Jenna Laine, ESPN Workforce Editor
TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield replied to Lions protection C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s remarks this while that the Buccaneers are with no just right quarterback, telling him he wishes to comb up on his movie learn about.
When requested about making ready for the Rams extreme while, Gardner-Johnson mentioned by way of the Detroit Detached Press, “This group probably is one of the better groups we done faced all year, besides that Tampa group. If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. Evans, Godwin, [Russell] Gage, that’s a great group. I played against them for real.”
Mayfield replied Wednesday, “I don’t think he’s really watched film because he mentioned Russell Gage. We love Russell but Russell hasn’t played a snap all year for us.”
Gage suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon in his proper knee all the way through a joint coaching camp follow with the New York Jets, with large receivers Trey Palmer, David Moore and Deven Thompkins filling the void. Mayfield, who signed with the Bucs this offseason on a one-year do business in within the wake of Tom Brady’s depart, led the Bucs to a 9-8 document and an NFC South name, with a resounding 32-9 victory over the Eagles within the wild-card spherical Monday night time.
Mayfield, who’s now 2-1 all-time within the postseason, brushed it off and mentioned he was once keen to stand the Lions’ gifted protection whose penchant for trash communicate is important. Every now and then, Gardner-Johnson’s trash communicate has escalated. In 2021 isolated, he was once punched through 3 other receivers. Gardner-Johnson ignored the Lions’ 20-6 victory over the Bucs in Tampa in Past 6 because of a torn pectoral muscle.
“He must be going off of preseason stuff that the media was talking about,” Mayfield mentioned. “I’m excited to see him. I think he’s a really good player. He has been for a while. He’s been an impactful guy on every team he’s been on,” Mayfield mentioned. “So, he’s a good player, but yeah … just gotta do a little bit more film study.”
Mayfield threw for 337 passing yards and 3 touchdowns towards the Eagles — turning into the Bucs’ first quarterback in postseason historical past to throw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Mayfield’s 1,456 passing yards within the ultimate six weeks of the common season had been 7th maximum within the league, as had been his 11 touchdowns in that span. His 4,044 passing yards this season had been ninth-most, and his 28 touchdowns had been seventh-most within the common season.
