Sunday just wasn’t the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ day. They got embarrassed on Sunday Night Football against the Rams, losing 34-7 in a game that wasn’t even that close — it was 31-7 at the half, and Los Angeles basically stopped trying to score at that point.
It was not a good day for Bucs QB Baker Mayfield. In one half of action, he completed 9 of 19 passes for 41 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions (though one of those picks wasn’t his fault, as it got ripped away from the receiver). On a third-down scramble, Mayfield ran through a pair of Rams defenders for a first down. But his left shoulder was bothering him after that, and he was in considerable pain after heaving a hail mary to end the half.
In the second half, Mayfield came out of the locker room sporting a sling and wearing warmups. Questions swarmed surrounding his status moving forward, as Tampa Bay could hardly afford to lose their starting quarterback on top of all the other injuries they’ve sustained this season.
Ian Rapoport on Tampa Bay Buccaners QB Baker Mayfield’s Injury
Ronald Martinez/GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 23: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves the field after his team was defeated by the Los Angeles Rams in the game at SoFi Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
“Good things are going on with Baker Mayfield,” said NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Wednesday morning, appearing on the Good Morning Football show. “When we last saw him, he was on the sideline in a sling — wearing sweatpants by the way, now that we’re on the topic — we wondered how long he’d be out with a left shoulder injury.”
“[He] had an MRI after the game, it was actually really good news. My understanding it that it was a low-grade sprain for Baker Mayfield, an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. And yes, he looks like he’s about to die on the field right there,” Rapoport continued, referencing a clip of Mayfield writhing in pain on the field that played as Rapoport spoke, “but he does in fact have a chance to play this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. That is excellent news. We saw [backup quarterback] Teddy Bridgewater, who we all love, come in and play. It did not go well. They need Baker Mayfield if the Bucs are going to get back on track, and he’s got a shot.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have a Manageable Closing Slate
The Buccaneers have lost three in a row after starting 6-2, but those three losses came against the Patriots, Bills, and Rams — teams that are a combined 26-8 on the season. Falling to 6-5 and being just a half-game up on the Panthers in the NFC South isn’t ideal, but the sky isn’t falling in Tampa Bay just yet.
Especially since the Bucs have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league. Their final six opponents are the Cardinals, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Dolphins, and Panthers. None of those teams are above .500 and the Panthers have the best record at 6-6.
Those two games against the Panthers will likely define the Buccaneers’ season. If they can get to 10 wins, they’ll be in good shape.
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