Baker Mayfield Struggled With The Long Ball
December 23rd, 2024
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Well here is very interesting information by way of NextGen Stats on Baker Mayfield last night:
The Bucs quarterback struggled when he had to hang onto the ball in the two-point loss to the Cowboys. But when Mayfield unloaded the ball quickly, he was sharp, notes Grant Gordon of NFL.com.
… Mayfield was efficient in the quick passing game against the Cowboys (16 for 18, 144 yards, touchdown) but struggled when holding the ball for more than 2.5 seconds (15 of 25, 159 yards, TD, interception, sacked four times).
Now Joe knows exactly what the vast majority of Joe’s readers will holler. “The offensive line!”
Joe is confident the reason is more nuanced than that.
Joe will take a stab and suggest the Cowboys, having studied film, saw how the Bucs burned the Chargers on long balls last week (they only threw four but three went for touchdowns) and decided the following:
We’ll let the Bucs dink and dunk all night if that’s what they want to do, but we will play aggressively to take away the long ball.
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:51 am
These next-gen stats are wrong….
Baker’s 50-yard throw to JMAC in the endzone was money as it was CAUGHT by JMAC….
The refs chose to screw the Bucs with the BS interception call that wasn’t….
Simultaneous possession = a catch for the wide receiver so the NFL rules say…
Therefore next-gen stats are BS here…
December 23rd, 2024 at 3:10 am
It’s pretty simple. When no one is open he has to hold it longer. And thus increased sacks. That’s what happens when you are down three critical receivers.
December 23rd, 2024 at 3:40 am
No, he didn’t. The receivers couldn’t hold on to the ball. Shepard cost them at least 7 and Mcmillian 7. Bowles needs to go and Licht needs to to quit reading his BS ass-kissing media nonsense. Lose the rest Bucs!, so Bowles goes away…away…away!!!
December 23rd, 2024 at 3:42 am
That bomb was beautiful. He needs to ” GET YOUR WEIGHT UP SON!!!” so he won’t have his candy taken by the grid iron bullies
December 23rd, 2024 at 4:54 am
Baker struggled period. The defense, and special teams struggled as well. This has been the real problem with this team all year, being consistent week to week. You don’t know if you’re getting the flat bucs, the fiery bucs, the scoring bucs, the not scoring bucs, that’s why we hover around .500. I have to look at the coaching. Not coming out ready on prime time yet again, the bucs shrink in the moment.
December 23rd, 2024 at 4:59 am
Good
Teams show up when it matters most. And this team might as well
be plastered on the side of a expires Milk Carton;
I.E. We have known for months
December 23rd, 2024 at 5:37 am
Curious if two of those are the 4th down drop and/or the bomb to where Palmer SHOULD have been. We know one of them was the SHOULD have been TD to McMillan.
The team let down their qb tonight.
December 23rd, 2024 at 5:38 am
You have a lot of useless takes Joe but this one takes the cake
December 23rd, 2024 at 5:39 am
You could see the surprised look on their faces when they saw how good the cowgirls are ( @ least in this game * hate the cowgirls BTW ). Still don’t understand why Baker didn’t just didn’t get rid of the ball during that last possession. I am confident that if Baker just got rid off the ball during that sequence , we would had enough time to get into FG position and kick that game -winning score….but i also remember Baker was the first to fall on that fumble…. Baker is trying to do it all …just wished we had our starting lineup receivers…we wouldn’t be having th8s discussion …Washington will be the dirty birds next week ….Phenix is athletic but he is far from picking apart defenses…that take time & experience…..8m still optimistic about our chances…love you Guys MERRY CHRISTMAS…….
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:02 am
There were breakdowns by receivers. Wirfs was playing on a bad ankle. Dallas made BAker pretty uncomfortable in the pocket at times. We rarely got to the
QB and allowed him plenty of time to make deep throws to their receivers all over the field.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:20 am
he had his shots down field and missed them. The one to Palmer was bad , he was wide open.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:23 am
Hodad, add 50 yards a TD a take away one int (because that lack of td and int were on the WR) and bakers stats look more that good enough.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:30 am
The Cowboys did their homework, that is for sure. Plus being in their own stadium.
