Baker Mayfield will play for the fourth team in 21 months on Sunday and suddenly the former top pick from the 2018 NFL Draft is successful again. Many are now wondering whether his style of play is sustainable and whether he can maintain his current form. Because that would give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the opportunity to win the NFC South again.
There are good reasons to believe Baker Mayfield can be this year’s Geno Smith. While other celebrated young quarterbacks never came back, Geno surprised many critics last year after no one wanted to believe in him anymore. But one coach stuck by him: Dave Canales, who now works as offensive coordinator for Tampa Bay.
Dave Canales is becoming something of a quarterback guru. He worked with Russell Wilson at the Seattle Seahawks for years and it’s fair to say that since moving to Denver, “RW3” hasn’t played as well as he did in the presence of quarterbacks coach Canales.
The 42-year-old trainer from California later took Geno Smith under his wing. The collaboration paid off once again for a quarterback. Geno quickly gained self-confidence and developed from a backup to a full-fledged starter.
Baker Mayfield has nothing to lose
Basically, Baker Mayfield has nothing to lose this year and that makes working with him easier. After he failed as a quarterback in Cleveland and later with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, no one had any great expectations of the playmaker anymore.
Before the season he had a “camp battle” with backup Kyle Trask, which he quickly won. There is another parallel here in addition to the work with Coach Canales, as Geno Smith also initially fought a duel with Drew Lock for the starting position with the Seahawks last year.
Dave Canales (l.) is one of the main reasons for Baker Mayfield’s good form
Buccaneers offense suits Mayfield’s strengths
The offense in which Mayfield now plays is calculating and less based on risky deep pass attempts. The number of passing and running plays is balanced at approximately 50 percent each. Even when the run isn’t working well, Dave Canales is a play caller who sticks with it and doesn’t start putting the game in the hands of his quarterback alone.
“I was pleasantly surprised by his game management,” Canales said in a recent press conference. “Because you don’t really know. I knew he had experience. But you don’t really know how this guy is supposed to get a feel for it – like the good ones get a feel for what’s happening on both sides of the ball.”
That’s why there’s a lot of play action and quick short reads that make Mayfield’s job much easier every Sunday. Half of his passes find the two playmakers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, which is another similarity to the offense in Seattle, where Geno Smith often includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in his game.
Mayfield will also use this style of play on Sunday (live on RTL from 10:25 p.m.) in the game against the Detroit Lions. Canales will call plays that allow Baker to give the ball to the two safest pass receivers as often as possible. If they aren’t an option, he still has tight end Cade Otton and even running back Rachaad White, who is a very reliable receiver on short routes.
“He has an incredible feel for these things. He makes me feel like he’s the ultimate competitor, so to speak. That he’s just going to try to find a way to overcome this situation and win the game. By any means necessary. “
Mayfield will be given the time needed to “find a way,” as Canales says. Because he can rely on a new left tackle on his blindside. Tristan Wirfs moved from right to left in the offseason and is now the primary protector for the 28-year-old veteran quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is one of the most reliable offensive tackles in the league when it comes to giving his own playmaker as much time as possible to throw the ball.
Buccaneers: The defense is also convincing
Baker Mayfield is playing more confidently than ever in his NFL career. The only thing that remains from his performances as a Gunslinger from his college days may be his unbroken mentality as a fighter and leader. Canales and Mayfield are now getting the most out of his talent. This also means that the quarterback will not win games alone, but must and will rely on the support of his teammates.
The defense shouldn’t go unmentioned either. The front seven is extremely well stocked with Shaq Barrett, Lavonte David, Calijah Kancey, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Vita Vea and Devin White. Head Coach Todd Bowles knows how to showcase his stars on the team so that everyone comes together to form a strong unit.
Philip Forstner