Baker Mayfield shares frustrations from loss to Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield thought there were questionable calls throughout the game against the Detroit Lions that went against the Buccaneers.
Brian Branch was with them in spirit, since he couldn’t be there in person, and cornerback Amik Robertson said the Detroit Lions‘ inspired defensive back play in Monday’s 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a tribute to the team’s suspended safety.
“That was our goal to go out there and support him because we’re always in his corner,” Robertson said. “Great player, an unbelievable person, great teammate.
“We wanted to go out there represent him and when we stepped in the building, we wanted him to know that we’re in his corner no matter what. We love him. We can’t wait to have him back.”
Robertson and the rest of the Lions‘ defensive backs wore black No. 32 Branch jerseys to the game on Monday, Oct. 20, which Branch missed while serving a one-game suspension for striking receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Branch was the subject of an unflattering segment on the NFL Films show “Turning Point” last week, and a promotional clip of the show that highlighted Branch’s suspension and struggles against the Chiefs served as a rallying point for the Lions team that played Monday without its two top cornerbacks and three top safeties.
“Just a little homage to him,” safety Erick Hallett said. “I feel like he kind of got done dirty over the past week with the video being put out and stuff. Just our way of showing love as a secondary.”
Hallett and Thomas Harper made their first starts as Lions at safety in place of Branch and the injured Kerby Joseph –Hallett had only played in one game, and never taken a defensive snap, before Monday – and Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin started at cornerback in place of the injured D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold.
Ya-Sin left with cramping in the second half, and Nick Whiteside and Arthur Maulet also played big minutes for the Lions in the secondary.
Whiteside had three pass breakups, Ya-Sin two, Maulet intercepted a pass and Robertson forced a fumble as the Lions held a Tampa Bay team that entered the game sixth in the NFL in scoring to 58 yards in the first half.
“That was championship-level defense and it says a lot about the guys who stepped in to play the positions where we were missing guys cause that seemed like it was a pretty big narrative,” left tackle Taylor Decker said. “And those guys, not only did they step up to the plate, but I think they blew the expectations out of the water, so a testament to those guys and especially in the secondary. And the defense as a whole.”
Branch is eligible to return to the Lions on Tuesday, and the team should have Joseph (knee) and Arnold (shoulder) back in the lineup when it returns from the bye on Nov. 2 against the Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m., Fox).
Robertson said the Lions defensive backs, most of whom wore their Branch jerseys in the locker room after game, bought the jerseys this week, but that the investment was worth it to support their brother.
“It’s all good,” he said. “We’re very loyal to him. So, like I said before, we wanted to come out here and once we stepped foot in the building we wanted to show everybody and show him that we love, we’re not worried about whatever and we’ve moved on and we can’t wait to have him back.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.