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In one of the more unique scenarios in recent years in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers will face quarterback Baker Mayfield for the third consecutive season, with Mayfield under center for a third different team.
Mayfield will bring his first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Green Bay on Sunday in a battle of 6-7 teams vying for playoff spots in the NFC. The track record shows that the Packers have a significant advantage over Mayfield, but the circumstances surrounding their last two meetings should be taken into consideration.
The Packers are 2-0 against Mayfield in those games, forcing him to throw five interceptions and sacking him ten times, per Zach Kruse. It's important to note though, as Kruse mentions, that Mayfield was coming off an injury in the 2021 matchup (which was also on Christmas Day) and was making his first start in his second week with the Los Angeles Rams when they played the Packers in 2022.
That sounds like an awful lot of excuses for an NFL quarterback with plenty of starting experience, but those are factors that could and likely did impact Mayfield's performances in those games against the Packers.
Facing a new Baker?
This time around, the Packers will take on a more comfortable Baker Mayfield. He's started every game for the Buccaneers, who are coming off two consecutive wins that saved their season (for now) and control their own destiny in the NFC South race.
Mayfield wasn’t exactly the reason why the Bucs won those games, but he didn’t lose them for Tampa Bay either. He completed under 50 percent of his passes for 346 yards in the last two games, tossing three touchdowns and one interception for a 77.2 passer rating.
The Buccaneers did a great job protecting Mayfield as well in those games, as he was sacked only two times. Mayfield was sacked a season-high six times in Week 12 and an average of 3.5 times per game from Week 7 to Week 12.
Turnovers and sacks are two things the Packers' defense does not have an ample number of through 13 games. Green Bay forced 15 turnovers so far, six of them interceptions. Only the Tennessee Titans have fewer interceptions this year, although the Packers have collected a turnover in four consecutive games.
Green Bay also ranks in the bottom 10 in sacks with 29 in 13 games and failed to take down Tommy Devito in Monday night's loss to the New York Giants.
Both of these teams desperately need this game and mistakes by either quarterback, or lack thereof, could be the difference in this clash of NFC playoff hopefuls.
