Sunday’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers features a few intriguing matchups. One of those is the quarterback battle between Detroit’s Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield of the Bucs.
The two QBs certainly have some common ground. Both were No. 1 overall picks in their draft classes (Goff in 2016, Mayfield in 2018). Both experienced high-level success when playing with a solid supporting cast and a promising young coach early in their careers. Both then had ugly fallouts and declined performances when those same coaches lost faith in them. The Rams gave up on Goff after 2020 and the Browns excommunicated Mayfield a year later.
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Goff, of course, has thrived in his new environment in Detroit. It took a little time, but he’s playing the best football of his NFL career over the last 15 games with the Lions.
Mayfield had an up-and-down 2022 split between the Panthers and Rams, but he’s found a happy new home in Tampa Bay. Now fully healthy again, Mayfield is completing almost 70 percent of his passes and has tossed seven TDs against just two INTs through the Buccaneers’ first four games.
In his weekly press conference, Mayfield noted the similarities between himself and Goff. He also came across as a big Jared Goff fan.
“Coming from somebody that needed a fresh start as well, Jared’s a stud,” Mayfield said. “I think he’s playing really well. You can tell his leadership —. all the things why he got chosen so high. He’s truly showing that now. Not every fit is perfect, and for him, I think, you see his confidence grow.”
Mayfield continued,
“He’s got all the tools you want. Tall guy, got a good arm. Really, really smart.”
The Bucs QB also highlighted one thing he really admires about Goff’s game,
“The sneaky thing about his game is his play-action and all his fakes and stuff. He’s really, really good at that.”
The duo met back in 2019, with Goff’s Rams defeating Mayfield’s Browns, 20-13. The rematch is in Tampa Bay on Sunday.