Category: Opponent News

Lions HC Dan Campbell shares his favorite Baker Mayfield story

Campbell had a lot of good things to say about the Buccaneers quarterback and seems to hold a lot of respect for him.

While some members of the Detroit Lions have taken to trash-talking Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, others have a much fonder view of him.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell discussed Mayfield during his media availability Wednesday. He gave him plenty of compliments, but there was a story he had to share that he believed showed his leadership qualties.

Campbell had a particularly fond memory of Mayfield, and it went back to Mayfield’s time as an Oklahoma Sooner. Campbell was the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints at that time in 2018, and he told a story about heading to Oklahoma to scout a Sooner tight end and how he ran into Mayfield there:

“I’ve always been a Baker fan from afar. I loved him when he was coming out. I tell this story, this, to me, said a lot about him. I went and worked Blake Andrews out when he was coming out of OU. They came out the same year, tight end. And so, I went out there — well, his quarterback, it’s cold, but he comes out there. I think he’s got flip-flops on. It’s Baker, Baker’s going to throw for him. Baker threw for every one of his guys that was coming out that year.

“I think he’d already had two private workouts the two days prior and he had one that afternoon and I think the one the next day. That just says a lot about the guy. There’s no wonder why people rally around him and follow him, because he’s that type of teammate, right? I mean there’s a lot of guys who wouldn’t do that, ‘Well, I’ve got to save my arm. I’ve got so-and-so club coming in.’ That wasn’t him, so you can respect stuff like that now.”

Campbell seems to think very highly of Mayfield, so it also stands to reason that he certainly won’t underestimate him heading into the game. Mayfield was a former first-overall pick in the NFL draft, and he’ll be facing off against another one in quarterback Jared Goff when the two teams collide at Ford Field on Sunday at 3 p.m.

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Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson takes shot at Baker Mayfield

The Bucs have some bulletin board material. See what Gardner-Johnson said about Mayfield, as well as Mayfield’s response.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were already doubted when they made it to the playoffs. Now, their next opponent has given them even more bulletin board material ahead of the NFC Divisional Round.

Detroit Lions cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson spoke during media availability on Tuesday, and he was asked about the weapons in Tampa Bay. He spoke highly of them, but he also took a shot at Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield while he was at it.

Here’s what Gardner-Johnson said when asked about Tampa Bay’s wide receiving corps:

“This group probably is one of the better groups we done faced all year, besides that Tampa group. If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. Evans, Godwin, (Russell) Gage, that’s a great group. I played against them for real.”

Mayfield has had his ups and downs so far this year (and during his career) to be certain, but anyone would be remiss to call him a bad quarterback. He threw for 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in the regular season, and he also just came off a game against the Philadelphia Eagles that saw him throw for 337 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers.

Of course, Mayfield was asked about the shot by media on Wednesday, and he replied by highlighting a very obvious hole in Gardner-Johnson’s quote — he mentioned a wideout that hasn’t played a snap for the Bucs this year.

“I mean, I don’t think he’s really watched film because he mentioned Russell Gage. You know, we love Russell, but he hasn’t played a snap this year for us. He must be going off the preseason stuff the media was talking about but he didn’t play our first game so I’m excited to see him. I think he’s a really good player.”

Mayfield and Garnder-Johnson will go face-to-face with the opportunity to prove the other wrong on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET when the Lions face off against the Bucs at Ford Field.

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Eagles WR A.J. Brown out for Wild Card game vs. Bucs

Tampa Bay will have one less weapon to worry about when their playoff matchup against Philadelphia rolls around.

The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of weapons, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will avoid facing at least one of them on Monday when the two face off for the final stint of Super Wild Card Weekend.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown, who sprained his knee in Week 18 against the New York Giants, will not be playing against the Bucs. Brown had not participated two days in a row in practice beforehand.

The loss is significant for the Eagles, and it makes Tampa Bay’s job quite a bit easier. Philadelphia’s wideout depth isn’t phenomenal, so outside of Devonta Smith (who is playing hurt as well), the Eagles will have to look toward players like Julio Jones and involving running backs like D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Gainwell in the passing game.

