Baker Mayfield on Victory vs. Cardinals, Tristan Wirfs’ TD | Press Conference | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield on Victory vs. Cardinals, Tristan Wirfs’ TD | Press Conference | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker, uh, take us through the week on how you got prepared to play. How hard was it? Yeah. Um, honestly, it’s part part of this game. Everybody’s banged up. Got to go through certain things. Um, luckily I have a physiootherapist that I’ve I’ve worked with for eight years, flies in every week, and then uh after that go through the the week of treatment with our our staff, MJ and Bobby and the rest of the crew really really helping us out. um and specifically me this week getting me ready as much as they can. Um going from there. So it’s it’s takes a takes a village team effort. Um but yeah, I think guys were locked in today. We didn’t offensively didn’t make enough plays. Uh we would have loved to have ended on our own terms, but um defense and special teams played played a hell of a game today. Kept us in there for for the long haul and uh yeah, ended up winning. Doesn’t have to be pretty. Tell us about the big man touchdown to Tristan. How long has he been waiting for that or bugging you about that one? Um I think he was more nervous. He hadn’t really been bugging it. If it was Luke, Luke would have been begging for it. Um, very different individuals there. Uh, but yeah, he did a great job. I couldn’t see where Buddha Baker was on the backside, so kind of had to put a little mustard on it. Um, but he’s a good athlete. Made a good catch. How are you feeling? How’s the shoulder after this game? Uh, feels pretty good. Hopefully continue to improve. Um, really didn’t take any direct hits on it and that that’s to me that’s the most important part. Looked like Chris God was the Chris Godman that we know running through tackles. just what did you see from his game today and having him and Bucky, what was the difference? Yeah. Um, starting with Bucky, just the the explosive playability, just having him back out there, he he gets a lot of attention whether he’s getting the ball or not. Um, just play’s never over. Doesn’t have to be blocked up perfect. Um, and then, you know, when you have three healthy backs, they can kind of rotate in and feed off each other. So, it’s great. And yeah, Chris Chris looks really good. Um, I I think he looks better this time around coming back um than he did earlier in the year. And just classic Chris. He’s he’s in the right spot at the right time, understands what we’re trying to get done, does all the right things, is willing to to go block and make the difference. Uh just a consmate professional that we’re really really lucky to have and and happy to have him back. What’s it like to end just to end the slide, Baker, no matter how you did it, uh you know, whether there’s a lot of work to be done, but you end you ended it. Yeah. Um yeah, that’s the most important part. We have it looking at it like we have a three home game stretch here. um in three games in in a short amount of days and got to start it here. Uh this team is, you know, their record doesn’t indicate how close some of these ball games have been. We understood that it was going to be a tough game, but um it was important to get this one under the belt, gain the confidence, continue to get guys back, execute the plan, I think protection-wise, that was one of the sharpest our line has been uh and guys on the same page. So, eliminate some of these pre- snap penalties, some of these holding calls that shot us in the foot, and we probably end up with a lot more than 20 points. How close do you think this offense is to to clicking the way it did a season ago? Today felt like we were very very close. So, um guys took the the message and a lot of things at heart during the week of practice. So, we just have to be able to continue to translate it to the game field. Um but yeah, it’s that’s the mentality we’re looking for. Uh guys understand that if you handle it and you prepare like that, good things will happen. Um and go from there. Victor, you guys still have the lead in the NFC South. The Panthers did beat the Rams today. They did. the the Saints are next followed by a quick game against the Falcons. Is this is the division is going to come down to this at the very end. Just talk about how how this race is going to shake out. Yeah, I I mean I said to you guys on Wednesday that in my mind it’s playoff mentality from here on out. So it’s it’s not going to change. Um you look at it theoretically we’re in control of our own destiny, but if we continue that mindset of a playoff push, uh things should take care of itself. But it’s not going to be easy. Uh truly have to take it one game at a time. And now we have division opponents. So this is it’s even more important. So guys got to get healthy, continue to prepare like we did and go from there. You feel Irving got