Baker Mayfield gets hit with a tough dose of reality that shows where he stands after the Bucs’ tough midseason stretch
It’s safe to say people have noticed the sharp decline in Mayfield’s play over the last six games.
Baker Mayfield was one of the top candidates for NFL MVP in mid-October.
Now, he’s not even in the top-10 of Pro Bowl fan voting.
The NFL released its early results on Monday and it presented a tough truth for Mayfield that also reflects his recent play: He simply hasn’t been good enough.
Mayfield was third in passing touchdowns (12) and fourth in passing yards (1,539) after Week 7’s matchup against the Lions. He was also tied for the second-best big-time throw rate (7.0%) and boasted the sixth-best passer rating (108.5) among all starting quarterbacks.
He’d been excellent on the ground too, rushing for 158 yards while averaging 5.82 yards after contact per rushing attempt and forcing 11 missed tackles. The 5.82 yards per contact came second to only Joe Burrow and the 11 missed tackles forced easily outpaced second-place Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen, and Kyler Murray, whom each had seven apiece.
It’s been all downhill since the Lions game, however. Mayfield’s thrown just seven touchdowns to four interceptions and has completed 59.4% of his passes for 1,061 yards. His big-time throw rate has been cut in half at 3.5%, while his turnover-worthy play rate has exceeded it at 4.3% and he’s thrown more than two or more touchdowns in a game just once.
He hasn’t made many plays on the ground, either. Hell, one could say he’s rarely made them. At one point, there was a three-week stretch where Mayfield didn’t log a single rushing attempt, designed or not.
He’s been inaccurate, has made bad decisions, and just hasn’t played the winning brand of football we saw earlier in the year. Yes, defensive adjustments and injuries have played a role, but it shouldn’t be to the point where Mayfield’s level of play is below-average. And that’s exactly what he’s been over the last six games.
Mayfield won’t care about where he stands in terms of Pro Bowl voting, and nor should he. However, it’s important to note that improved play, the top priority Mayfield does actually care about, boosts his standing. It works in hand-in-hand.
Regardless, he has to play better. The good news is the Bucs are getting healthier on offense and might even get Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan back in the next few weeks. It also means Mayfield is running out of excuses and has even more reason to get back up to par. The Bucs’ hopes of winning a fifth-straight NFC South title depend on it.