plunging to the depths he hit in Cleveland or Charlotte.
If Mayfield, who has a history of inconsistency, can smooth out the highs and lows, that will go a long way to keeping him afloat as one of the better quarterbacks in the league.
Baker Mayfield on the Bryce Young situation. pic.twitter.com/dbqkoPgVob
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) September 18, 2024
September 19th, 2024 at 9:07 am
Go Baker, Go Bucs
September 19th, 2024 at 9:10 am
Imagine what he can do if we ever get an effective run game.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:19 am
I’m 539% sure the Glazers owe the football gods something crazy as the Bucs run game is just cursed
2020 and 2021 great team years insanely paid offensive line and the run game was not great
New linemen, new scheme, new backs and the results are nearly the same
I’m logging off and going to watch Doug Martin and Blount highlights
September 19th, 2024 at 9:19 am
Just smooth out the lows.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:35 am
Again, that inconsistency narrative is a load of crap…. How many OC’s has Mayfield had since being in the league??? Like 7. That is the inconsistency that should be talked about. He tried to play hurt, big mistake on his part and the loser Browns and Panthers organizations are two of the Biggest Losers in the history of NFL.
Mayfield will do great things with a solid staff around him.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:42 am
Baker was consistently good in 2020 and 2021 untill he made a very bad decision to put off surgery and try to play thru pain. Heroic but dumb. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. He wont make that mistake again. So maybe the Traskies can see how goid Kyle is finally.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:44 am
Baker is such a great guy. His words are correct about having the right fit. We are so lucky to have Baker. He is home. Like he said, it will happen for Bryce. He will find the right team too.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:57 am
One other thing, what ever happened about the narrative that Canales was a Quarterback Whisperer??? It appears Mayfield made Canales not the other way around. Bryce Young being replaced by a 36 year old that may save Canales’s job by winning 1 or 2 games.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:27 am
Umm, this entire Baker found a home narrative is a bit tired don’t ya think? I mean the guy made commercials about his first home.
Lets be more original, Baker upgrades his Kitchen maybe. How about Baker found a new Recipe? Or best yet, the Bucs already had all the ingredients, they just needed to add a little Shake and Bake?
Or lets roll with, Baker found a Home. Lets hope everyone is done with the cringe narrative.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:37 am
Canales did what was right for Young and the Panthers.
Teams put these young guys out there Week 1. People have been telling them how great they are since Pop Warner and when they get to the NFL it is not like playing against college teams where 1% of the opposing defense is any good at all. Struggles follow. Look at the great Caleb Williams. He is just not ready and it could ruin him because he is facing reality and it’s not what his Momma has drilled into his brain. ‘ baby you are the Greatest”
Patriots and Falcons have their 1st rounders backing up and learning the NFL game.
Mayfield has found a place where people are talking him up just like Mommy and will overachieve until reality starts setting in again. Then he will move on to another spot (if available) where he won’t be a back up. Just like he’s has throughout his college and pro career.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:38 am
@BakerFan
Its cool you’re a fan and all but why are you so mad. Baker see’s you are trying so hard to defend him. You motivate him to be more consistent no doubt.
Like coach Bowls makes clear. Stop Living in the past. The first two games have shown us everything Baker has to offer as Buc fans. Which is exciting. Baker just needs to stay consistently good and manage games when under distress.
At one point, regardless of reason, Baker had worse stats than JW over the same stretch of years. Baker has matured and that’s why his needle is pointing up.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:43 am
Bakerfan, I was thinking the exact same thing.
I am still not sure how we won that Lions game. I don’t think I’ve ever seen stats like that from a winning team. I hope we can play much better in the future.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:57 am
The O should no doubt get better as the year goes on. Bucs need to give coen a pay raise to keep him around. Def don’t want to lose another OC after a year even though canals leaving was a godsend
September 19th, 2024 at 11:00 am
Wisecrack and mouth of the south both of you are jokes.
September 19th, 2024 at 11:07 am
FNG – they couldn’t run against one of the better d-lines on the NFC with a back-up right tackle. I don’t think that means the run game hasn’t improved and with Goedeke back, I think it will.
