Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield drops to one knee after aggravating a left shoulder injury on the final play of the first half of Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif.
Remember this play. The Bucs should’ve known the game was virtually lost. Now you have to wonder if the season is, too.
Down 24 points on the road to the Rams and staring at fourth and forever at their own 37 with five seconds left in the first half Sunday night, the Bucs could’ve punted or decided to bleed the clock.
Instead, quarterback Baker Mayfield aggravated a left shoulder injury while heaving a Hail Mary pass that was intercepted.
This is when preservation should’ve taken priority over desperation in the 34-7 loss to the Rams.
Mayfield was holding his shoulder and in obvious pain after releasing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tez Johnson with 5:03 to play in the second quarter. He was evaluated in the injury tent on the sideline by doctors and allowed to continue.
But after his final pass Sunday, Mayfield came out for the second half wearing sweats and with his left arm in a sling, and was replaced by backup Teddy Bridgewater.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles said after the game that Mayfield has a shoulder sprain and will undergo an MRI on Monday. X-rays apparently were negative.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield looks on from the sidelines while wearing a sling over his left arm during the second half. Coach Todd Bowles described the injury after the game as a shoulder sprain.
“I thought he hurt it earlier,” Bowles said. ”He said he was fine. He went back in and aggravated it on the last play.
“Teddy will play if he’s out for some time. Obviously, we’ll bring up Connor (Bazelak from the practice squad), and we’ll go from there. We’re very confident in what Teddy can do with a full week of practice taking every snap and every play. You know, we think he’ll be fine.”
Mayfield was not available to the media after the game.
Bridgewater didn’t arrive in Los Angeles until 10:30 a.m. Sunday so he could attend the funeral of a mentor in Miami.
“I’m very confident, and if it’s my turn, my number, I’ve just got to answer the bell,” Bridgewater said.
“... It’s unfortunate it came by way of an injury. Baker is a tough guy. He tried to come back out there (Sunday) and tough it out for the guys, and it says a lot about him. It says a lot about this team.”
The Bucs had been no match for the Rams or MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford, who passed for 273 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Davante Adams in the first half. The Rams rolled up 333 total yards and 20 first downs.
The Bucs clearly were headed to their fourth loss in five games to fall to 6-5 and a virtual tie atop the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers, who play at San Francisco Monday night.
Rams cornerback Cobie Durant (14) pulls the ball away from Bucs tight end Cade Otton (88) before returning the interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
But bad potentially went to worse, especially if Mayfield is lost for any significant time. He finished 9-of-19 passing for 41 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
Remember when the Bucs were 5-1 and Mayfield had directed four fourth-quarter comebacks? Remember when he was everybody’s MVP favorite? Now the Bucs have to wonder if they will be able to stop a three-game losing streak without him under center.
“Obviously, it was an embarrassing performance all the way around,” linebacker Lavonte David said. ”Everybody has to look at themselves in the mirror and not just ask what type of team you want to be, but what type of person and player you want to be when you step on that field. You got to have purpose, and (Sunday) we didn’t play with no purpose."
Talk about irony. The Bucs are beginning to get healthy. Receiver Chris Godwin, who played only two games before injuring his fibula, returned to the lineup Sunday. He played sparingly, catching only two passes on four targets for 9 yards. Running back Bucky Irving, who has not played since injuring his foot and shoulder in a Sept. 28 loss to the Eagles, is expected to return next Sunday against the Cardinals.
Receiver Jalen McMillan, who has not played since suffering a neck fracture against Pittsburgh in the preseason, could return next month. Mike Evans is expected back from a broken collarbone before the end of the regular season.
But without Mayfield? None of that may matter.
Rams wide receiver Davante Adams beats Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum (27) for one of his two first-half touchdown catches.
Since arriving in Tampa Bay at the start of the 2023 season, Mayfield has started all 45 games he’s played with the Bucs.
His first interception wasn’t on him. Tight end Cade Otton bobbled a pass and had it wrestled out of his arms by the Rams’ Cobie Durant, who returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.
Stafford started hot, going 8-for-8 for 89 yards, including a touchdown to Adams. Stafford now has 30 touchdowns and only two interceptions on the season.
“Obviously, it was the big plays on defense, the three or four plays,” Bowles said. “The pick six, where the ball bounces off (Otton) and is taken (back). Once you get off to a slow start that way against a team that’s great in their own right, it’s hard to play catch-up in that aspect.”
The Bucs still have some winnable games on the schedule. They host the Cardinals and Saints the next two Sundays, followed by a Thursday night game at home against the Falcons.
They finish with games away and at home against Carolina, sandwiched around a game at Miami.
The question is how many they might have to play without Mayfield.
Up next
vs. Cardinals, 1 Sunday, Raymond James Stadium TV/radio: Fox; 97.9-FM Line/OU: Bucs by 2 ½; 45 ½
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