In Week 4, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could have been on the receiving end of what would have been a revenge game for the Philadelphia Eagles. Just a few months ago, in the postseason, the Buccaneers took it to the Eagles in dominating fashion.
To say the Eagles walked into this one motivated would be an understatement. Yet, it didn't seem to matter.
Notoriously-exuberant Eagles defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was particularly hyped for the game, offering Tampa Bay fans a message before heading out onto the field.
Prior to walking out of the tunnel for this matchup, Gardner-Johnson looked into a camera and said the words:
"I'mma put belt to a** today."
It doesn't take much to figure out just what the infamous trash talker was trying to say, there, but let's just say things didn't exactly go as planned for C.J.
Not only did things not go as planned, but the Bucs came out firing, making Gardner-Johnson eat those words in a hurry. Quarterback Baker Mayfield tossed a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter, leading to what ended up as a total beatdown of the Eagles.
Those first two touchdowns, though, had something in common; something that, hilariously, you cannot make up.
More Bucs news:
Was it any coincidence that Gardner-Johnson saw both of those touchdowns happen right in front of him?
I think not.
The first one saw the Eagles defensive back beaten by Mike Evans, while the second one featured Trey Palmer catching a touchdown at the feet of Gardner-Johnson. In either scenario, the Eagles defender looked silly and, if he was being honest, might have regretted his pre-game trash talking.
Indeed, the Bucs would go on to win this one in overwhelming fashion.
Baker Mayfield has flipped the script on the Eagles in a matter of just one year
At one point, Gardner-Johnson probably had the grounds to stand on when it came to trash talking the Bucs. Early on last season, the Eagles dismantled Tampa Bay by a score of 25-11 in a game that saw the Bucs total just 174 yards of offense.
The Bucs finished with 133 net passing yards while going for just 41 on the ground. It wasn't pretty.
Since that loss, though, the Bucs have gone 2-0 against the Eagles including their playoff victory, and outscored Philadelphia 65-25 between the two matchups.
Tampa Bay has also out-gained the Bucs 871 yards to 503.
The Bucs have quite frankly dominated the Eagles in every aspect of the game in these past two matchups, but no one has been better than quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Bucs quarterback has thrown for 671 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions during this current two-game winning streak over Philadelphia.
So, the next time CJ tries to go on camera running his mouth before taking on Baker Mayfield and these Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I've got one word for you, Eagles fans: come get your boy.