Welcome Baker Mayfield

[Bahamian:bucfan]

[Bootz]

Let's see how Baker does against Ravens, Chiefs and 49ers. I'm a Baker non-believer, but he's been GREAT in the majority of the games this season. I'm cautiously pessimistic about what he's going to do over the next four weeks. If he continues to be good, I'll probably have to shut my pie hole. I just don't think he's going to continue to be as good as he's been so far this year against top competition.

That only happens if he plays within the offense and doesn't try to be a hero.

Coen has done well building our offense around the run/short quick pass game. Baker has done well in that regard. Let's see if we can keep that up.

[Grahamburn]

Let's see how Baker does against Ravens, Chiefs and 49ers. I'm a Baker non-believer, but he's been GREAT in the majority of the games this season. I'm cautiously pessimistic about what he's going to do over the next four weeks. If he continues to be good, I'll probably have to shut my pie hole. I just don't think he's going to continue to be as good as he's been so far this year against top competition.

That only happens if he plays within the offense and doesn't try to be a hero.

Coen has done well building our offense around the run/short quick pass game. Baker has done well in that regard. Let's see if we can keep that up.

Maybe they’re holding the deep shots in the holster?

[Bootz]

That only happens if he plays within the offense and doesn't try to be a hero.

Coen has done well building our offense around the run/short quick pass game. Baker has done well in that regard. Let's see if we can keep that up.

Maybe they’re holding the deep shots in the holster?

Doubtful.

His Air/throw average has steadily decreased as the season has progressed. It's now down to 3.6 yards/throw, good for 28th amongst QBs with multiple starts this year.

[Grahamburn]

Maybe they’re holding the deep shots in the holster?

Doubtful.

His Air/throw average has steadily decreased as the season has progressed. It's now down to 3.6 yards/throw, good for 28th amongst QBs with multiple starts this year.

I’ll bet there’s a deep shot or two left in the bag of tricks.

[Bootz]

Doubtful.

His Air/throw average has steadily decreased as the season has progressed. It's now down to 3.6 yards/throw, good for 28th amongst QBs with multiple starts this year.

I’ll bet there’s a deep shot or two left in the bag of tricks.

I'd love to believe so. But it simply has not been there and since the short game is working so well it doesn't seem Coen is all that desperate.

For comparison, Baker's average air yards/ attempt last year was 4.2. Being down more than half a yard doesn't seem very significant but it really is. And it shows on tape.

[Doctor]

Well those might be the best 3 teams in the league l. I expect us to win probably 1 of them

All 3.

Book it.

[NeezDuts]

Well those might be the best 3 teams in the league l. I expect us to win probably 1 of them

All 3.

Book it.

We win all 3 mayfield will prob win mvp lol

[Grahamburn]

I’ll bet there’s a deep shot or two left in the bag of tricks.

I'd love to believe so. But it simply has not been there and since the short game is working so well it doesn't seem Coen is all that desperate.

For comparison, Baker's average air yards/ attempt last year was 4.2. Being down more than half a yard doesn't seem very significant but it really is. And it shows on tape.

I’m not complaining. It’s certainly working. 2nd and short. Fewer 3rd down situations. Low percentage deep shots put you in bad spots when they don’t work. We don’t really have a deep threat. I think the last true deep shot was Palmer in week 2. Drew a DPI inside the 5.

Just saying defenses will know that tendency and creep up. I expect Coen will be ready for that. He has used several wrinkles already.

[kaimaru]

I’ll bet there’s a deep shot or two left in the bag of tricks.

I'd love to believe so. But it simply has not been there and since the short game is working so well it doesn't seem Coen is all that desperate.

For comparison, Baker's average air yards/ attempt last year was 4.2. Being down more than half a yard doesn't seem very significant but it really is. And it shows on tape.

We've faced two high on multiple games this year limiting the deep ball which is why our short passing game is working so well. If they move off of 2 high then I can see Mike making up his lost yardage this season

[Bootz]

I'd love to believe so. But it simply has not been there and since the short game is working so well it doesn't seem Coen is all that desperate.

