TAMPA, Fla. – The Bucs roll into Detroit on Sunday and are still smarting from last season’s two losses to the Lions. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield still hasn’t quite gotten the taste of those losses out of his mouth, but he knows this will give them a better idea of where they are among the better teams.
“Yeah, this is definitely one of those,” Mayfield said. “I mean every week you have to bring your best stuff. This is one of those. On the road with a team that was in the NFC Championship, where we aspire to be.”
Both teams are 1-0, with the Bucs handling the Commanders rather easily, 37-20. The Lions had to go to overtime to beat the Rams 26-20.
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How much is Baker taking from last season’s games against Detroit?
“Schematically, yeah, they have the same offensive coordinator,” Mayfield said. They’ve upgraded in spots they thought they needed to be. For us we’re excited about the matchups, but it comes down to us handling it.”
Mayfield had one of his better games throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
He was able to elude the rush with his moxy in the pocket, but maybe without right tackle Luke Goedeke, who, as of Thursday, was in concussion protocol. Both teams have a number of players on the injury report. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles asked what he was taking from last season’s losses, especially the playoff loss to the Lions.
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“Absolutely nothing,” Bowles said. “That was last year in the playoffs and it knocked us out. We’re 1-0 and we’re trying to win a ballgame to go 2-0.
Kickoff is set for 1 pm Sunday in Detroit.
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