Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield can definitely be included in the NFL MVP conversation this year – as long as Tampa Bay keeps winning.

But the team has lost three of its last four games after a promising 3-1 start that Mayfield helped engineer. Mayfield started the season hot, with eight touchdowns and just two interceptions in the Bucs’ first four games. He’ll need to help turn the team around and get back on the winning track next week against the Chiefs in Kansas City on Monday Night Football to stay in the running.

Since then, he’s ratcheted up both the TDs and the INTs, throwing no fewer than three scores in each of the last four games for a total of 13 touchdowns during the last four-game span, but also throwing seven picks as well.

Yet Mayfield is already in the running for both his best season ever in the NFL, as well as breaking a few Tampa Bay records in the process.

On the year, Mayfield leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes and 23 total TDs when factoring in his two rushing scores. But he also leads the league in interceptions with nine along with Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

He has four 300-yard games on the season, including three such performances in the last three weeks.

In Sunday’s 31-26 loss to the Falcons, Mayfield was without starting receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and yet led the Bucs to within a failed Hail Mary attempt at upsetting Atlanta. Mayfield completed 37-of-50 passes (74%) for 330 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

When asked after the game if Mayfield was trying to do too much, Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles didn’t think so.

“No, he didn’t,” Bowles said. “He played within the scheme of it. We’re trying to win a ball game. You’re going to make some plays and you’re going to give up a few here and there.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield Is On A Historic Pace

In his first season in Tampa Bay, Baker Mayfield passed for 4,000 yards (4,044) for the first time in his seven-year NFL career. And his 64.3% completion percentage and 28 touchdowns were also career highs in 2023.

After signing a three-year deal worth $100 million in the offseason, Mayfield has proven to be an excellent fit in new offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s system. Mayfield has completed a career-high 71.1% of his passes this year thus far.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With eight games in the books, the Bucs have nine more games to go and Mayfield is already at 21 touchdowns on the year. Mayfield is on pace to throw for 44 touchdowns this season, which would break Tom Brady’s single-season franchise record set in 2021. And he’s on pace for a career-high 4,651 yards, which would be fourth-most in Tampa Bay history behind Brady’s 2021 season (5,316), Jameis Winston’s 2019 season (5,109) and Brady’s 2022 season (4,694) and ahead of Brady’s 2020 season (4,633).

Unfortunately, Mayfield is also on pace to throw 19 interceptions, which would be nine more than he tossed a year ago. That is one category he definitely does not want to lead the league in this season.

Mayfield is already one interception shy of tying last year’s mark of 10 picks, and he’ll need to be extra careful with the football moving forward.

“Just understand when we’re in scoring position and try not to force every ball,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles said. “You know, sometimes it’s not there, sometimes you can make a great throw but not force every ball and just get it to the guy that’s open. Sometimes three points is better than a turnover.”

It’s quite remarkable that Mayfield is actually out-dueling Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes this year, but it’s true. The Bucs play the Chiefs in Kansas City on Monday Night Football and Mahomes has only completed 68.4% of his passes for 1,651 yards with only eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.