For comparison, Baker's average air yards/ attempt last year was 4.2. Being down more than half a yard doesn't seem very significant but it really is. And it shows on tape.

We've faced two high on multiple games this year limiting the deep ball which is why our short passing game is working so well. If they move off of 2 high then I can see Mike making up his lost yardage this season

With all due respect, did you think by making this up it would become true?

We haven't faced much 2 high this year. I'd love to know the games you claim this to be true. The main reason we've gone to the short game was our OL had issues protecting up front combined with Baker holding the ball way too long, dancing around too much and taking unnecessary sacks.

Opposing defenses have loaded the box against us quite a bit, which is why the run game was struggling early on but it has gotten better as we've played better up front.

[kaimaru]

We've faced two high on multiple games this year limiting the deep ball which is why our short passing game is working so well. If they move off of 2 high then I can see Mike making up his lost yardage this season

With all due respect, did you think by making this up it would become true?

We haven't faced much 2 high this year. I'd love to know the games you claim this to be true. The main reason we've gone to the short game was our OL had issues protecting up front combined with Baker holding the ball way too long, dancing around too much and taking unnecessary sacks.

Opposing defenses have loaded the box against us quite a bit, which is why the run game was struggling early on but it has gotten better as we've played better up front.

I don't look at the defense or the all 22. All I know is during the Broncos game and Saints game they announcers mentioned they were playing 2 high safety. If the announcers were incorrect them fine, but I only went by what I heard

[Babeinbucland]

Baker Mayfield is getting utterly disrespected in MVP race for no good reason
Well, there *is* a reason, but that doesn't make it feel any better.
By Josh Hill | Oct 17, 2024
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield is playing better than the top two MVP candidates, but isn't getting any respect.

After an offseason of getting dunked on again, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have needed just six weeks to clap back at their critics. It's been a thunderous response, as the Bucs have the highest-scoring offense in the league and are coming off a 51-27 thrashing of the New Orleans Saints.
New offensive coordinator Liam Coen deserves his flowers for what is happening, but the credit begins with Baker Mayfield. He returned to Tampa Bay this offseason on a $100 million deal that was instantly questioned despite all he proved last year. It wasn't that anyone was in denial that Baker had a career year in 2023; rather, the assumption was that he was bound to regress.

That hasn't happened, as Mayfield is on pace to finish with even better numbers than he did last year. Not only that but there's an MVP case slowly being built that should be getting more attention than it is.
Baker Mayfield is playing like an MVP candidate, even if he's not being talked about like one
Heading into Week 7, Patrick Mahomes is the odds-on favorite to win MVP, with Josh Allen behind him with the second-best odds. Neither of those guys is playing as well as Baker, who currently has the 12th-best odds behind guys like Brock Purdy, Jordan Love, and Jalen Hurts.

That's embarrassing, and not for Mayfield.
Baker outright beat two of the quarterbacks ranked ahead of him, with Jalen Hurts looking anything but an MVP candidate as the Bucs picked the Eagles offense apart a few weeks ago. Jared Goff is in much better shape, but Tampa Bay marched into Detroit and rode Mayfield's performance to a victory.
According to DraftKings, Baker actually has worse MVP odds now than he did before the season which is absolutely insane for a number of reasons. The most damning argument against that is how he is outplaying both Mahomes and Allen, who have the best odds but worse numbers than Mayfield.

Here's who they stack up through the first six weeks:
Baker Mayfield
Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Passing Yards
1,489
1,235
1,160
Passing Yards/Attempt
7.9
7.7
7.4
Passing Yards/Game
248.2
247.0
193.3
Completion %
70.9
69.4
62.8
Passing TDs
15
10
6
QB Rating
109.4
88.9
106.8
Rushing Yards
136
83
178
Rushing Y/A
6.5
3.6
5.1
A cherry on top is Baker having the most fantasy points among the three quarterbacks, which amounts to the popular vote since fantasy football is connective tissue among general fans.
It's only six weeks and there's a lot of football left to play, and Baker still needs to do a lot of work to establish his MVP candidacy. These next four games will be a great way to do that, as strong performances from him in primetime games against the Ravens and Chiefs, as well as tough matchups against the Falcons and 49ers, will go a long way in helping him make a case.

