In the biggest game of their season, it’s safe to say that Baker Mayfield and the Bucs blew it in the most critical moment of the game.
In a loss to the Carolina Panthers that saw them drop out of first place in the NFC South as well as the NFC playoff picture, Mayfield made one of the most critical errors of his NFL career to date. Driving into field goal range to potentially tie the game, he threw a pass intended for Mike Evans into the waiting arms of Panthers safety Lathan Ransom, sealing the game for the Panthers.
The most excruciating part of the whole play was that Evans was supposed to go in another direction. However, Mayfield three to where he thought Evans would be instead of where he was.
“Unfortunately, it was [a miscommunication]. I was trying to find a lane to step through and make the throw to him. He thought I was going to scramble,” Baker said of the scenario. “Can’t blame him for that. Honestly, just a sucky situation.”
Miscommunication Finally Comes Back to Bite Tampa Bay
It is this kind of miscommunication that has doomed the Bucs all season long, and it all came to a head on Sunday. Whether it be the bizarre play calling of Josh Grizzard or the disappearance of O-linemen such as Luke Goedeke, everything was out of sync for the Bucs in this game.
While the Bucs are certainly not out of the playoff picture entirely, they cannot afford another idd-advised slip up. Their next game is against the Miami Dolphins, who will be starting rookie QB Quinn Ewers yet agains after a shaky game against the Bengals. Lose that game and perhaps they deserve their own fate.
The Panthers on the other hand, do have a tough affair against the current NFC No. 1 seed in the Seattle Seahawks. While it is at home, it could prove to be a tricky game for a team fighting for a first round bye.
One Play Won’t Define Bucs’ Season — But It Could Shape It
Ultimately, the Bucs will not be defined by one singular interception. What could hurt them over the next few weeks could be plays such as Mayfield’s brutal pick.
“It was going to be a bang-bang play, but I trust Mike in those situations to make that, and that really would’ve put us in field goal range at that point,” Mayfield said. “At that point, you’re really evaluating time on the clock. Let’s go score to win the game, no negative plays to knock us out of field goal position, so that was what was going through my head. Give one to our best player. I’m never going to question his instincts. And that’s the thing, you can look and say, ‘Should have done this. Should have done that.’ But it’s just the timing of the play, and it happens in a millisecond, and, unfortunately, today, it wasn’t on the right side for us.”
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