Overall the Bucs did play hard too. We really missed Otton too. He will be back for the next game.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:33 am
Baker can’t do it all by himself. Like I said and will always say BUCS WILL NEVER REACH THE SB WITH TODD BOWLS AS HEAD COACH. Sorry
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:27 am
9-8 8-9 that’s the peak. That’s all they’ll ever be. With that all or nothing defense.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:36 am
Trey Palmer turned the wrong direction for absolutely no reason on a well thrown deep ball. Drops and stripped balls plus holding calls = losing a game that they should have won. Believing Cee Dee Lamb was actually injured was another huge mistake. Anyone who’s ever had shoulder problems knows just lifting your hands in the air is almost impossible.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:37 am
One thing; Complacency, never think you got a game in the bag, never say, we got this. And Bowles with the fundamentals thing and all of the other BS things he comes up with, you are the Teacher here. It’s Getting Old and Arians sticking up for him, ditto. No more walk throughs. Apparently I will see you Wednesday sucks to. Tom Brady didn’t teach the Bucs anything, I guess. Everyday you got to get after it. You think The Belechecks or even Chucky didn’t have those guys busting ass everyday when he took them to the Superbowl?? Got to get it in their heads. EVERYDAY coach.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:39 am
JMAC 15 stinks, he has a lot to learn, ME13 would have caught that… put Ryan Miller in, he catches everything…
Rachaad is awesome but has a fumbling problem now
I expect the Comandos to beat the falcons, it’s not over yet
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:45 am
I think Coen had his first interview for the Cowboys last night. A team that has a good QB that’s signed for next year and a D, that has injuries, played pretty good last night. Bucs better find a way to keep Coen here soon or he’s going to be gone soon. Send Bowles down the road and pay the man before someone like big D steals him away!
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:51 am
Talking heads rave about the Bucs OL .. I am sorry but I don’t see it.
They were rolling on their collective heels getting pushed back into the pocket and it has happened most of the season
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:59 am
Yes, the Refs screwed the Bucs on the Macmillan Touchdown. Simultaneous possession goes to the offense. Bowles should have thrown the challenge flag.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:59 am
Is it just me, or did it not feel like we lost by way more than 2 points? Even if we pulled out a field goal in the end and won, we wouldn’t have earned it. The Cowboys came to kick our ass and they did just that. The way we played that game, I’m hoping we lose out. I know that sounds bad, but what’s the point going to the playoffs? We will lose the first round and then get to watch bowles-ball next year? It will be the same every year until Lovie 2.0 is gone. Every year it will be winning the first few games, losing every game in the middle, then dragging into the playoffs. I would much rather rip off the Bowles band-aid now and get it over with. The players deserve better than what we saw last night and us fans do too.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:04 am
Baker and Palmer need to get on the same page, missed opportunity there as well. What happened to the crossing patterns to use his speed and he is tougher than we think, he takes hits and keeps it going.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:05 am
@MarkyMark, turnovers and scores are automatically reviewed by the league
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:07 am
Aaaaaand, Jamarcus Russell could have picked our defense apart last night. Their WRs were wide open all night. I remember them saying before the half that Cooper Rush just set a career high. Every game we play, I here something about the opposing offense setting records. Twice this year I remember them saying an opposing teams player scored their first NFL touchdown. Bowles needs to be shipped to the Browns and give Liam the team to finish the season.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:11 am
But we didn’t have an implosion in the second quarter as we have had most of the season. The second youngest team in football hiccuped at the wrong time and now we have to hope that Atlanta will lose one of their last two while we win out to try to win the division. Same 💩 happened last year
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:11 am
Baker had poor pass protection… dropped balls & a TD taken away for an interception…..along with some drops…no wonder he struggled…
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:15 am
Where are my posts?
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:21 am
Yucs fans thought their Yucs would beat a real champion like the Cowboys! lol! Season’s over. Time for the new Head coach search.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:21 am
Otton was really missed tonight in the middle of the field. Cowboys were comfortable with blitzes that they could not have done if Otton was available to sit down underneath. Baker was pressured all night but kept battling. Felt confident that a field goal was in Bucs future at end of game. Tough luck for Rachaad who looked like he covered up ball.
Defense still lacks EDGE pressure. Tackling was horrible in 1st half. Not having true safeties tonight was apparent with over the top routes to Lamb.
December 23rd, 2024 at 8:52 am
So the “bend but don’t break” Cowboy D broke the Bucs.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:06 am
Baker had a bad game and the throw to McMillan was way underthrown. The throw to Palmer was a “Read the Safety and go the other way play” and Palmer read it well and Baker did not. Once protection begins to break down and Baker starts moving , he loses focus on everything but what is close by.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:29 am
It’s strange but what I saw was key passes thrown right to players hands and numbers and they were dropped. That was when the refs weren’t allowing the safety to strip the ball after both had hit the ground.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:39 am
Example after example that Joe Bucs Fan is state ran media. someone in the org has directed the writers to pin it on Mayfield.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:39 am
It is amazing what the NFL allows the refs to get away with. 🤔
Game changing calls. Nobody says anything.
Season ending calls, nothing
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:05 am
Bucsfan Says:
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:06 am
Baker had a bad game and the throw to McMillan was way underthrown. The throw to Palmer was a “Read the Safety and go the other way play” and Palmer read it well and Baker did not. Once protection begins to break down and Baker starts moving , he loses focus on everything but what is close by.