better as uh as the game went on? Yeah, I did. Um you seeing it clearly, you know, he’s still he’s still looking for some of these huge plays. He took one of those little lateral swing passes back across the field a couple times. So u yeah, it’s good to see him back out there. Uh but he he continues to get better as the game goes on. And I think all those guys do to be honest with you. they continue to settle in, see it, understand how the defensive line’s playing, where their holes are, and uh and go from there. We’ve seen Mike give out some some souvenirs, a big Bucky was doing that today, too, with a couple of those tosses into the crowd. Thoughts on that? Um I got hit with a fine for it in Buffalo, so can’t exactly speak on it, but it’s um when you get a ball tossed from from the stands, it’s I think it’s I think it’s pretty sweet. You get an actual ball that somebody scored with. It’s it’s a neat thing. Baker, what are some of your the areas of opportunity that you feel like going into this upcoming week? Um, I I mean, I think I don’t know how we’re doing injury-wise. Haven’t got an update on that, but I think for the most part, guys came out pretty healthy. So, continue to improve, continue to go from there, build on what we just did well, and then look at look at the tape, what we didn’t uh execute, especially on offense, and uh fix it. And that’s as as we get guys healthier and healthier as these weeks go on, um we need to be able to hit the ground running. there there’s no no reason we should have any setbacks. Have to take a step back and and install some of these plays. We need to hit the ground running and continue to go forward. Baker, you talked about a killer instinct and you guys got up two scores again, but here you are in the fourth quarter trying to lock it down a three-point game. What does this team got to do to get to that point? Yeah. Uh to me, it’s es and flows of the game. Uh you’re going to we’re going to look at some of these critical third downs and see where it went wrong. Um, you know, the one right before Chase had to kick the long field goal just balls just a tiny bit high. Um, they’re running kind of a a two shell defense and and ball’s just a little bit high for Mech. Um, and then some of the other ones, you know, we’re trying to trying to get to some of these run checks, but we had 10 personnel in the game and they brought a good pressure and uh, for me, I just got to get the ball to my hands and when they’re bringing uh, seven guys. So, it’s we’ll look at the tape. It’s to me it’s sometimes you can have this planned, you can have these certain checks, but still going out there and playing quarterback. Whatever I’m seeing, I need to be able to put us in the best position possible, an advantage look, and go from there. Our our guys know what I like to check to. So, uh, just need to continue to do that on the fly. Todd said that he was pleased that when you’re sliding today, is that something you’ve been having? I slide once. I slide once. Little things. It’s the little things, man. All right. He’s pleased like Sean Tucker. Okay. Two more, please. Does Arizona create like this? They throw so much and never the same. Is that one of the things you guys had? Yeah. Um, I think our plan was was really really good. I mean, I had a conversation with Nick Ralis after the game. Um, just they throw a lot of like body like bodies in there. Uh, make you ID different fronts and make people up and certain people down. Uh, have to flip the protection a lot. And so, they do a really good job of that. But like I said, I think protection plan wise, I think our guys were really, really locked in. It’s just a matter of executing at that point. Baker, uh, you just had as a team 13 first downs and barely 50% of third down conversions. So, it has something to do with your recently injured or 50% on third down. Right around there that I mean seven for 16 is pretty damn good. 50% normally leads the league on third down. So, pretty satisfied with that. I

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke to the media after the Bucs’ 20-17 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13 of the 2025 NFL Season. QB Mayfield discussed having the toughness to play vs. Arizona, building on what the Bucs did offensively and having a ‘playoff mentality’ from here on out.

#TampaBayBuccaneers #Bucs #NFL

Subscribe to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers YT Channel: https://goo.gl/AeDQ135
For more Bucs action: http://www.buccaneers.com/
Get the App (App Store): https://apple.co/2JbjHR8
Get the App (Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yinzcam.nfl.buccaneers
Buy tickets: https://www.buccaneers.com/tickets/
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tampabaybuccaneers/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Buccaneers
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buccaneers/
Get your Bucs gear: https://shop.buccaneers.com