The fact of the matter is there should already be a conversation. Baker has answered the bell and avoided the pitfall some players trip into after securing the bag. A guy who some pundits though would regress has actually gotten better, and so has the team around him as a result, which is a textbook arguement to make for someone being MVP.
It's not the first time Baker or the Bucs have been ignored in a conversation, though, but it might not be long before everyone is forced to pay attention.

[Doctor]

All 3.

Book it.

We win all 3 mayfield will prob win mvp lol

Now you're getting it.

[Sooner06]

That only happens if he plays within the offense and doesn't try to be a hero.

Coen has done well building our offense around the run/short quick pass game. Baker has done well in that regard. Let's see if we can keep that up.

Maybe they’re holding the deep shots in the holster?

The MVP race has become so dictated by popularity and not performance, I doubt Baker will ever have a real chance at winning that. Comes with the fact that he's such a polarizing personality, which is fine. Let Lamar have it. Small consolation for his terrible playoff performances.


More deep shots will come as the OL gets healthy and develop chemistry with each other. Let's not forget that the last time the entire starting lineup for the OL actually played together was Week 1? What is the word on Barton anyway? That, and as the running game becomes more consistent.

Remember, Baker's time from snap to throw due to pressure went from 2.6 seconds in Week 1 to 1.9 seconds, then to 1.1 seconds by Week 4? Coen's response was to start implementing all those quick passes, WR screens, etc., right? I mean, if you can't rely on your OL to protect for more than a second or so you can't wait for deep shots to develop, right? So naturally the QB's ADOT is going to trend down. Happens to any QB in a similar situation.

But as the OL gets healthier and better, and as the running game becomes more consistent, Baker will have enough time to wait on deeper shots more often, and his ADOT will go up. Simple logic.

In the meantime, Baker has been showing a lot of patience in the pocket, and he's been consistently taking what the defense has been giving him, with the probable exception of the DEN game. But the entire team kind of shat the bed in that one, so whatever. Before and after that game, Baker has been good-to-exceptional. Anyone rooting for TB should take that level of performance and laugh all the way to the bank.

[Pirate Life]

Bucs Media team is so very good. Really nice piece on Baker, when they get to the Lions game pay attention to the guys Baker seeks out to congratulate first before anyone else.

[Sooner06]

^^^

Sweet. Thx for posting

[acmillis]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

[GreatTimes]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

For the most part, the offensive line gave Baker plenty of time to find open receivers last night.

[acmillis]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

For the most part, the offensive line gave Baker plenty of time to find open receivers last night.

He completed over 70% (if you include the two catches Baltimore had....)

[Phantom]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

Just save it; he’s not the problem right now. Todd Bowles is

[acmillis]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

Just save it; he’s not the problem right now. Todd Bowles is

Please let me know when it's okay for me to bring up Baker's downfall, will ya?

[Bootz]

So as you can see, he is paid just right. Forget looking at the stats. His statistical line last night looks good if you don't use the game as context. It doesn't take into account that the majority of the success came after we were down 34-10 late in the game.

[NeezDuts]

Baker looked shaky after evans went out. He was on fire in the first quarter and fourth quarter when the game was out of reach… prob 65%+ of his yards went to rb/te. We are going to have to lean on our backs and tight ends while evans is out probably and hope McMillan can step up I guess. Gonna be interesting to see how this plays out

[Grahamburn]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

How's Mahomes doing without any weapons at WR?

Just stop, man. That game is completely different if Wirfs doesn't get called for a phantom holding on Godwin's TD and/or Mike catches that TD right in his damn breadbasket. That pass was perfection.

Baker is not the freaking problem.

[acmillis]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

How's Mahomes doing without any weapons at WR?

