All Sooners

Sooners in the NFL: Baker Mayfield Shines in Battle Against Jalen Hurts

Baker Mayfield won the battle of former Oklahoma quarterbacks on Sunday afternoon

Ross Lovelace

Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (78) congratulates quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (78) congratulates quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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After an exhilarating comeback win for Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon, two former Sooner quarterbacks squared off in a prime Sunday matchup. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles travelled to Tampa Bay to take on Baker Mayfield’s Buccaneers to highlight Sooners in the NFL this week.

Tampa Bay dominated Philadelphia 33-16, with the most impressive individual performance belonging to the Buccaneers quarterback.

For Mayfield, his unexpected MVP campaign added another signature performance. Obviously it’s early, and still unlikely that Mayfield sneaks into the legitimate conversation, but it’s hard to argue that he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL to start the season.

The Heisman Trophy winner netted one of the best stat lines of the entire season, throwing for 342 yards and two touchdowns on 30-of-47 passing. Mayfield also ran the ball four times for 10 yards and another score. It was a turnover free game for Tampa Bay’s quarterback.

“Obviously wanted to get that taste out of our mouths for sure,” Mayfield said about responding from last week’s loss. “We started fast because the guys were just locked in. We came out with a hair on fire mentality, everybody was locked into what the plan was, and so that’s why we executed that quickly.”

Hurts, on the other hand, couldn’t find a way to get the Eagles offense back on track.

He did what he could, recording 158 yards and two total touchdowns on 18-of-30 passing, but it wasn’t enough. Philadelphia’s defense was on the field for the majority of the game because the offense couldn’t keep drives alive. Mayfield and Tampa Bay controlled the game.

While the biggest Oklahoma storyline was supposed to be the quarterback duel, it ended up being about Mayfield reconnecting with one of his favorite targets from his time in Norman. Sterling Shepard saw his first action of the season after being activated from the practice squad this week. He got his opportunity and now he’ll be hard to keep off the field. The Oklahoma product recorded three catches for 51 yards, including a 30-yard strike from Mayfield.

He has battled injuries over the course of his career, but like Mayfield, could benefit from a fresh start with the Buccaneers. In his first game action, he showed no signs of slowing down.

“Man it’s fun,” Mayfield said about reconnecting with Shepard. “He’s got a couple screws loose in the head, but it’s fun to just have his energy in the huddle. He’s played a lot of ball, and obviously he stepped up in a big way. Proud of our guys, and especially Shep.”

Mayfield and Shepard stole the show on Sunday afternoon. If it's anything like their college days, the duo won't be slowing down soon.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Experience Ross is a young, up-and-coming sports reporter who has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners over the past six years. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and has helped out with the All Sooners podcast whenever he gets the chance. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross worked for self-starter blogs and latched onto Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and was hired by All Sooners. Ross landed an internship with Sports Illustrated's Inside the Thunder and has since become a full-time contributor. One day, Ross hopes to work in the NBA. Work History Education Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Personal Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC, OK. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross is engaged to be married at the end of the year. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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