BakerFan – the QB whispered tag included Geno Smith’s improvement in 2022. He had a worse year after Canales left for TB, so I think that’s where the narrative started. Geno is doing well again this year, so I’m not sure what to make of that. Canales is in over his head in Carolina bc he only had one year as an OC before being asked to lead one of the most dysfunctional organizations in pro sports.
September 19th, 2024 at 11:12 am
Crockett Baker – you hope we can play much better in the future ? Much better than beating the Lions at home ? Don’t worry about stats dude. As a Bucs fan you have seen decades of stats like that. Only it was from a losing team. Everything you wrote is a crock of garbage.
September 19th, 2024 at 12:20 pm
I am WITH Kenton Smith on this one Crickett Baker, or Crockett Baker-u dont know HOW we won???!!!!! Don’t u get Baker and his moxie and true GRIT spreading even 2 the entire TEAM-He WON with DETERMINATION and ONE MORE play than the other team and SO DID OUR DEFENSE AND THE REST OF OFFENSE
U hope we get BETTER in the future-WOW!! U truly NEED 2 get more UNDERSTANDING of GR8 Ballgames-THEY DEFY THE STATS ALMOST ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!
September 19th, 2024 at 12:23 pm
Oh, and Bakerfan-I AGREE with u about wisecrack and mothe of the south being a JOKE-they REALLY r-goofy comments they do make lololololololol
and shout out 2 rest of u guys!!
Baker IS the MAN!! GO BUCS!!!!!!!!GO BAKE!!!!!!!!!!
September 19th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
Panther fans would do a much better job of running that club than that monied bozo Tepper is doing. I know they’re a division rival, but we old-timers down here know all about crappy ownership. Coen and the Offense are adjusting to each other. 2-0 is pretty good. Now just pop Payton good and it’s 3-0. Works for me. Go Bucs!!
September 19th, 2024 at 12:32 pm
Hey Joes, You’ve got a tech gremlin somewhere on this moderating. Where’s my comment? There was nothing controversial in it. So restore it, okay?
September 19th, 2024 at 1:33 pm
Baker … ‘It’s never about the individual stats anyway, it’s just about trying to find ways to win.’
B-I-N-G-O!!! Baker has figured it out. Don’t know why so many others can’t seem to see it the same way. It’s about finding ways to win. That’s it.
Sunday’s game was a classic illustration of that. Lions averaged scoring over 27 PPG last season. They scored 26 points in their 1st game this season. Bucs held them to 16 points … and walked away with the win. We found a way to win.
Part of that way was limiting them to 16 points. Yay defense! Part of it was scoring more than 16 points. Yay offense. Without Baker’s 11 yard TD scramble in the 3rd quarter, we might very well have lost. Yay Baker. Without Jared Goff throwing 3 consecutive Incomplete passes in the 4th quarter at the Tampa 27-yard line we might very well have lost also. Yay Jared. It is OK to root for bad plays by the other team’s QB, isn’t it?
In any event, it was a nice TEAM win. Yay TEAM.
September 19th, 2024 at 2:38 pm
yeah Baby
September 19th, 2024 at 5:48 pm
orlbucfan Says:
September 19th, 2024 at 12:32 Where’s my comment? There was nothing controversial in it.
^^^^
I had the same issue. This AI algorythm stuff is amazing and scary.
I think what got you was this; “Now just p.o.p. Payton”.
I used the term “d.u.s.t. o.f.f.”
Using the above format worked in a later post.
You see the commonality in the two terms.
September 19th, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Same. I’m getting hit every post
September 20th, 2024 at 6:34 am
BakerFan Says:
September 19th, 2024 at 9:35 am
Again, that inconsistency narrative is a load of crap…. How many OC’s has Mayfield had since being in the league??? Like 7. That is the inconsistency that should be talked about. He tried to play hurt, big mistake on his part and the loser Browns and Panthers organizations are two of the Biggest Losers in the history of NFL.
==================================
Tell it BakerFan. You know the real story not the one that lazy “analysts” and football talking heads just like repeating. Baker hasn’t changed he just isn’t seriously injured anymore nor is he playing for a lousy organization like the Cleveland Browns. Finally, he is away from toxic Cleveland reporters like Mary Kay Cabot and Tony Grossi.