TAMPA, Fla. — The play of quarterback Baker Mayfield has been a big reason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) early success this season.
Through the first two games of the season, Mayfield is tied for first in the NFL in touchdown passes (5), tenth in passing yards (474), and sixth in quarterback rating (69.6). But those numbers don’t give you the entire picture of what Mayfield brings to this team.
“Baker is the epitome of a Buccaneer,” cornerback Zyon McCollum said. “He has the energy. He’s a really good leader. He plays with a certain swag that spills on everybody else. When I see him and he pops out a run, it makes me want to fly through a brick wall. Having him as our quarterback and leader, we have the right person sailing the ship.”
“This is what I wanted. This is the group, taking a chance to come here, understanding the pieces that I had and the potential this group could have,” Mayfield. “There were a lot of low moments last year. For me, it could’ve been better. It’s never about the individual stats anyway. It’s about trying to find ways to win.”
On the other side of the ball, the Tampa Bay defense will face a rookie quarterback for a second time in three games. The growing pains for Denver’s Bo Nix continue as the young signal caller leads the league with four interceptions.
“It lets me know the opportunity is out there,” McCollum said. “If we focus on being where we are supposed to be, then the ball could find us. He is a rookie and he is still learning, he’s getting better. Us as a defense, especially a defense that likes to disguise, we have an opportunity.”
That opportunity is a chance to stay undefeated after pulling off a massive upset at Detroit in Week 2.
“We keep the main thing the main thing,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “We’re not out to out here to prove everybody wrong. We’re out to prove ourselves right…The same people that are patting us on the back are the same people that were talking about us and expecting us to win none.”
The Bucs have been without a 3-0 start for nearly two decades. They have a chance to end that drought on Sunday against the Broncos.
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