It's time to start giving Baker Mayfield his due. There is no player more deserving of the NFL's MVP award right now that the Buccaneers quarterback.
Usually, a quarterback who is on his fourth team in the league is not good for anything other than holding a clipboard, pounding his teammates on the shoulder pads and shouting “Attaboy.”
But Mayfield has persevered through adversity and has found a home in Tampa Bay. He has a coach in Todd Bowles who appreciates both his talent and leadership. Mayfield put on a brilliant display against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6 and his team is in first place in the NFC South with a 5-1 record.
He was razor sharp in that game, completing 17 of 23 passes for 256 yards with 2 touchdowns while avoiding any interceptions. He also showed off his leadership and guts on a third-and-14 late in the third quarter. Mayfield avoided a sure sack after he had given ground and was deep in the pocket. He sped out of harm's way, faked out a would-be tackler and made a dive for the first down. He finished the play by extending his arm to earn the first down.
Mayfield has been a great fit for the Bucs. They have made it to the playoffs in both of his seasons as the team's QB1. He led the Bucs to a playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2023 season.
This year there may be no stopping Mayfield as he pursues both excellence and a championship for his team. The numbers have been brilliant to this point. He has completed 129 of 195 passes for 1,539 yards with 12 touchdowns and just 1 interception. He has a passer rating of 108.5 and he has also rushed for 158 yards on 22 carries.
Mayfield is competing with familiar QB names
It will not be easy for Mayfield to win the MVP Award even though his season has gotten off to a brilliant start. He is going to have to beat out both Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.
The Chiefs are coming off an impressive win over the Detroit Lions in Sunday night football, but all that victory did was even their record at 3-3. Mahomes has been widely acknowledged to be the best quarterback in the NFL throughout the majority of his career with the Chiefs, but the 2023 and 2024 seasons saw a downturn in his individual production.
The Chiefs are showing a few signs of an improved offense this season, but the team's overall play has been inconsistent. Mahomes has completed 138 of 213 passes for 1,514 yard with 11 TDs and 2 interceptions. His 99.0 passer rating is good but not great.
Nevertheless, Mahomes is listed as the second favorite to win the MVP with odds of +225. He is coming off a 3-TD, 0-interception performance in the win over the Lions.
Allen is listed as the favorite in the MVP race with odds of +185. Many expected the Bills to supplant the Chiefs as the AFC champions at the start of the year, but they have lost consecutive games to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. Allen is often a spectacular performer due to his athleticism and arm strength, and he is deserving of consideration.
However, he has not performed as well as Mayfield this season. Allen has completed 122 of 178 passes for 1,397 yards with 11 TDs and 4 interceptions. He has also run 254 yards and 3 TDs.
Mayfield is moving up the charts, but he is still far behind. He had odds of +700 before his game against the Niners and is now listed at +400.
Mayfield faces battle in NFC South
The Bucs have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. The two teams are likely to battle each other throughout the majority of the season for the division title and playoff positioning.
Running back Bijan Robinson served notice that he may be about to join the MVP race after his huge performance against the Buffalo Bills Monday night. Robinson tied his career best with 170 rushing yards and that included an 81-yard TD run in the second quarter. He also caught 6 passes for 68 yards and was the dominant player on the field.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris continues to refer to Robinson as “the best player in football.”
Robinson is certainly impressive, but he will need more if he wants to overtake Mayfield.
The Buccaneers quarterback is driving his team hard right now and deserves to be the leader in the MVP race.
