Baker Mayfield gets real about the win over Cardinals and the Bucs know there’s a long way to go before getting to the playoffs
The battle for the NFC South crown is far from settled. Baker Mayfield and the Bucs are aware.
The NFL’s 2025 season is getting shorter and shorter, yet it remains unclear as to whether or not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make the playoffs.
Sure, the Bucs beat the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13, but the Carolina Panthers also upset the Los Angeles Rams on the East Coast. Therefore, it remains to be seen who ends up atop the NFC South when considering both teams play each other twice over the course of the final five games of the season.
That’s why Tampa Bay’s win over Arizona is so big and Baker Mayfield knew as much when he spoke with reporters after the game.
“It was important to get this one under the belt, gain the confidence, [and] continue to get guys back [and] execute the plan,” said Mayfield. “I think protection-wise, that was one of the sharpest (games) our o-line has (played) and guys (were) on the same page. So, eliminate some of these pre-snap penalties, some of these holding calls that shot us in the foot [and] we probably end up with a lot more than 20 points.”
The good news is Sunday’s performance looked as close to the Bucs of old as we’ve seen. Both Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin Jr. made impactful plays after missing several games. They clearly made a big difference, especially when considering this was a three-point win for the Bucs. The obvious hope is these guys can make an even bigger difference as they get healthier over the next few weeks.
“The explosive play ability [and] just having him back out there, he gets a lot of attention, whether he’s getting the ball or not,” Mayfield told reporters when asked about Irving’s effect on the game. “The plays never over – it doesn’t have to be blocked up perfect…”
Mayfield then shifted to Godwin Jr.’s impact and how it helps the offense as a whole.
“Chris looks really good. I think he looks better this time around, coming back than he did earlier in the year. And [that’s] just classic Chris. He’s in the right spot the right time. [He] understands what we’re trying to get done, does all the right things, [and] is willing to go block and make the difference. [He’s] just a consummate professional that we’re really, really lucky to have and happy to have him back.”
The Bucs’ increasing health status is certainly a plus heading into December, but this is a team that still has a lot of questions to answer. Mayfield understands this and also knows if they don’t answer said questions then they could succumb to a Panthers team primed to pounce in the coming weeks.
We’ll see if Mayfield and Co. get the job done. It’ll be even more intriguing to see what happens if they don’t.
