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TAMPA, Fla. — With Tom Brady back at Raymond James Stadium for the first time since his retirement, all eyes were on his successor, Baker Mayfield, trying to get the Bucs back on track after a humbling loss to the Broncos last week.
Mayfield stepped up from the very beginning, going 12-for-13 for 138 yards and touchdown passes on Tampa Bay’s first two drives, and the Bucs never looked back in a 33-16 rout of the Eagles. By the time he finished, Mayfield had 347 passing yards, two TDs passing and one rushing — and the Bucs were alone atop the NFC South standings with a strong 3-1 start.
In the past 30 years, there have been just four Bucs home wins in which the quarterback had that many yards, multiple touchdowns and no interceptions. The list includes Mayfield’s showing Sunday, and three games by Brady, who gave his LFG Player of the Game honor to Mayfield.
Four hours earlier, the two quarterbacks shared a moment in the end zone, talking before the game.
“He’s obviously happy for me and he knows the guys,” Mayfield said of their conversation. “He knows how much I enjoy throwing to Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] because he got to do the same. It’s fun to be able to talk about the same experiences with a guy like that.”
Tom Brady talks to Bucs QB Baker Mayfield before the game Sunday. Mayfield threw for 347 yards and two TDs, earning Brady’s LFG Player of the Game. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
[Related: As Tom Brady returns to Tampa, Mike Evans remembers their special connection]
Mayfield connected with Evans for a 2-yard touchdown on that opening drive, and nearly half his passes went to his top two receivers, who finished with 14 catches for 163 yards and the touchdown. The strong start not only set the tone for the game, but helped the Bucs forget all the struggles they had on the same field a week earlier in the loss to Denver.
“We just wanted to get that taste out of our mouth for sure,” Mayfield said. “It started fast…
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Publish date : 2024-09-29 23:11:29
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