Baker Mayfield: The Right Call Was A Field Goal (This Time)
November 11th, 2024
“Liam, I think I see an eight-yard pass on your sheet.“
Last Monday, after the Bucs (with sober minds) decided to kick an extra point rather than go for a two-point conversion and willingly handed Pat Mahomes a chance to win the game, when asked about the decision, Mayfield was diplomatic.
Mayfield didn’t spout off or question his coaches.
Yesterday, the Bucs kicked a field goal to tie the game with 41 seconds left on fourth-and-eight.
That’s a bit different than running a two-point conversion attempt from the two. And Mayfield, this time, was more blunt in his reaction. He said kicking the field goal was the right thing to do.
“From that far out – no,” Mayfield said of going for six. “Not a question.”
Joe agrees, but dang, was it so dangerous to at least throw a pass into the end zone on first or second down? Like the best option there was for Rachaad White, not exactly Earl Campbell, to run between the tackles on first and second down?
Yeah, Joe gets it. Tristan Wirfs was hurt and Nick Bosa was hunting. But somewhere in his playbook, Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen had to have pass options for Mayfield that bought time and avoided Bosa.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:03 am
Breaking news: Carlton Davis finds his hands, where were those incredible ints here. He said post game he never been apart of a team like this with so much grit.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:11 am
By the time it was 4th and goal from the 8 it was already over. If Rockhands Jarret could catch and it was 4th down from the 2, different story. This team has indeed learned how to lose. Congratulations to Lovie, that culture is once again resonating through the halls and urinals of One Buc Place. All that Brady culture stuff has been rubbed out by the Bowlerama.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:15 am
The right call was a field goal, the wrong calls were before that. They ran out the same formations and players. No Bucky, JMac, Palmer to give different looks. White is a better wr than Miller, Shep, & Jarrett they could have had Bucky in back and White out wide.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:22 am
“All that Brady culture stuff has been rubbed out by the Bowlerama.”
Besides the 1st year Brady didn’t add any culture. I think his “Culture” would have lasted if he retired after year 1 but guys got tired of him especially by year 3 with missing camp, going to a wedding midweek not flying with team, etc. Thank him for the ring but that first season they didn’t beat a winning team aside from GB week 4 until catching fire the last four games into playoffs, next season they still had their struggles running and then Godwin gets hurt things go down the rails, next season 9-8.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:29 am
Wow there are some terards around.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:40 am
That’s patently inaccurate.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:40 am
You know, the only positive aspect of the way the Bucs are losing is that it is going to make it a very simple decision when the time comes to launch Bowles. IMHO, the Bucs could very well finish 6-11 and I am being generous in giving them 2 more wins and it would not surprise me if the Raiders, Giants, Saints and Panthers all beat the Bucs as long as Bowles is calling the D. Now Wirfs is out, so the offense will regress as well. If the Bucs were to win 8 or 9 games, Bowles would use the injury card as an excuse for one more year but losing 11 or 12 games should put an end to that possibility and give the new head coach a top 5 or 10 draft pick to boot.
BTW, how is that Carlton Davis trade working out. They used the pick they got for him on McMillan who is very fragile and not contributing. Not exactly a bust but disappointing. The other third rounder, Tykee Smith was also absent, Bucs could have used him this afternoon.
November 11th, 2024 at 12:45 am
Honestly, I wasn’t all that upset when Bowles didn’t go for it last Monday Night. What I didn’t like was that the defense was far too unpredictable for its own damn good. Same yesterday and all season, really. Unpredictability for simply unpredictability’s sake is just stupid. Trickery is like capers. Love ’em? Hate ’em? Doesn’t matter. Pick ’em out if you have to. Pour the whole jar in there? Recipe for disaster.
November 11th, 2024 at 1:01 am
baker could have rolled out….ummm he’s pretty good at rolling out last time i checked…
and attempt to hit one or two guys cutting horizontally across the end zone…
simple play, very workable…and of course i’m just explaining it in layman’s terms
November 11th, 2024 at 1:20 am
Joe real question.. Do Bucs fans know football? Mayfield wasn’t bad at all and the defense lost the game? Two weeks in a row. I see Bucs fans calling for Trask? Mayfield is a baller. We were down three wrs, lost wirfs and don’t get me started on defense…. We should be a defensive team and we’re soft. Great young talent just a year away. Injuries have been horrible for this team two of the last three years…. We have a good squad but when it’s the best of the best there’s only so much for you to hide. Last two games came down to the wire and fans want Bowles? What about execution? What about calling for players? Everyone loves bowles player wise and fans hate him? What about players execution? Zone has been loose all year… Bowles is a zone blitzing DC. We have great young talent and it shows just no instant results…. We need speed at LB and more depth at o line and I know DE or OLB is critical Joe but Licht hasn’t hit there same with punter or kicker…. What are you opinions on O and D line? We need trenches…go back to big bad Bucs defense and run. JMO. Good game with the wrong result… Btw Braswell needs more PT he’s a stud. Smith and Braswell look like the future.
