This December has looked a lot different for Baker Mayfield than last December.
Mayfield was released by the Panthers in early December 2022 and his prospects were uncertain after he played out the final weeks of the regular season with a Rams team that was going nowhere. Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers after Tom Brady retired and it looked like things might go a similar way when the Bucs came into the final month of 2023 with a 4-7 record, but the last four weeks have changed everything in Tampa.
Mayfield has thrown nine touchdowns during a four-game winning streak, including two in Sunday’s 30-12 rout of the Jaguars that put the team on the doorstep of a division title. They will be the NFC South champions with one win in the final two weeks and head coach Todd Bowles credited the quarterback with putting them in that position.
“He’s been outstanding,” Bowles said at his postgame press conference. “He’s been outstanding in December. That’s what you want from your quarterback in December. Everybody knows each other’s plays right about now. But when you’re trying to make a push and your quarterback is playing great, it gives you a chance.”
Mayfield’s play has opened the door to a longer stay in Tampa, but talks on that front aren’t likely to come until the Bucs are finished playing. The last month has given reason to believe that the end of their run might not come until well into January.