Both the Bucs and Lions are in the middle of their weekly preparation for when they face each other on Sunday afternoon in the NFC Divisional Round. But while they are busy studying X’s and O’s, two players have also been trading verbal blows at each other. It has made for some bulletin board material leading up to the game.

Lions S C.J. Gardner-Johnson Takes A Shot At Bucs QB Baker Mayfield

It all started when Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was asked about facing the Rams’ wide receivers and mentioned how they are a good group. Fair enough, it is a room led by Cooper Kupp and rookie sensation Puka Nucua. Then, Gardner-Johnson got into discussing how Tampa Bay’s wide receivers are another great group.

Lions S C.J. Gardner-Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

Except he subtly took a shot at Baker Mayfield for not even being “a good quarterback.”

“This group probably is one of the better groups we done faced all year, besides that Tampa group,” Gardner-Johnson said about comparing the Rams’ and Bucs’ receiver rooms. “If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. Evans, Godwin, [Russell] Gage, that’s a great group.”

When looking at Gardner-Johnson’s statement, there are a few holes in his logic. First, let’s discuss the quarterback he’s referring to — Baker Mayfield. Mayfield has had a career season, throwing for 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. That does not even include him adding 337 passing yards and three touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s Super Wild Card win over the Eagles.

By most measures, he has played like a Top 10 to Top 15 quarterback this year and is more than deserving of being considered at the very least a good quarterback. After all, he is the guy who has been throwing to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin all season.

Evans has had an All-Pro year, while Godwin had his third consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. While that is a credit to their abilities, it also is a byproduct of playing with a quarterback who has thrived with the Bucs himself.

But that is not the only hole in Gardner-Johnson’s argument.

Baker Mayfield Responds: “I Don’t Think He’s Really Watched Film”

Baker Mayfield has looked more like the guy he did when he first got selected No. 1 overall by the Browns. He has paired that by also displaying more of his fun side this season. After all, he is having a blast playing for the Bucs. That’s why when he was asked about C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s remarks, Mayfield was not afraid to call him out for mentioning someone who has not even played for the team this year.

“I don’t think he’s really watched film because he mentioned Russell Gage,” Mayfield said. “We love Russell, but Russell hasn’t played a snap all year for us. He must be going off of preseason stuff that the media was talking about.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Gage has been out all year after suffering a torn patellar tendon when the Bucs and Jets held joint practice back in August. Since then, it has been a combination of Trey Palmer, Deven Thompkins, David Moore, and others who have helped fill his void. They are who Gardner-Johnson will be seeing on Sunday, not Gage.

Regardless of who he is throwing the ball to, Baker Mayfield will have to account for the Lions’ defensive back and is looking forward to seeing him.

“I’m excited to see him,” Mayfield added. “I think he’s a really good player. He has been for a while. He’s been an impactful guy on every team he’s been on,” Mayfield said. “So, he’s a good player, but yeah — just got to do a little bit more film study.”

If that was not enough, Gardner-Johnson responded to Mayfield on X Wednesday evening after his press conference.

He failed to mention Mayfield by name, but it is clear who he is referring to.

It’s confusing that he said he “gave dude his props” when he does not think he’s a good quarterback. It’s clear that in the week leading up to an important game, there will be some back-and-forth trash talk between players from opposing teams. Actions speak louder than words though, so it remains to be seen who will ultimately come out on top.