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Problems are piling up in Tampa Bay.
After starting the season 5-1 with impressive wins over the Seahawks and 49ers, the Buccaneers have followed that up by going 2-8 and are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether as they face a must-win game against the Panthers on Saturday afternoon, where coach Todd Bowles expects better from Baker Mayfield.
“We’ve got to be better at the quarterback position and we’ve got to be better at the signal-calling position and we’ve got to be better blocking it,” Bowles told reporters on Monday after Tampa Bay lost to the lowly Dolphins, 20-17.
Baker Mayfield isn’t afraid to play hurt but Todd Bowles needs him to play better. Getty ImagesMayfield has echoed similar sentiments in the past few weeks, but his coach publicly calling him out is certainly a new angle to the Buccaneers’ struggles.
Mayfield has been a big part of the Buccaneers’ problem in 2025, as he’s dealt with a right shoulder issue and a knee injury that have forced him to miss practices and leave games early, but he has never missed extended action.
The Buccaneers’ star signal caller has 3,490 yards passing and a 62.8 percent completion rate, a far cry from the 4,500 yards on 71.4 percent completion rate he had last season.
Todd Bowles leads the Bucs into Saturday which will be an NFC South Championship game. APMayfield has made a habit of playing poorly while in the starting lineup, rather than letting injuries heal.
While a member of the Browns, Mayfield played with a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder during the 2021 season and continued to play through it while wearing a shoulder harness.
Mayfield threw 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as the Browns wound up giving up on their top draft pick, later shipping him off to Carolina after they signed Deshaun Watson to a record-breaking contract.
Tampa Bay has a very simple playoff scenario entering Week 18: Win Saturday’s game against the Panthers, which appears to be an NFC South championship game to close the year.
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