Baker Mayfield did not have his best outing on Monday, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bowed to the Detroit Lions, 24-9, at Ford Field.
Mayfield struggled against the straitjacketing defense of the Lions, going 28-of-50 for 228 yards and one touchdown. He threw an interception and got sacked four times, tying his most this season.
It didn't help that the Buccaneers lost Mike Evans to a collarbone injury in the second quarter, leaving Mayfield without one of his favorite targets.
The 30-year-old quarterback also seemed to have hurt himself against the Lions. According to Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud, Mayfield “had a pronounced limp on his way to the locker room.”
It goes without saying that the Buccaneers cannot afford to lose Mayfield, who's having another prolific campaign. In seven games, he's thrown for 1,767 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The two-time Pro Bowler hasn't missed a game since 2022.
The Buccaneers tried to make a last-gasp rally in the fourth quarter, but Mayfield's incomplete pass in the end zone with only four minutes remaining sealed their fate.
He acknowledged that they didn't play to their standards against the Lions. They fell to 5-2 and failed to extend their winning streak to three games.
“As a skill group, we didn’t connect on a lot of plays. Once the defense knows we are going to have to pass, they can pin their ears back. That’s not a fair situation to the offensive line,” said Mayfield in a report from the Associated Press.
The Buccaneers will look to bounce back in Week 8 versus the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
