Baker Mayfield is a modern-day gunslinger, and the Bucs have learned that when it comes to his play style, you take the good with the bad.

That is because the positives far outweigh the negatives, with Mayfield having a knack for digging deep and finding ways to win. That is what the gritty quarterback showcased at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Although he completed just 53.1% of his passes and had some near-interceptions and misfires, a big reason why Tampa Bay started 1-0 in the record books was the late touchdown drive he spearheaded.

Mayfield came off the field on Sunday knowing the offensive execution needs to be improved, but they will take the win and analyze how to build on it.

Sterling Shepard: Baker Mayfield Can Handle Anything Thrown His Way

Baker Mayfield is no stranger to adversity.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Bucs wide receiver Sterling Shepard is among those most familiar with Mayfield's backstory, having teamed up with him on the Oklahoma Sooners in 2015.

A decade later, Shepard sees the same special player who can overcome challenges.

"He is just a special player," Shepard said on Monday. "You talk about all those throws, but nobody really knows what that man has to go through throughout the week and all the preparation that he goes through. He is on his P's and Q's all day. He is there for me — if I did not hear the play, he has to tell me what to do.

"He has to look at the defense and tell the backs where to go — where to bump — so [there is] a lot going on in his brain, but he is able to handle it. You saw the dart he threw to 'Mek' (Emeka Egbuka) on the game-winner — I mean, that is an unreal throw."

That it was, Shep.

Asked about his connection with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka after the game, Mayfield gushed about the newest weapon at his disposal. He showed a lot of faith throwing the football his way with a minute left, but Egbuka rewarded his trust by having an immediate breakout game.

Bucs WRs Emeka Egbuka and Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

"He made some unbelievable plays," Mayfield said breaking down Egbuka's first NFL game and the leadup to the late touchdown throw. "Felt like an eternity that they were down there, trying to score. Looking at the clock situationally, we were going to be above the two-minute warning with one timeout left, so we look at that as two timeouts. At least get a good play off on first down, can really run anything. Get to the two-minute, gather your breath, and go.

"We were looking to go down and score. It wasn't about getting a field goal to tie it to overtime; we were looking to score. Had a few opportunities there. Obviously, Emeka did a great job finishing it, but really, Mike [Evans] draws a lot of attention. He gets the safety to bite down on it, gets one-on-one coverage for 'Mek' and he makes the easy play. Good for him."

Baker Mayfield Reflects On First Half Sloppiness, Bucs Starting 1-0

Baker Mayfield and the Bucs toughed out a win, but not after a nail-biting finish and a fourth quarter that put the entire team to the test. If it felt like the Falcons had the ball most of the time, it is because they did. Atlanta controlled the time of possession 35:12 to 24:48, with an 18-play, 91-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter leaving just 2:17 left on the clock in the fourth quarter.

It proved to be enough time for Mayfield to lead the offense down to answer back, which was a statement after he and the rest of the offense struggled in the first half. Coming off the field after winning 23-20, he commended the team for coming together.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

"Just hanging in there," Mayfield said. "I think offensively, for me especially, real sloppy in the first half. Not enough detail, need to get touchdowns instead of field goals. Honestly, just to execute better. That goes for everybody, we'll probably look at the tape and say, 'Yeah, just need to execute better on offense.' Missed a couple of throws there that I'm not happy about, but that's why there's four quarters in a game. As long as we hang in there together, and that's just the culture we have in the building. I love this group."

He was not the only one who had to overcome early adversity after the team moved Graham Barton to left tackle, Ben Bredeson to center, and elevated Michael Jordan from the practice squad to start him at left guard. It took time for all of them to find their footing, but they improved as the game went on, giving Mayfield more time in the pocket.

"I thought the O-line played unbelievable," Mayfield added. "Some of the pressures are completely on me. I got to flip the protection, but that's on me. Really proud of that group."

Now, the focus is on the Texans in Week 2. Baker Mayfield will be busy preparing for his next opponent, but that does not mean coming off the field a winner on Sunday did not feel good.

"Starting out 1-0 is great, starting out 1-0 against a divisional opponent on the road, that's great. Especially when we don't play our best and still find a way to win, that's really important. We can use that, we definitely need to correct the mistakes that we had, but starting out 1-0 is always good."