November 11th, 2024 at 1:23 am
“That’s patently inaccurate.”
Brady helped them realize they can win and the guys had more belief especially the FO, but that was maybe more on the offense. I feel like the defense was there on thing, they credited Suh & JPP for their energy and culture.
November 11th, 2024 at 1:56 am
It’s too late at night and too long of a list of stories for Joe to site on the ways Brady helped that offense and all the offensive players *including* the offensive linemen. Joe heard these stories straight from the mouths of players, coaches and management.
That’s not to mention the things Joe saw with his own eyes at practices.
November 11th, 2024 at 1:58 am
No LVD, Shaq, even DW his first couple of years? With Winfield? Might be a stretch. What about Vita? He broke his ankle and came back even SMB, Carlton were solid. I think we are In a transition but not a bad time…. A lot of good young players getting experience…. DL has been a huge miss in the draft for a LONG time though and we need that ASAP. Vita is solid and a MANIMAL but we need edge or OLB and that’s been a big miss
November 11th, 2024 at 2:02 am
We needed one stop and couldn’t get it today we played tough and I DON’T THINK any other team had a four game schedule like that… Ravens, ATL, Chiefs, 49ers? Who else would go 2-2? Let alone 0-4 without top players team is resilient. Bowles is good but talent isn’t there just yet
November 11th, 2024 at 3:20 am
“Mayfield wasn’t bad at all”
HUH?????
Do some of you even watch the games? Mayfield only had 74 yards until late I the game and finished with barely over 100 yards passing… for the entire game! That’s a BAD game for an NFL QB.
One stiff arm 4th quarter conversion does not a great game make.
November 11th, 2024 at 6:33 am
With a full deck, i can somewhat understand these decisions Bowles is making. Problem is, this team is only playing with half the cards right now. Half the team is injured right now.
He can preach all he wants about backups needing to play like starters and all that coach speak nonsense. Extending these games to overtime with this current active roster is just a slower suicide. Two weeks in a row with the chance to go for the throat against good teams and he chose to let the opponent come back up for air. Dumb and gutless.
November 11th, 2024 at 7:09 am
Why is it all the other teams with injuries make it happen. He sucks.
Experience isn’t really Experience if the teacher is making you regress.
What defenders are thriving under bowles……they keep getting worse.
I saw anthony Nelson covering mccaffrey yesterday…..wtf is he thinking. .how about you focus on pash rushers being pass rusher and stop dropping these guys into a coverage half the time. Hire a real coordinator. I want Saleh. And hire a new head coach
November 11th, 2024 at 8:32 am
Had last week not happened, I bet they wouldn’t have run it first and second down. Last week, no mind of time.
This week, extra cautious about time.
Find the middle and win
November 11th, 2024 at 1:27 pm
Can’t be a coward in the nfl
November 11th, 2024 at 6:34 pm
No, your right. Many opinions, most of them coming from folks with very low football IQ. I laugh at the comments mostly. They are truly funny, especially when folks think they are so right on a take and they are just dead wrong. Or, the simple minded trolls.
November 12th, 2024 at 2:37 am
You’re right Joe, those were terrible calls on first and second down, odds of success goes down quite a bit more on 3rd when everyone knows it will be a pass play. Dah…
One problem I had with the offense the whole game was OC/QB not giving wide receivers more opportunities in the first half to build their confidence and find out who was ready to take advantage of the opportunity presented by all the injuries.
At least one of those guys would have shown they were ready, but Baker kept throwing to Otten. No issues with him, he’s showing he’s ready to be an exceptional NFL TE, he needed to be given opportunities to show he was capable.
Again, not enough camera views on that 3rd down play that could have given the Bucs a 4 point lead instead of settling for a FG to tie, was the pass off or knocked down by the DB, or did WR muff the catch?