Life without future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady is going gleefully well for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers through his replacement Baker Mayfield and a stout defense.
Mayfield shredded the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, going 22 of 36 for 337 yards and three touchdown passes in the 32-9 rout on Monday evening. The embattled quarterback was backed by a fierce defense that dominated on a night franchise icon Warren Sapp was in attendance.
But for Mayfield, he’s having fun again with the game of football.
Baker Mayfield Showcases Gleeful Emotions Throughout the Night
Mayfield began his night by showing how he’s a true “football guy,” turning to smelling salts while walking onto the Raymond James Stadium field.
Baker Mayfield just ripping smelling salts otw outta the tunnel. Absolute FOOTBALL guy pic.twitter.com/1LvjKwhqVc
— Betting Machine (@marzbets) January 16, 2024
Mayfield “cooked” and “baked” from there against a once-proud Eagles defense that delivered an astonishing 70 sacks one year ago.
The former first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, who’s now on his fourth NFL team, found a completely wide-open WR David Moore for his first touchdown pass of the night.
David Moore gets into the end zone on his birthday — and the #Buccaneers are off!pic.twitter.com/UTimKf7M1S
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 16, 2024
Mayfield really rubbed it in, literally, by getting the Bucs to take a stunning 16-3 lead over a team that was once in the driver’s seat for the conference’s top seed.
16-3, Buccaneers. Raise your hand if you saw this coming. pic.twitter.com/eMYJvhWkKe
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 16, 2024
Mayfield wasn’t through, though. He put the game away on this short throw that became a 56-yard WR Trey Palmer touchdown.
Is this the dagger? pic.twitter.com/LJaLlJWsi6
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 16, 2024
Then came this scene that showcases just how rejuvenated Mayfield is — even knocking over the much larger TE Cade Otton in the process.
Let Baker ̶c̶o̶o̶k̶ bake.pic.twitter.com/im2mt8D1JZ
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 16, 2024
Mayfield didn’t take long to prove to the Bucs fans that he could guide this team post-Brady. He walked into Tampa Bay’s facilities seeking one more chance at football redemption and ended up getting them further than Brady’s final season with the franchise.
But even with his resurrection this season, Mayfield has still felt like an underdog.
Mayfield Embracing Underdog Mentality Even After Big Season and a Big Night
Coming into the Wild Card matchup, Mayfield and the Bucs were still considered underdogs against the 11-6 Eagles. After all, they walked into an NFC South Championship at just 9-8 overall. But the underdog role worked in Mayfield’s, and the Bucs’, favor.
“There’s something about whether if you’re an underdog, or on a road game, just having your backs against the wall and knowing it’s just your team versus everybody else when you’re counted out. It’s always fun to be in that role,” Mayfield said to reporters.
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The QB isn’t shy about taking on the title of the one being counted out.
“Obviously, I’m pretty comfortable in it,” Mayfield said regarding being an underdog. “But our team has completely embraced that throughout the year.”
How Bucs Bottled a Once High-Powered Offense
Mayfield joined Brady as the Buccaneers QBs who impressed in their Tampa Bay playoff debuts. But just like the Brady-led teams, the quarterback got backed by a fierce defensive display that likely made Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, and John Lynch smile.
So, how did HC Todd Bowles, a defensive whiz, get the Buccaneers defense to throttle a once high-powered offensive attack? By doing the following:
- The Bucs held the Eagles to only 42 rushing yards and 13 first downs.
- Philadelphia scored all nine of its points in the second quarter alone.
- Tampa sacked the dual-threat Hurts three times.
- The Eagles never converted on a third- or fourth-down try.
- The nine points represent a season-low for the Eagles — beating out their previous low of 10 in the Week 18 finale against the New York Giants.
For Bowles, the Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator from the Bucs’ 2020 title-winning team, now has his first playoff win as a head coach. And like Mayfield, he got his defense to escape the shadow of the Brady-led Bucs.
Up next? A road trip to Detroit to face the Lions in the Divisional Round.
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