Last time the Bucs played Brown in Week 3, he made them feel it. Brown brought in nine passes for 131 yards, making short work of Tampa Bay’s secondary — he won’t be able to this time around, though, so the Bucs will get a small reprieve in that regard.

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Eagles QB Jalen Hurts throws football for first time since Sunday

Jalen Hurts’ injured finger could hamper him significantly when the Bucs play him in Tampa on Monday night.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to defend Tampa Bay against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night when the two square off on Wild Card Weekend. The Eagles won that last matchup 25-11, but both these teams are different squads — and Philadelphia could be much worse for wear.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts spoke to media on Thursday and revealed that prior to Thursday’s practice, Hurts had not thrown a football since dislocating his finger in a game against the New York Giants in Week 18. Hurts would come back into that game, but he told reporters that doing so “probably wasn’t physically the best idea.”

Hurts would throw a bit in practice after speaking to media Thursday, but when he did, he appeared to do so gingerly and wore a glove on his throwing hand, as seen below:

The Eagles are also dealing with other injuries. Philadelphia wideout A.J. Brown was not at practice Thursday, nor was safety Reed Blankenship. It’s very possible that the Eagles will be fairly banged up even with an extra day of rest for both teams heading into Monday night.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield also has not practiced with an ankle injury and a ribs injury. Despite that, Mayfield implied he would indeed be playing Sunday when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.

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Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence officially listed as questionable for Week 16

While initial reports stated that Lawrence was unlikely to play the Bucs, the signal caller may be under center Sunday after all.

Not so fast.

Recent reports suggested that Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence would not play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday due to a concussion he suffered in Week 15 against the Baltimore Ravens, but while Lawrence has yet to officially clear protocol, he may be playing after all. Lawrence appeared on the official injury report for the Bucs and Jaguars matchup as questionable after being a limited participant in practice Friday.

Lawrence has yet to clear protocol, but he has to do so by Friday in order to travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers. With a questionable designation, though, it stands to reason that the Jaguars think he can clear it in time, so the Bucs and head coach Todd Bowles may have to face off against Lawrence after all and not backup quarterback C.J. Beathard.

The Bucs have never played against Lawrence. The last time Tampa Bay played the Jaguars was in 2019 in Jacksonville, where the Bucs won that game 28-11.

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Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence unlikely to face Bucs in Week 16

NFL reporter Ian Rapoport gave an update on Lawrence’s condition on NFL Network Thursday.

It’s looking increasingly unlikely that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Jacksonville Jaguars at full power on Sunday.

The Bucs are set to play the Jaguars in Week 16, and they may do it without seeing quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence has never missed a start for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport, he may miss his first one against Tampa Bay on Christmas Eve.

Lawrence did not practice on Monday or Tuesday due to a concussion he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens and remains in concussion protocol. Rapoport spoke on NFL Network about the injury, and he mentioned that because Lawrence has not practiced for two days, it’s unlikely that he will suit up against the Bucs. That would be the first start he’s ever missed in the NFL, and it will leave the Jags lacking for a game they desperately need.

As such, it would seem that the quarterback Tampa Bay will face will be C.J. Beathard, who briefly filled in for Lawrence when the team played against the Cincinnati Bengals and Lawrence suffered a high-ankle sprain. Beathard has completed 312 passes for a 59.5% completion percentage, 3,614 yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions throughout his career.

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Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence enters concussion protocol

The Bucs may be facing off against a different quarterback when they play the Jaguars on Christmas Eve.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were already facing a banged-up Jacksonville Jaguars team in Week 16 — and now, it might be worse when Sunday comes around.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Monday that quarterback Trevor Lawrence has entered concussion protocol after his game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Lawrence did not leave the game for a concussion but was evaluated and then placed in protocol afterward.

Lawrence has never missed a start due to injury, so this would be his first time should he not play against the Bucs. Only one quarterback so far this season has made it out of concussion protocol the same week he entered it, as San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy did so after playing the Minnesota Vikings earlier in the year.

Should Lawrence not be able to go, the Bucs would instead face off against Jacksonville quarterback C.J. Beathard on Sunday. Beathard played in relief of Lawrence when he suffered an ankle sprain against the Cincinnati Bengals and completed 12 of his 14 passing attempts for 63 yards.

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