The biggest takeaway after the Bucs’ home loss to the Patriots last Sunday was an impassioned comment by Baker Mayfield lobbying for he and his teammates to take accountability, be angry about this loss, and focus on the little things. Mayfield was clearly agitated after the loss and felt this was the best way to wake everybody up.

Things don’t get any easier for the Bucs as they play the Bills this Sunday and then the Rams on the following Week on Sunday Night Football. Added on top of that is the fact that Buffalo shockingly lost to the lowly Dolphins last game, pushing them even further back in the AFC East and not player their football as of late. We’re looking at an angry football team at home, so the Bucs better be ready.

How Baker Mayfield’s Message Was Taken

Pretty much put, there’s no time to relax for Tampa Bay if they want to be taken seriously as a contender in this league. So how was Baker Mayfield’s message taken by the team? He at least thought it went well.

“I think it was received,” Mayfield said. “[That was] one of the best walkthrough Wednesdays we’ve had. Guys are locked in. The thing is, when I say something like that, it’s not like all of a sudden, this brand-new idea. Guys know we have to execute, the guys know what our potential is on this offense and this team. The standard is the standard – it’s a cliche thing to say. It was a locked-in Wednesday walkthrough and [we are] looking to stack that and have a good practice tomorrow.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was more than fine with what Mayfield relayed.

“When you’re one of the captains of the team, you know what it looks like,” Bowles said. “You know, we encourage accountability here. We don’t pull any wooden nickels out of here. So, we talk about it when we do good and when we do bad and what we need to do better as a team. He spoke and everybody took it the right way. You know, we’re not getting on anybody in a bad way, but leadership counts on this team so when certain people talk, you know, everybody takes heat for it. So, I’m perfectly fine with it.”

Part of what makes Mayfield able to saw something that hits so hard in a public setting is the closeness of the locker room. They’re a group that is focused on winning and isn’t driven by individual ego. Players can say what they want to say if they feel it’s for the better of the team.

“We don’t have too many divas in this locker room who think they’re above the law or anything like that,” wide receiver Emeka Egbuka said. “We know everyone has to do their one-eleventh, whoever is on the field. People took great accountability, came in today and had a focused, locked-in session today. [We] just have to continue stacking days throughout the week to fix everything that we need to fix before Sunday’s kickoff.”

Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

Finding The Proper Time To Bring It Up

Baker Mayfield has been a leader for several years and in different places. When sending a message to your team, it needs to be at the right time, so it has the most profound impact. It can’t be done too often or else it’ll eventually fall on deaf ears, but it also can’t take too long to be done or else the moment could be missed. 

Mayfield spoke about knowing when the time is right to say what was necessary.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

“There’s definitely a time and place for team speeches — whatever you want to call it — or calling people out, whatever it is,” Baker Mayfield said. “There is a time and place, and for us offensively, that wasn’t up to our standards. Our leaders have to be exceptional in those moments and everybody else has to do their role, their job, whatever that is, at a very high level.

“That’s the NFL; it’s professional football. We expect people to do their job at a high level. Nobody is perfect, but when it’s things you’ve consistently seen on tape and we’ve executed, you expect them to do it well.”