Getty Baker Mayfield of the Buccaneers
If this is the kind of offense that the Buccaneers will be playing from here on out, then making the playoffs should be a cinch — and perhaps advancing in the playoffs is on the table, too. That’s because in Week 15, in a must-win game, Baker Mayfield was all but unstoppable, and was dialed in to star receiver Chris Godwin throughout. The Packers were tough, but the Bucs still ran away with a 34-20 victory.
Mayfield was, in fact, perfect on the day, logging a 158.3 quarterback rating, the highest possible. He completed 22 of his 28 passes for 381 yards, including 10 that went to Godwin, for 155 yards. With the Packers piling on extra attention to star receiver Mike Evans, Godwin was often left open. Mayfield also threw four touchdowns to four different receivers.
“Guy’s just so consistent, man. I can’t say enough about him,” Mayfield said after the game. “A true stud, true professional, has never complained, never done any of that. Just does when he needs to do and today he was balling. Some clutch catches, that’s for sure. Didn’t get in the end zone but definitely the guy to keep the chains moving throughout the day and set up everybody else. So, couldn’t be happier for Chris Godwin.”
Chris Godwin’s Wife Had Complained about Todd Bowles
The 10 receptions and 155 yards for Godwin were season highs, and while Mayfield is right to say that Godwin does not complain much, his big day comes 10 days after his wife, Mariah, publicly criticized Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles for “blatantly lying,” about whether Godwin was injured in Week 13.
Godwin did his best to defuse that controversy. A game like the one he had on Sunday against the Packers will defuse it further.
Beyond Godwin, Mayfield was impressed by the way his teammates came out after halftime, with a tight 13-10 lead. They scored touchdowns on all three of their drives and likely would have had a fourth but chose to run out the clock and seal the win.
Just being more consistent. Everybody being on the same page. We’ve done that pretty much the whole year, come out and adjusting at halftime and getting everybody to be on the same page. Everybody had the mentality to be aggressive. I’d say everybody was on the same page and that was the difference.
Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield Playoff Hopes Get a Boost
Mayfield was certainly happy after the game, his best as Buccaneer and one of the best of his NFL career. But he is not, he said, satisfied. “I am having fun playing football,” he said. “I would not say I am satisfied by any means. Still got ball left, still got playoffs in mind. Still hungry.”
The game was a big one for both sides, who each entered the matchup in control of their own NFL playoff destinies. At 6-7, the Packers held tiebreaker advantages that would have put them in the final wildcard spot in the NFC. The New York Times playoff odds tracker had the Packers at 50% entering Sunday.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, were also 6-7 and barely atop a three-team pileup in the NFC South, along with the Falcons and Saints. They had roughly the same playoff odds as the Packers entering the game, 51%.
After the game, the Packers’ odds fell to 30%. The Buccaneers’ odds were boosted to 80%, helped along by a loss from the Falcons.
The Packers also had some history on their side, with Matt LaFleur having gone 16-0 in December games before losing to the Giants on Monday. The Packers were also 33-22 all-time against the Bucs.
“I’m sure the weather plays a part in some of the things they do, but they have a good football team,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “They’re very well coached and they finish up ballgames in December. We’re trying to finish up ballgames in December. I don’t know too much about the history that they had against the Buccaneers, but we’re going up there to win a game.”
And they did.