Sunday marked the stop of a four-game slide for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs. And in their first victory in a month Baker balled out. Baker Mayfield was 24-30 for 294 yards. While he did not throw for a score, Baker Mayfield helped lead the Bucs offense to scores on five of their first six drives, running for an 11-yard touchdown on one of those drives. Mayfield’s 9.8 yards per attempt was the highest mark he has put up this season and second highest of his tenure in Tampa Bay.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Mayfield was on another level in this game. His completion percentage over expected was +8.9%. This indicates how much better or worse his actual completion percentage as compared to what would have been expected. His expected points added per drop back was+0.42. He played within the structure of the offense unless the pass rush required him to create out of structure.

And on the rare occasion the need arose for him to create out of structure, he nailed those opportunities. This included his scrambled and dot to Payne Durham, when he smartly turned down a dig because he saw middle linebacker Bobby Okereke dropping into the window, as well as his 11-yard scramble for a touchdown.

Baker wants to go to the dig, but Okereke falls back under it brilliantly. He has the swing to Bucky, but pulls it down, gets out and lofts a beauty for Durham.

•Triple teaming Dex bc your TE3 can handle Thibodeaux 1v1
• Goedeke dominating Burns was a theme pic.twitter.com/cHh2NdOmtH

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) November 25, 2024

Baker’s Big Shots Are Back

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

The best part of this performance was the return of the deep ball for Baker and the Bucs. Mayfield attempted four passes of 20+ air yards in week 12, completing three of them for 86 yards. Those four throws represented 13.3% of his total attempts for the game. That’s almost double his season-long rate heading into the game.

The three completions also brought up his season-long completion rate on deep throws to 34.4%. With the return of Mike Evans, and Baker’s growing confidence in the plays drawn up for shots and the players running those routes it adds the lone element missing from the Bucs offense over the past month. Namely a deep-shot element to the passing game.

And Baker was absolutely ripping these, and other, throws in this game. His hole shot to Jalen McMillan against Cover-2 was a beauty.

Absurd rip by Baker. pic.twitter.com/tO9Lvm7q65

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) November 25, 2024

The 30-yarder to Rakim Jarrett was even more impressive. With Jarrett running a corner route from a condensed #2 into a cover-3 drop by the perimeter corner, he’s effectively running into the teeth of the defensive coverage. No matter. Baker saw a delay in the corner’s drop and gunned an absolute beauty to Jarrett. The recognition and then arm talent to make that play is up there with any other quarterback in the league.

Just an incredible throw to take advantage of a small mistake by the corner. Don’t think Rak expected it. But good late hands to haul in the dime. pic.twitter.com/s0m399oQu4

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) November 27, 2024

And his patience in pocket, followed by scramble to set off a second reaction play while layering in a drop in the bucket for a 26-yard gain to Mike Evans was playmaking at its finest.

Bucs running 21 in a static spread with absolutely no threat of a run. Just lining up two backs wide and saying, “We can win through the air this way.” pic.twitter.com/01E8zbWKv5

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) November 26, 2024

Mayfield did all of this in windy conditions without putting the ball in harm’s way. Pro Football Focus credited him with two “Big Time” throws and no turnover-worthy plays. I’d argue it was 4-0, but the big thing is the zero. This version of Mayfield is excellent. A version capable of elevating an already very good cast around him.

And one capable of taking this team deep into the playoffs. The Bucs will need this Baker as they are backed behind the eight-ball as they embark on the back half of their schedule. But if he maintains this level of play watch out.