Following the stunning Tom Brady era, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were puzzled over their starter QB position. After a close look at Baker Mayfield’s repertoire before the regular season, the Bucs finally announced him as the starter, and in the team’s first two games, they were almost assured that Mayfield would not disappoint.
After improving to 2-0, the Bucs team digested their first fall of the season in their Week- 3 game in which Baker attracted the attention of the whole stadium with a special tribute to a Buccaneer legend.
Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield pays tribute to Ronde Barber
In their toughest battle so far, the Bucs stepped on the Raymond James Stadium to face the Philadelphia Eagles. Mayfield had been the center of attraction for the Bucs team following his back-to-back success.
However, the QB also grabbed the eye of many of his followers that evening when he was spotted entering Raymond James Stadium, donning the No. 20 jersey of five-time Pro Bowler Ronde Barber.
The official Tampa Bay Buccaneers page posted a clip of Mayfield paying tribute to the former Buccaneers player on X. Soon after, Barbar noticed the video and expressed his appreciation for the Buccaneers’ starter.
He shared the team official’s post, captioning it, “ Respect Baker”.
Before the seven-time Super Bowl victor Brady, it was Barber who warmed the Bucs’ field with his astonishing playmaking abilities and athletic prowess. He was in Tampa Bay for 15 seasons and at that time he assisted the Bucs to clinch the Lombardi trophy in 2002, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders.
Tampa Bay fall to Eagles in first loss
The Bucs winning streak ended with a terrible 25-11 loss to Jalen Hurts’ Philadelphia Eagles on a Monday Night game. Hurts’ 34-yard touchdown pass to Olamide Zaccheaus at the half boosted his side to a 13-3 lead.
After Mayfield connected with Mike Evans on third-and-goal from one yard out, the Buccaneers appeared to find their form for the first time in the game. However, the primary factor in the Bucs’ difficulties that evening was their defense, which the Eagles exploited by starting the second half on the ground as well as in the air.
In each of their games thus far, the Eagles’ offensive lineup has been fairly decent. Hurts’ total performance was not particularly impressive given his skill; he completed 23 of 37 passes for 277 yards and two interceptions. The Eagles’ receiver A.J. Brown, though, was there to provide the quarterback with strong assistance, and he ended up with nine receptions for 131 yards.
In contrast, the offensive line for the Buccaneers was not noteworthy in relation to their previous two games. They have blocked for 33.5 carries per game while only allowing one sack. Mayfield, the star of their offense, completed 15 of 25 attempts for 146 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
In an effort to secure Baker Mayfield as a reliable starter, the Bucs gave him a $4 million, one-year contract in March of last year. Do you believe he will be able to meet their expectations?
