The Bucs are looking to put Sunday night’s 26-24 loss to the Cowboys in the rearview quickly. There is no time to reflect, as their focus must shift to the last two regular-season games against the Panthers and Saints.

If they do not win each game, they risk missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke after the game and shared where his head was after the defeat.

Baker Mayfield Discusses How The Bucs’ Offense Played

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

Baker Mayfield had an up-and-down game back in his home state of Texas. While Mayfield’s stat line of completing 31 of 43 passes for 303 passing yards looks pretty good, a large part of that production came with the Bucs down in the fourth quarter. When operating in the quick passing game he was efficient, but it was a different story when he held the ball for a long time as Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo pointed out.

In that regard, it was not his best performance as by not getting the ball out quicker, he ran into sacks and pressure that ultimately the offense could not overcome. Speaking after the game, Mayfield discussed how the unit played at AT&T Stadium, starting with the wide receivers.

After Sterling Shepard left the game with a hamstring injury, Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan were his main targets with Trey Palmer and Ryan Miller filling in.

“Those guys stepped up in a huge way,” Mayfield said about his wide receivers. “I say that because it was a lot of two-minute situations where getting lined up quickly, guys having to know what they’re doing. Those guys, they executed for the most part really, really well in that scenario.”

Miller’s touchdown with 2:36 left in the fourth quarter kept the Bucs’ hopes alive, and it was a nine-play, 87-yard drive where the offense went in no-huddle. Mayfield completed passes to six different players on that drive, but only one to star wideout Mike Evans. Coming off his best game of the year, Evans was neutralized by cornerback DaRon Bland and the Cowboys’ defense. He finished with five catches for 69 receiving yards and was not happy with how the team did.

Bucs WR Mike Evans and Cowboys CB DaRon Bland – Photo by: USA Today

“On some of the shots, they were covering him up,” Mayfield said about Evans not having as big of a game. “Some of the down-the-field explosive plays that we tried to dial up for him, they were covering up pretty well. Obviously, he made a great catch on the one-on-one go ball earlier in the game. But yeah, they were typical – what teams do – roll a safety over the top, try and press him up a little bit, and take two guys to take him away.”

Circling back to the offensive line tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke had their work cut out for them facing Micah Parsons. They held up for the most part and Mayfield acknowledged he did not get the ball out quick enough to avoid being sacked four times.

“I thought they did a great job,” Mayfield said. “I mean, that last play they did a good job of their blitz looks. Taking a safety down and forcing us to get into a certain call and then that last play they brought that guy from the other side. [Mike] Zimmer’s been calling that defense for a long time and I think he set that up for that drive. Those guys handled it really well for the most part, I just got to get the ball out of my hands.”

Still, despite not having his best game, the offense had a chance to win it after the defense forced a three-and-out. Although that did not come to fruition with running back Rachaad White fumbling it after Mayfield found him under pressure, they did not quit even when the first 55 minutes of the game did not go their way.

“I’ve said it all along,” Mayfield added. “This group will not quit and I’ll be damned if anybody does. That’s the standard that we try and set. It’d be nice to not have to be in that situation if we would have taken care of business earlier in the game but it comes down to little things late in the game and trying to execute [to give] ourselves a chance. Defense gave us a chance as well, we just got to execute.”

Baker Mayfield Says Bucs’ “Leaders Got To Step Up”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs are now heading down the “home stretch” with two home games left to finish the regular season. Even with a loss, there is a path for Tampa Bay to make the playoffs, although they no longer control their own destiny like they did.

With losses often producing the best lessons, what did Baker Mayfield learn about Sunday night’s loss in Dallas?

“I didn’t learn anything new about the fight that we have,” Mayfield said. “It’s never been a question. For me, it’s a next-man-up mentality. Overall, it’s about the ball. Everybody needs to learn that. It’s obvious, I know. Even when you have two hands on it, got to be overprotective with it and it starts with me too.”

Over the next two weeks, Mayfield and the rest of the team only have one thing on their mind.

“We’re in playoff mode,” Mayfield added. “We got to take care of business or else we have no shot. This one, you got to take it on the chin. Short week, Christmas week and we got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.”

Now is when the Bucs need him and the rest of the captains to take charge.

“Leaders got to step up,” Mayfield said. “Young guys got to move on, learn from this and it’s on to Carolina.”