TAMPA, Fla. – The 49ers are heavy favorites to beat the Bucs on Sunday because of an outstanding offense and defense. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield makes no bones about the challenge the Bucs face going up against a strong San Francisco 49ers defensive line.
“They’re really good, so we have to expect that they’re going to give us some fits and some challenges on different things,” Mayfield said.
The 49ers are coming off a 34-3 demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tampa Bay is also coming off a win, 20-6, over the TennesseeTitans, but San Fran is looking to reestablish themselves as a contender in the NFC to go to the
Super Bowl. The Bucs are still trying to get back to .500.
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“Our mentality right now, I’d say, is to control our own destiny,” Mayfield said. Yeah we would love to be in a different situation record-wise, but those can all be valuable lessons for the long run right here.”
Four days after this game, the 49ers will have a short week and go to Seattle, then it’s a cross-country trip to face an 8-1 Eagles team and come back home to take on Seattle again. Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales, having been with the Seahawks, is very familiar with the strength of the 49ers and feels this will be a huge test for the Bucs.
“Yeah, big challenge,” Canales said. “Championship moment, right? We need these games to go against the Eagles, to play the Lions, to play the 49ers this week to really see where we are at when we play such a talented group.”
For now, Mayfield seems happy, not that the Bucs are one game below .500, but he says he’s in a good place with the Bucs, and based on the logjam at the top in a weak NFC South, Mayfield feels a successful season is still possible.
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” We’re all just trying to get better each day as an offense and try to continue to improve,” Mayfield said. “Now we get a better opponent to go up against and see what we’re made of.”
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, making his NFL debut last year against the Bucs, had a really good game. When you compare the statistics of both QBs they’re surprisingly close. Purdy has 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. Mayfield has 14 touchdowns and five picks.
Kickoff in Santa Clara is 4:05 pm EST on Sunday.
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