Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has raised some eyebrows with his strong start this season. He has led the Bucs to a 2-0 record, beating the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears. In his first two starts, Mayfield has amounted to 490 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a passer rating of 104.4. After the win in week two against the Bears, fans on Twitter started to notice the Baker may be on a revenge tour this season, proving all of the doubters wrong.
Baker Mayfield is on a revenge tour pic.twitter.com/vtUAHqtEb2
— JC Cornell (@CornellNFL) September 17, 2023
Mayfield has also made some clutch plays in key moments for Tampa Bay, including this play in the red zone, where Mayfield escapes a sure sack and runs close to a first down.
Baker mayfield today:
26/34
317 yards
1 TD
114.5 passer RatingAnd this play
— ᴊᴀᴇ (@OkieFBfan) September 17, 2023
Will Baker Mayfield Lead the Bucs to the Playoffs?
Coming into 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were projected to be one of the worst teams in the National Football League, predicted to be 21st overall in the standings, according to NFL experts. So far, the Bucs have proved fans and analysts wrong, and hope to continue to do so. If this trend continues upward, we can see Tampa Bay in the postseason. They are in one of if not the weakest divisions in football (NFC South), which can work out in their favor to win the division.
Taken for Granted
After his campaign with the Cleveland Browns, Baker Mayfield has always been passed around the league, with no teams having a real interest in giving him a real shot to be a starter. After Cleveland, he has been with the Rams, Buccaneers, Panthers, and now the Buccaneers once again.
You cannot blame Tampa Bay for getting rid of him the first time, as they still had custody of the GOAT Tom Brady under center. The same goes for the Rams, as they just needed someone to fill in for the injured Matthew Stafford. The Panthers cannot hold a quarterback for one year, and Mayfield was no different. Now, back with the Buccaneers, is this finally the year Baker Mayfield becomes the solidified starter for an NFL team?
2020 Baker Mayfield Incoming!
As of right now, Baker Mayfield looks like he will have his best season yet, at least statistically. He’ll look to beat his career-high season in 2020 when he was still with the Cleveland Browns. In that season, Mayfield averaged throwing 222.7 yards per game and had 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions.
Along with these impressive stats, he was able to take his team to the NFL Playoffs with an 11-5 record. Not only did he take the Browns to the playoffs, but he also played a significant part in Cleveland, earning its first playoff win in 26 years!
Something to Prove
After bringing the Browns to a place they hadn’t been in over a quarter of a century, Baker Mayfield has always had a chip on his shoulder. From bouncing around the league from team to team, it’s obvious that he wants to settle with a team that believes in him.
It is still very early into the 2023 season, but Mayfield so far looks like the real deal in Tampa Bay. If he can continue this upward trend, It would be one of the greatest comebacks a player has had in recent history. Knowing Mayfield’s drive and passion for the sport of football, there is a good chance that Tampa Bay is the place that he will call home for some time.
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