Baker Mayfield stared down the barrel of another question about failure. The reporters wanted answers. The fans demanded explanations. Everyone looked for someone to blame. Baker didn’t blame the scheme. The man looked reporters in the eye and took the heat. But the million-dollar question keeps lurking… can they fix it?
Two-point conversions have tortured teams since 1994. The league average hovers near fifty percent. Remember the 2015 Broncos? They converted one all year and still won the Super Bowl. Hope springs eternal. However, hope doesn’t win divisions.
Baker Mayfield’s Mea Culpa
Baker Mayfield told reporters, “I’d say the two-point play, the first one at least. I need to get to a different play. That one falls on me. So that’s not scheme or the players or anything besides me.” No ducking behind a scheme. No throwing coaches under the bus. Pure ownership. Now, the Buccaneers lost to Buffalo, 44-32. And that failed conversion loomed large. Which one?
The one that came in the third quarter. Tampa had just punched in another Sean Tucker touchdown. The score sat at 26-21. They went for two. Mayfield’s pass fell incomplete. The Bills responded with a field goal. Just like that, the momentum shifted and the game slipped away. However, Sean Tucker ran wild that day.
Mini Chubb piled up 106 yards and three scores. The ground game churned out 202 yards total. Baker Mayfield himself added 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The offense produced 32 points. All of it looks good. Besides, a score of thirty-two guarantees a win 7 out of 10 times. Todd Bowles said so himself. But the defense collapsed.
Josh Allen threw for three touchdowns. He ran for three more. That’s an NFL record. The pass rush vanished. Zero sacks. One hit. The unit surrendered 44 points. And that stings. That stings badly for a head coach known for his defensive acumen. The special teams were as bad. Meanwhile, the Rams are next. And they don’t show mercy. They show no mercy at all.
SoFi Stadium Beckons
Baker Mayfield returns to Los Angeles on Sunday night. And SoFi Stadium holds memories. Four seasons ago, he arrived as a Ram. Two days after Carolina traded him. He led a 98-yard drive. Beat the Raiders. Revived his career. Full circle moment. Now, he’s lining up for the Bucs. And Matthew Stafford waits on the other sideline.
The veteran gunslinger leads an 8-2 Rams team. Sean McVay’s squad doesn’t get itself beaten. Few penalties. No turnovers. Disciplined football. Meanwhile, the Bucs look banged up. Both practically and metaphorically. They’re 6-4, and the NFC South lead shrinks weekly. Pressure mounts. And Mr. Bowles is facing scrutiny.
He punted on fourth-and-two late. The Bills promptly scored again. Bowles also chased two-point conversions twice. Both failed. The analytics might support it. The results didn’t. And Tampa sits at 1-of-7 on the season. That’s a problem. A big one at that. Carolina now lurks at 6-5. Meanwhile, the schedule stiffens.
After the Rams, Arizona visits Tampa. Then New Orleans and Atlanta. December defines seasons, and the Bucs need answers. Fast.
Baker Mayfield did his part. He stood up and took the heat. The rest of the team must follow his lead. Or this promising season will end with nothing but what-ifs and could-have-beens. And to be honest, nobody wants that taste in their mouth.
Main Image: Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images