Buccaneers Dealt Major Blow With Injury to QB Baker Mayfield
When it comes to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and injuries in 2025, it seems like things can always get worse.
The latest and most concerning injury came in Week 12 as the Buccaneers were getting blown out by the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12, with quarterback Baker Mayfield appearing to injure his left shoulder on a Hail Mary attempt to end the first half and being forced to leave the game.
Mayfield did not return to the field in the second half, with the Buccaneers trailing 31-7. Veteran backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater came in to take Mayfield’s place.
“Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, who hit the turf in pain right before the half, is doubtful to return with a left shoulder injury,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on November 23.
Mayfield appeared to hurt his left shoulder on a run earlier in the first half and had to go in the medical tent to get it examined before returning to the field.
The Buccaneers were 6-4 and losers of 2 consecutive games headed into the game against the Rams. Mayfield was officially ruled out toward the end of the third quarter.
“Buccaneers have ruled out Baker Mayfield for tonight due to a left shoulder injury,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account. “Baker Mayfield is on the sideline with his left arm in a sling.”
Mayfield Hasn’t Missed Game With Buccaneers
Mayfield has been one of the NFL’s most durable contracts in his first 3 seasons as the starter for the Buccaneers and hasn’t missed a game since signing a 1-year, $3 million contract before the 2023 season.
The game against the Rams was his 48th consecutive start for Tampa Bay, including regular season games and playoff games.
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, actually played part of one season for the Rams in 2022 before coming to the Buccaneers.
He made the first 2 Pro Bowls of his career in 2023 and 2024, when he led Tampa Bay to consecutive NFC South Division titles. The Buccaneers signed Mayfield to a 3-year, $100 million contract in March 2024.
There was some criticism of having Mayfield even attempt a Hail Mary at the end of the first half — the pass came up about 20 yards short of the end zone.
“There was no point in trying to have Baker Mayfield heave the 70-yard Hail Mary at the end of the half,” Check the Mic’s Steve Palazollo wrote on his official X account.
Injuries Have Decimated Roster for Buccaneers
The Buccaneers entered the 2025 season as NFC contenders and seemed to be living up to that through the first month of the season before injuries completely decimated the roster.
The Buccaneers were not only missing Mayfield, but missing NFL All-Pro wide receiver Mike Evans (collarbone) and 1,000-yard rusher and second year running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) against the Rams.
Another NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chris Godwin returned against the Rams after missing the previous 5 games and has missed 8 games due to injury this season. Godwin, who signed a 3-year, $66 million contract in March, had just 2 receptions for 9 yards headed into the fourth quarter against the Rams.
Patriots Defense Made Key Adjustment to Beat Joe Flacco, Bengals
Facing a Cincinnati Bengals team without injured quarterback Joe Burrow and suspended star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase should’ve been a chance for the New England Patriots to feast on defense, but instead the unit needed to make a key adjustment to hold veteran backup Joe Flacco at bay late in Week 12’s 26-20 win on the road.
The adjustment was made on the final drive at Paycor Stadium, when the Patriots finally sent extra rushers after 40-year-old Flacco. As Next Gen Stats, via NFL Pro revealed, “The Patriots did not blitz until the final Bengals drive, in which they blitzed four times, with Joe Flacco completing just 1 of 4 passes (12 yards) against the blitz. Despite their low blitz rate (10.3%, their 2nd-lowest this season), the Patriots still generated pressure on 41.0% of their pass rushes.”
Sending the blitz proved worth the risk when the Pats sent “the house on 4th & 10, K’Lavon Chaisson gets a hit on the QB, and Marcus Jones breaks up the throw to Mike Gesicki,” per Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
The telling contribution by Jones capped a clutch performance from the nickelback, who also scored on a pick-six to help dig the Patriots out of an early hole. Jones’ theft was the result of cleverly disguised coverage, making this game a strong endorsement of the defensive staff led by stand-in coordinator Zak Kuhr.
Patriots Needed Sophisticated Defense
A rare dismal showing from QB1 Drake Maye left the Patriots needing to lean on their defense in Cincinnati. Fortunately, Kuhr had a nuanced plan based around sophisticated coverage concepts and pressure packages.
The layers of disguise in their coverage showed up most effectively when Jones picked off Flacco and went to the house in the second quarter. It happened because “on their first pick-six since the 2023 season (Kyle Dugger vs. Miami), New England plays the early down in quarters coverage with a four-deep, three-under zone coverage,” according to Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar.
This coverage design fooled Flacco, who saw “the deep-zone coverage taking away his downfield routes, and thinks he’s just going to harmlessly check it down into the flat to RB Tahj Brooks. Instead, NCB Marcus Jones was baiting Flacco to throw the check-down the entire time, and jumped the flat for a 33-yard pick-six that was a sweet, sweet play by Jones.”
Changing the picture on the back end was necessary to keep a battle-tested veteran with Flacco’s level of experience guessing. Yet for all the rotations in the secondary, the Patriots still needed a more direct approach to seal the win.
Zak Kuhr Adjusted Core Plan in Key Moment
When Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel hired Terrell Williams to be his defensive coordinator, he hoped for a defense based on getting pressure with only four rushers. Williams has taken a leave of absence to deal with health problems, but Kuhr has mostly stuck to the same blueprint, at least until the waning moments against the Bengals.
That’s when Kuhr pushed the blitz button to great effect. His more aggressive approach worked to unleash edge-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, while also helping fellow edge Harold Landry III notch the Patriots’ only sack.
Registering just a single sack shows the Patriots still have a problem getting to quarterbacks often enough. The defense has recorded a mere 23 QB takedowns, per Pro Football Reference, because there isn’t a bluechip pass-rusher in the lineup.
It means Kuhr will be wise to continue drawing up elaborate ways to send additional rushers to wreck the pocket. Blitzing can offset the absence of elite talent on the edges, while it will also help the defense compensate for any further below-par days from Maye and the offense.
