Baker Mayfield Remains the Buccaneers’ Engine - Now It’s Time to Get Back in Gear
TAMPA, Fla. - For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the offense begins and ends with Baker Mayfield. When he's on, the Bucs are a tough out.
When he’s not, the wheels start to wobble. And as the season enters its final stretch, Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes are riding squarely on No. 6’s shoulders.
Mayfield came out of the gate swinging this season, looking every bit like a Comeback Player of the Year candidate. Through the first six games, he was sharp, decisive, and efficient - throwing 12 touchdowns to just one interception while leading the Bucs to a 5-1 start. The offense was humming at 27.5 points per game, and Mayfield looked like a quarterback who had finally found the right fit.
But since Week 7? The rhythm’s been off.
The Bucs have averaged just 19 points per game over their last stretch, and Mayfield has tossed eight touchdowns against five interceptions. The drop-off hasn’t gone unnoticed - not by fans, not by coaches, and certainly not by Mayfield himself.
“It’s the little things,” Mayfield said this week. “Whether it’s me being on time with my footwork, the protection up front, or just syncing up with the receivers on route depth - it all comes down to execution. We’ll get it fixed.”
That accountability is part of what’s kept Mayfield in the good graces of the locker room. But as offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard pointed out, the struggles haven’t been all on the quarterback.
“A couple of those interceptions weren’t on him - not to throw anyone under the bus,” Grizzard said. “He’s done a good job adjusting to whoever’s in the lineup.
But as a unit, we haven’t been good enough. That doesn’t all fall on Baker.
I can help with that. The guys on the field can help with that.”
And that’s a key point. Injuries have hit the Bucs hard, especially along the offensive line and at wide receiver.
Mayfield’s been banged up, too. It’s hard to find consistency when the personnel is constantly shifting - and when your top targets aren’t always available.
But there’s optimism that reinforcements could be on the way.
Receivers Mike Evans and Josh McMillan could return for Thursday night’s crucial divisional showdown against the Falcons. Getting Evans back, in particular, would be a major boost. He’s been Mayfield’s go-to weapon all season, and his presence alone can tilt coverage and open things up for the rest of the offense.
Still, Grizzard emphasized that this offense doesn’t hinge on just one or two players - it’s about all 11 doing their jobs.
“What [Baker] has done well is trying to get everyone lined up and ready, whether it’s walkthroughs or practice reps,” Grizzard said. “He’s competing, no matter who’s in there.”
That leadership will be critical down the stretch. The NFC South is still wide open, and the Bucs - sitting at 7-6 - are tied atop the division with everything still in front of them.
“We’d love to be ahead, in a different spot,” Mayfield said. “But we are where we are.
We control our own destiny. Win one game, and see what happens.”
It’s a simple message, but one that resonates in December. The Bucs don’t need style points - they need wins. And if they’re going to make a run, it starts with Mayfield getting back to the guy we saw in September: confident, composed, and in command.
Tampa Bay’s season isn’t over - not by a long shot. But the margin for error is gone.
The road to the playoffs runs through Baker Mayfield. And now, it’s time to see if he can steer the Bucs where they want to go.