The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost another frustrating game yesterday, this time to the lowly Saints. Needless to say, Baker Mayfield was not pleased with the effort, not just from himself, but from the entire team.
The New Orleans Saints not only beat the Bucs, but embarrassed them as well. Some could say this was rookie QB Tyler Shough’s best performance of the season against a Bucs defense that has underperformed all year, but was still expected to hold up against one of the NFL’s worst teams.
Bucs Spiral as Mayfield Struggles Amid Mounting Pressure
Most embarrassingly though, was Mayfield’s performance. Despite the struggles of playing without most of his receiving corps, he clearly looked off the mark, going only 14 for 30 through the air for a measly 122 yards, one touchdown and one interception, all while only completing 46.7 percent of his throws.
Most frustratingly though, was the fact that with this loss, the Bucs drop to 7-6, with their half a game lead over the Carolina Panthers all but gone. The final four weeks of the season will prove decisive, as they face Carolina twice over the final three weeks.
After the game, Mayfield clearly was angered by the Bucs’ performance and didn’t mince his words.
“We should be frustrated about this loss,” he said. “We should take it out on Thursday night.” It shows that while Mayfield isn’t pointing the finger at any specific thing, he still wants to see a response from his squad amidst a tough stretch for them. It is interesting to note though that the game came after a day which saw Mayfield get fined for a purportedly “violent gesture” made during a celebration in last week’s win over the Cardinals.
Playoff Stakes Rise as Tampa Bay Seeks Late-Season Identity
Luckily for them, the Thursday night game against the Falcons could be a get right situation for them. The Falcons are coming off a brutal loss to Seattle, and haven’t put up much a fight with Kirk Cousins now at the helm. Still, they have nothing to lose and if the Bucs can lose to the Saints, they can lose to anybody.
It is important the Bucs know they can control their own destiny. At this point, Carolina is now seen as a threat they simply have to overcome. Most importantly, they could be receiving some positive news about their star WRs soon as well, as both Mike Evans and Jalen Mcmillan could come back for the stretch run. If so, the Bucs could yet again look highly dangerous with an elite arsenal of pass catchers at their disposal.
Baker’s anger is most likely justified. Still, when it comes after such a frustrating loss, the Bucs have to find a way to respond to the negativity now surrounding them. Baker owning the moment is also key as he has proven to be an emotional leader for the Bucs through thick and thin. As the playoffs approach, look for Baker to continue speaking his mind and trying to get the Bucs back on track before the rails fall off completely.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Baker Mayfield Sends Clear Post-game Message to Bucs After Loss appeared first on Heavy Sports.