==================================
How do you know what Palmer was reading? Looked to all of us that Palmer broke right to corner with the safety following him. That looked like it was supposed to be a post play all the way and Palmer tried to break it into a flag route. Maybe that is why we haven’t seen much of Palmer this year. He is undisciplined in his route running.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:10 am
EXACTLY what I was thinking last night Gipper. That little cut right slowed his route just about how far the ball was over thrown.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:11 am
Undisciplined
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:11 am
And another thing, Austin, hard to say Baker had a bad game when he was over 70% completion, 300 yards, 2TD’s and a “should have been” 3rd one. All this with a few drops, constant heavy pressure and a leaky pass defense. Most who actually pay attention to these things know that Mayfield wasn’t the problem. Just easy for the lazy and uninformed to always whine about Baker/
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:40 am
Should have said…And another thing “BUCSFAN”………Austin gets it. You will all make mistakes when you are elderly as well.
December 23rd, 2024 at 11:29 am
Why is it that when Evans is doubled, the other receivers can’t get open with single coverage?
I can’t believe Pewter Report blamed LVD for not covering a WR.
Lamb not being called for OPI and we get called for DHolding??? BS.
Letting the clock run down to the 2 minute warning when the offense had the defense on their heels? No…..give them time to catch their breath. Stupid.
December 23rd, 2024 at 11:57 am
Deep ball was not a problem, Palmer would’ve had a touchdown on his deep ball if he keeps to the left, baker saw him looking over his left shoulder so he threw it to the left, Bucs were robbed on the interception to Jalen in the end zone, defender and the receiver both went to the ground with the ball, that’s a touchdown for the reciever, I’ve never seen a single defender be allowed to rip the ball from the receiver after they hit the ground before. Sterling shepherd was horrendous with two costly drops that changed the course of the first half. Barton with high snaps and bad snap most of the night was a problem and the o-line protection was awful when it’s been pretty good all season. Put the blame on the defense who let cooper look like a hall of famer and Todd bowels and his poor time management
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:47 pm
Only person he can hit deep is M1K3 and that’s because of his huge catch radius. Baker is a game manager at best and he gets happy feet too easily.
December 23rd, 2024 at 1:17 pm
Bucsfannc, baker wasn’t the problem and hasn’t been the problem all season
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:16 pm
I think the coaches and qb know — it seems like taking those deep shots was game planned
the check downs were open and with aggressive runners like Bucky and White, why not just keep feeding those guys reps and letting them break tackles and get first downs?
those 2 early drops by Sheppard had an impact as well as Sheppard leaving the game with an injury
given how this season was predicted to go, at least we have some meaningful games in December and January
December 23rd, 2024 at 4:02 pm
They only had to double Mike – check out the highest turnover potential of all our receivers this season – there’s a reason Jalen McMillan looked like an option on that long ball in the end zone gave- he isn’t NFL ready and the Caboys knew it.
December 23rd, 2024 at 5:39 pm
Went back and watched the game and counted the bad throws: 5 they were. The rest were right in the hands and numbers or on the side away from the defender–like a surgeon. Out of 43 throws 5 were bad. But Baker had a bad game.lol Amazing what people see and remember.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:17 pm
BucsFanNC Says:
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:47 pm
Only person he can hit deep is M1K3 and that’s because of his huge catch radius. Baker is a game manager at best and he gets happy feet too easily.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You don’t know what you are talking about. Baker’s so called “happy feet” are right out of the Peyton Manning QB school for resetting feet when target is changed. Watch any video of Manning and you will see the same foot action. You just need something to talk about to make it seem like you have credibility.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:33 pm
Some of you act like we didn’t see what elite QB play was like when we had Brady here. On McMillian’s potential TD, Brady would have thrown the pass to the outside of the receiver so he could walk under the pass going away from the DB. Baker put it on the inside where the DB could make the play. That’s on him. The Palmer throw had no chance regardless of how the route was run as it was 10+ yards beyond him. The drop by Sheppard on 4th is on him, however, the QB doesn’t need to throw a rocket that’s harder to catch. Baker just doesn’t have touch. How many passes did he throw too low, included the reversed play to McMillian? He’s just an average at best QB that can get hot every few games or so.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:02 pm
Why is everyone ignoring the elephant in the room? Joe’s stats indicate success with a total of 18 quick/short passes and Baker’s struggles on 25 long passes. So why did Coen tilt so heavily toward the long ball in the game plan? The 2 back sets with play action and screens looked pretty efficient to me and then it was a whole bunch of jumbo packages to buy time and WRs flying down field and never looking back to bail out their scrambling QB. Wtf Liam, save your QB and defense. Dink and dunk to your awesome RBs and at least have WR, other than Shepard, turn around every now and again before they’re 15 yards deep and start their breaks. I felt that Wonderboys offensive game plan was purely for ME13’s record and took the Cowboys for granted.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:10 pm
Yes Hodad you are certainly right, Baker threw the ball 43 times and 5 were bad throws. He should have only thrown 2 bad balls.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:35 pm
Hey Falconrap if Baker is average why is he ranked 5th in the one metric the NFL uses to grade quarterbacks-Passer rating? If he throws the ball too hard why is he ranked 3rd in completion percentage? So easy to judge incorrectly from the keyboard.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:41 pm
He throws the ball hard when the window is tight.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:46 pm
I take that back, since yesterday’s game Baker is ranked second in completion percentage. He is less than half a percentage point behind first because he throws it too hard.