Just stop, man. That game is completely different if Wirfs doesn't get called for a phantom holding on Godwin's TD and/or Mike catches that TD right in his damn breadbasket. That pass was perfection.

Baker is not the freaking problem.

So he'll play top-5 QB football the rest of the season, right?

[Bootz]

We're about to find out reeeeeaaaaallll quick just how "good" Baker is when he's throwing to me, Bootz, and old College teammates.

How's Mahomes doing without any weapons at WR?

6-0

[Grahamburn]

How's Mahomes doing without any weapons at WR?

6-0

lol

The Chiefs have given up the 4th fewest points in the NFL. We've given up the 4th most. They aren't winning because of Mahomes.

[Grahamburn]

How's Mahomes doing without any weapons at WR?

Just stop, man. That game is completely different if Wirfs doesn't get called for a phantom holding on Godwin's TD and/or Mike catches that TD right in his damn breadbasket. That pass was perfection.

Baker is not the freaking problem.

So he'll play top-5 QB football the rest of the season, right?

I don't know what you mean? I think he'll continue to play well as he has been all year. I don't imagine we will be as explosive as we have been so the top 5 statistics he has will probably drop off.

One of the positives of this situation is McMillan and Palmer are about to get a ton of meaningful snaps. We'll know much better what we have at WR going into the latter part of the season and next year.

[CannonFire]

6-0

lol

The Chiefs have given up the 4th fewest points in the NFL. We've given up the 4th most. They aren't winning because of Mahomes.

Would you trade Baker for Mahomes straight up, right now?

[Grahamburn]

lol

The Chiefs have given up the 4th fewest points in the NFL. We've given up the 4th most. They aren't winning because of Mahomes.

Would you trade Baker for Mahomes straight up, right now?

Of course. You could offer Baker and our 1st round pick for the next 10 years to the Chiefs and they wouldn't trade Mahomes. What's your point?

[Bootz]

6-0

lol

The Chiefs have given up the 4th fewest points in the NFL. We've given up the 4th most. They aren't winning because of Mahomes.

They aren't losing because of him either.

[CannonFire]

Would you trade Baker for Mahomes straight up, right now?

Of course. You could offer Baker and our 1st round pick for the next 10 years to the Chiefs and they wouldn't trade Mahomes. What's your point?

I'm not saying the Chiefs would do it, I'm just asking YOU if YOU would just flip them 1 for 1. You said that the Chiefs are 6-0 because of their defense. My point is that your stance (they're 6-0 because of their defense), is meritless because you'd still take Mahomes over Mayfield. I'd contend that our record would be better than 4-3 with Mahomes and the Chiefs would be worse than 6-0 with Baker. Meaning, the Chiefs aren't 6-0 because of their defense like you're suggesting.

[Grahamburn]

Of course. You could offer Baker and our 1st round pick for the next 10 years to the Chiefs and they wouldn't trade Mahomes. What's your point?

I'm not saying the Chiefs would do it, I'm just asking YOU if YOU would just flip them 1 for 1. You said that the Chiefs are 6-0 because of their defense. My point is that your stance (they're 6-0 because of their defense), is meritless because you'd still take Mahomes over Mayfield. I'd contend that our record would be better than 4-3 with Mahomes and the Chiefs would be worse than 6-0 with Baker. Meaning, the Chiefs aren't 6-0 because of their defense like you're suggesting.

Ok? Are we swapping the coaching staffs too? These hypotheticals are ridiculous.

Mahomes’ numbers and the Chiefs’ numbers as an offense this year aren’t good. He has 6 TD passes and 8 INTs. They aren’t 6-0 because Mahomes is playing well and carrying them.

The most points they’ve given up in a game this year is 25. We’ve given that up+ in every game but 2.

Baker and the offense are the reason we have 4 wins.

[Grahamburn]

lol

The Chiefs have given up the 4th fewest points in the NFL. We've given up the 4th most. They aren't winning because of Mahomes.

They aren't losing because of him either.

They’re winning in spite of their offense as a whole. Mahomes has 8 INTs in 6 games.