If there's one thing Baker Mayfield can't be accused of, it's lacking confidence and swagger.
Whether that's sometimes misplaced it another conversation, but we'll have plenty of time to mitigate that during the offseason -- a time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that hasn't arrived yet.
Despite losing seven of their last eight games, the Bucs are in a position to win a record-setting fifth straight NFC South title. It would be the most consecutive titles won by an NFC South team and become the longest streak in the conference since the Dallas Cowboys did it during their 90s dynasty.
It's a lot less glamorous, but it still counts -- and that's the tone Baker Mayfield is trying to set ahead of next weekend's winner-take-all battle with the Carolina Panthers.
Baker Mayfield just brilliantly set the tone ahead of Week 18 showdown against Panthers
Unless the Falcons upset the Rams on Monday night, the Bucs and Panthers will play next weekend, with the winner claiming the title belt of the NFC South. For Tampa, it would mean the end to one of the most brutal losing streaks of this current era, and yet another trip to the playoffs.
It would also come after four straight losses, something that Baker is trying to erase ahead of a game where the stakes couldn't be higher.
"To have a chance at home to get into the playoffs and win the division, wouldn't have it any other way. Obviously, the things leading up to it, yeah, we'd love to change them, but we still have a chance. Playing for the division at home, we'll get this group ready," Baker said after Sunday's 20-17 loss to Miami. "Out of bullets, out of lives, and that's alright with me."
Alright, I know things are bad right now, but that has me fired up. And if that has me fired up, then it likely will have its desired effect in the Bucs' locker room.
At least, we can all hope. Baker's not wrong, for a much as this losing streak has sucked the bottom line is that it all comes down to Sunday and one game. Sure, the Bucs have blown ample opportunities to have the division comfortably wrapped up by now, but the season isn't over yet.
There's no doubt the Bucs have a ton of questions to answer in the offseason, but the offseason isn't here yet. That's the point Baker is trying to make, and it's yet another example of why he's exactly the leader this team needs.
We've seen examples of this throughout Baker's time in Tampa, and while it's hard to get hyped up about him after a game where he threw three interceptions, it's worth remembering how important off-field wins can be.
Lesser teams crumble and structurally fall apart during the sort of brute force assault losing streaks such as the ones the Bucs have gone through the last three seasons. Few teams are able to pull themselves out of the funk and rarely can a team pick itself up off the mat the way Tampa Bay has.
Baker has been a big part of that, using his leadership to not allow the Bucs to get lost in the darkness of a slump and lose sight of what's ahead. It's completely possible that the Bucs go out and lose in Week 18, but they won't go into the game with a loser's mentality if Baker has anything to say about that.
It's not worth the same weight as a win, but it's a valuable part of trying to get there. This season has been a tire fire for the Bucs, but thanks to Baker Mayfield we can at least rest easy knowing they'll go down swinging.