The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one win away from clinching playoff football, winning the division and have the fourth-highest scoring offense in football, with Baker Mayfield a big reason why.
With so many critics entering the season and questioning whether Baker could replicate his Pro Bowl efforts from 2023, Mayfield has shut them up.
Through 16 games, Mayfield has thrown for 4,279 yards, 39 touchdowns, and has a completion percentage of 71.7, all of which are career highs. That'll do.
But yet with those numbers, Mayfield has missed out on a Pro Bowl nod with Jared Goff, Jayden Daniels and Sam Darnold all making it over Baker.
For offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Baker doesn't seem to be fussed about being overlooked.
“I congratulated him on the NFC Player of the Week over the phone on Tuesday, he said yeah, that's cool, let's go get this one,” Coen said. “So he doesn't care, nobody really cares, I don't think. He knows his worth, he knows what he's done and put out on that field this year production-wise, and I think that speaks for itself.”
In truth, while being named to the Pro Bowl is a good personal accolade, it is clear that Mayfield wants far more than that out of this season.
Punching the Buccaneers' playoff ticket is job No. 1, and he can help them do that by beating the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.
So, not making the Pro Bowl could be a driving factor for Mayfield over the next few weeks, and if he does go on a deep playoff run, then it will be a big slice of humble pie for those who didn't vote for him.
Not that he or Tampa Bay care.
