Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Sends Message to His Team Following Loss

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did the unthinkable, and now they once again need help to make it to the postseason.

Dec 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) walks on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did the unthinkable on Sunday night, and because of their 26-24 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, they once again need help to reestablish their playoff aspirations.

At 8-7, the Buccaneers are now on the outside of the NFC Wild Card race looking in, trailing the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers for the final two spots. The Commanders won on Sunday and the Packers play on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints.

Because the Atlanta Falcons defeated the New York Giants earlier in the day, Tampa Bay is now out of first place in the NFC South Division. But Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield isn't focused on what everyone else is doing. Instead, his message is an internal one.

READ MORE: 3 Up, 3 Down In Bucs' Brutal Loss to Cowboys

"This group will not quit and I'll be damned if anybody does," Mayfield said following the loss. "That's the standard that we try and set."

Fortunately for the Buccaneers, Washington hosts the Falcons next week so its highly likely one of those two teams is going to take a loss. Even if the two play to a tie, a win over the Carolina Panthers would put Mayfield and his team back in first place in the division.

Not quite 'no harm, no foul', but about as good a path to the playoffs as they can ask for right now.

Mayfield's message of taking care of business internally doesn't stop with the mentality the team has moving forward. It's also about how Tampa Bay executes on the field where the quarterback himself threw an interception and running back Rachaad White fumbled late on a drive that could have produced a come-from-behind victory.

"It's obvious, I know, but even when you have two hands on it, you got to be overprotective with it," Mayfield said about ball security. "And it starts with me too."

That's the real message here. It's not on White, Mayfield, or even head coach Todd Bowles. It's on the Bucs. All of them. And they have two more weeks to extend their season or plan their vacations.

"We're in playoff mode," Mayfield said. "We got to take care of business or else we have no shot."

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