The resurgence of Baker Mayfield has got to be one of the better surprises the NFL has given us in recent years. At one point, the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner’s career seemed to be dead in the water. But thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Liam Coen, he has proven himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the league since 2023.
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Now, Mayfield is returning the favor by giving the Bucs a chance to enjoy their first 4-0 regular season start since 2005. The only problem? The reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, are coming to town.
“It’s going to be a tough match-up,” Mayfield noted when asked to give his thoughts on the upcoming battle between two of the last undefeated teams in the league. The Buccaneers will have home-field advantage, but according to their QB1, it’ll be the humidity that will help to wear out the Eagles.
“From a talent standpoint, their defense, obviously… It starts up front. They’ve got some monsters. So we’ve got to take care of those guys first and foremost,” said Mayfield, before stressing the need to plan well.
“We’ll have a good game plan to try and tire these guys out. The advantage for us? We’re in Tampa. The heat. They’re not used to that. There have been stories that have broken about them coming down to Tampa a day early. I don’t necessarily think that helps them,” added the 30-year-old.
This Sunday, the temperature at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, will be nearly 90 degrees. There is a forecast for potential thunderstorms, with a ‘feel like’ temperature of 103 degrees.
So, if you’re planning on tailgating or going to the event, you’ll want to make sure that you pack some extra bottles of water before leaving the house. Unfortunately for the big guys on both rosters, there won’t be much relief from the humidity once they are on the field of play.
In the eyes of Mayfield, that could be the very thing that swings this game in their favor, which makes for a rather simple game plan. “This game goes down to the battle in the trenches… Try to get some completions early and often and keep these guys on the field and tire them out,” said the QB.
The Eagles will step into the heat as -3.5 point betting favorites against the Buccaneers, while the comeback on Tampa’s moneyline currently rests at +160 odds. Whether it’s due to the defensive prowess of Philadelphia or simply the weather, their current point total of 44.5 is one of the lowest that you will see this week.
The Eagles have just one win in Tampa Bay in the last 10 years. And everyone, from the oddsmakers to Mayfield, is predicting a dog fight. So fans should expect nothing less this Sunday.
