As a result of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ midseason slump, one that’s seen them lose five of their last six games, frustration is growing throughout the organization and fan base.
In Week 15, Tampa Bay blew a 28-14 fourth-quarter lead and ultimately suffered a heartbreaking 29-28 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in front of a national audience. The collapse was a boiling point, with tensions rising among players, coaches, and fans alike.
Naturally, head coach Todd Bowles has faced the brunt of the scrutiny. As the leader of the team, questions about his job security have grown louder with each loss. With Bowles suddenly on the hot seat, reporters asked quarterback Baker Mayfield about his coach and the defense’s recent struggles.
Mayfield, being the leader he is, fell on the sword for his head coach and took the blame himself.
“I mean, that’s always a tricky slope,” Mayfield said. “You love them when the defense is getting all the sacks, the turnovers, and then a game like that. It comes down to the offense. You’re up two scores. You have a chance to put the game away, and you don’t.
“The easy thing to do is point at the defense because of the situation. It’s the last thing you see in the game. But if you look at the whole game, you look at the way it played. Blame me. Don’t blame Todd.”
Baker Mayfield isn't wrong about where blame needs to be placed for Buccaneers' struggles
As is often the case, the truth falls somewhere in the middle. Mayfield certainly needs to elevate his play and return to the MVP-caliber level he displayed during the first half of the season. At the same time, Bowles must start to live up to his billing as a defensive guru and get his unit playing far better down the stretch.
The Bucs are just 1-5 since their bye week. During that span, they’ve allowed a pitiful 29 points per game and surrendered 384 total yards per contest.
To put that in perspective, if those numbers were stretched across this full season, Tampa Bay would currently rank 30th in points per game allowed, ahead of only the Cowboys and Bengals. They'd rank 31st in yards allowed per game, ahead of only Cincinnati.
There’s no way around it: Bowles’ defense has collapsed down the stretch. But Mayfield’s performance has also seriously declined after an MVP-caliber first half that had the Bucs sitting at 6-2 through eight games.
A look at his numbers before and after the bye reveals a staggering drop-off, with Mayfield’s production slipping in every major category.
Baker Mayfield Before BYE: | Baker Mayfield After BYE: |
|---|---|
Completion Percentage: 64% | Completion Percentage: 57% |
Passing Yards Per Game: 240 | Passing Yards Per Game: 207 |
Total TD-INT Ratio: 13-2 | Total TD-INT Ratio: 10-5 |
Win/Loss Record: 6-2 | Win/Loss Record: 1-5 |
His completion percentage and yardage have declined significantly, while his turnover rate has increased at the same time. That combination has resulted in Mayfield leading the team to far fewer wins than they produced during the first half of the season.
Regardless of where the blame ultimately falls, the reality is simple: the Buccaneers need to get their act together if they want any chance of salvaging the season and winning the NFC South for a fifth straight year.
Bowles must get his defense back on track after it has completely fallen apart since the bye week, but Mayfield also has to play a lot better. This team will only go as far as its quarterback takes it, and right now, he isn’t playing at the level required to lead them where they want to go.
With just three games remaining, including two games against the Carolina Panthers that will determine the NFC South winner, the Buccaneers will need all hands on deck and an improved performance from both their head coach and quarterback if they hope to finish the season strong and keep their playoff hopes alive.