Explains background of super play.

One could say running back Rachaad White gave the Bucs a chance to win two weeks ago against the 49ers.

You remember the play: Fourth down. Bucs’ final drive of regulation. Baker Mayfield is flushed out of the pocket by Nick Bosa. Mayfield runs right and Bosa is all over him like stink on Devin White.

Mayfield desperately stiff-arms Bosa and keeps running right. He’s not going to get away from Bosa so Mayfield somehow has to find a receiver and complete a pass or the game is over.

Mayfield throws down the right sideline and out of nowhere, White skies like Dwight Clark in triple coverage to come down with the ball. First down Bucs. Move the chains.

A lot, and Joe means a lot, of the attention was on how Mayfield held off Bosa just long enough to throw the ball toward White.

Tom Brady, who was calling the game for FOX, said it was one of the best moves by a quarterback he’s ever seen. And yes, Mayfield deserved all the accolades. But Joe thought White’s catch was way overlooked. It was a tremendous catch in heavy traffic.

So last week Joe finally got a chance to talk to White about that play. He gave Mayfield his props.

“It was a great play that Bake made,” White said. “Obviously holding off Bosa with one arm as he’s headed toward the sideline.

“It just goes to show our team [doesn’t bail]. He gave me the opportunity to make a play.”

The crazy thing is White skied high in the middle of triple coverage. And the great Fred Warner was about to light up White’s world and White knew it was coming.

“There were a lot of guys around,” White smiled.

But then White let Joe in on a secret. The pass White caught was not intended for him. Mayfield was trying to get the ball to Sterling Shepard who was just behind White, though White didn’t know it and didn’t see Shepard.

“He was right behind me,” White said. “I was just running around like scrambling, trying to give [Mayfield] a chance.

“I thought the ball was coming to me. But when we sat back and talked about it, I saw ‘Shep’ behind me. I went up to Shep and said, ‘I apologize.'”

Really, there was no need for White to apologize. The replay shows Shepard right behind White. Shepard broke for the pass but 49ers corner Deommodore Lenoir was with him.

Had White not been able to get a hand on the ball, it sure looks like Lenoir would have picked that pass. He was in perfect position.

“I was just trying to make a play, too,” White said. “We were just playing ball [at that moment]. That’s right. That’s how it is man. Like backyard football.”

And it was a good thing White has hops or the Bucs likely wouldn’t have had a chance to tie the game.

BAKER MAYFIELD WHAT?!

📺: #SFvsTB on FOX
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— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024