Baker Mayfield has equaled his personal best for touchdown passes in a season, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are riding a three-game winning streak to top the NFC South.
The quarterback is gunning for a fourth straight division title with the Bucs (7-6) and believes they need to up their game to not only secure a playoff spot but also to make a significant run in the NFL postseason.
“We will take wins. I dont really care how it looks,” Mayfield remarked following a messy 28-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, which pushed the Bucs above. 500 as they aim to recover from a slump where they dropped five of six matchups.
“But offensively, we will have to be a lot more consistent for us to be able to make this push that we want to do, and we know that,” Mayfield added. “There is a lot of ball left, and we have to continue to get better.”
Against the Raiders, Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns but also had three turnovers in the first half, allowing Las Vegas to remain in contention until the final quarter. For the third consecutive year, the Bucs find themselves needing a late-season surge to escape a midseason downturn and clinch a postseason berth.
Mayfield has now thrown 28 TDs, matching his total from last year when he revived his career with Tampa Bay. The Bucs, boasting a 7-1 record in December/January games since last season, remain the only NFC team to have clinched playoff spots consecutively over the past four years.
“Weve got four weeks to play. Were happy to be playing meaningful football in December. We understand what that means,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We have to go out every week and try to squeeze out these games, but it feels good.”
Although the Bucs are leading the NFC South, their lead is slim. The Atlanta Falcons, who have lost four consecutive games, are at 6-7, while the New Orleans Saints are at 5-8. The Carolina Panthers are the other team in the division at 3-10.
It’ll be difficult for the Bucs to land a wildcard spot if they fail to win the NFC South, with the Minnesota Vikings (11-2), Green Bay Packers (9-4), and Washington Commanders (8-5) all doing well. Only four teams in the NFL have already secured a playoff spot: the Kansas City Chiefs (12-1), Buffalo Bills (10-3), Detroit Lions (12-1), and Philadelphia Eagles (11-2).
Tampa Bay’s next clash is against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday before a trip to Dallas to face the Cowboys on December 22. Then comes two crucial games against the Panthers (December 29) and the Saints (January 5).
Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.
Leave a Reply