The Bucs started an injured quarterback today and not only did Baker Mayfield not get sacked, he only was hit once.
But it was a brutal hit.
Mayfield got slammed to the turf on Tampa Bay’s opening drive and his healing dislocated thumb hit the turf. (Somebody please work on Bucky Irving’s pass blocking!) Mayfield gestured to the sideline that he was ok.
That was the last time he was hit in the backfield during the 43-13 blowout win at Carolina. Mayfield threw only 12 passes, completing 7 (a Chris Godwin TD pass was called back because of a penalty).
Mayfield’s workload was as light as one could ever expect for a starting QB in the modern era of football.
Joe absolutely didn’t like the gamble of playing Mayfield today. It didn’t seem to make sense. But the Bucs won the roll of the dice. Mayfield left the game in fourth quarter smiling and laughing. He made it through.
Is Mayfield healthy enough to put the team on his back? That’s still unknown, but there’s a good chance the Bucs will find out next week against the 3-4 Falcons at The Licht House.
After the game, Mayfield said it was “unbelievable” to lean on the running game “and the big boys up front.”