There isn’t much of a rivalry between the Lions and the Buccaneers… yet. Ahead of their playoff game, Baker Mayfield has accused Detroit players of underestimating his team, and things are quickly heating up.
The playoffs of the 2023 NFL season have brought a lot of surprises. One of them was the victory of the Buccaneers against the Eagles, granting them with the opportunity of playing in the Divisional round against the Lions.
This game won’t be easy at all, and Baker Mayfield knows it. However, the quarterback thinks that Detroit players are underestimating the Bucs, sending them a huge warning ahead of their match.
Baker Mayfield issues strong warning to the Lions ahead of their playoff matchup
The Lions and the Buccaneers are set to meet in the Divisional round of the 2024 playoffs. Tampa Bay will have to visit Detroit and try to defeat a team that only lost two games at home this season.
While these two teams aren’t considered huge enemies, Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has intensified their rivalry by trash-talking Baker Mayfield ahead of their game.
“This group probably is one of the better groups we done faced all year, besides that Tampa group,” Gardner-Johnson said, via the Detroit Free Press, about the Buccaneers’ receiving corps. “If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. [Mike] Evans, [Chris] Godwin, [Russell] Gage, that’s a great group. I played against them for real.”
Obviously, those words were directed at Mayfield, as the safety thinks he’s not the best quarterback for the Buccaneers. True to his nature, the former Browns player responded to Gardner-Johnson with a powerful message.
“I don’t think he’s really watched film, because he mentioned Russell Gage,” Mayfield said, via Sports Illustrated. “We love Russell, but Russell didn’t play a snap all year for us. He must be going off preseason stuff that the media was talking about.
“(Gardner-Johnson) didn’t play in our first game, so 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. He’s a good player, but, yeah, he’s got to do a little more film study.”
In the regular season, the Buccaneers lost to the Lions at Tampa Bay with a final 6-20 score. The NFC South team arrives to this match after a blowout win against the Eagles, while Detroit struggled to defeat the Rams at home. Who will win?
Will Baker Mayfield continue with the Buccaneers next season?
Baker Mayfield has faced huge challenges in recent years. The quarterback played for the Panthers and the Rams last season but was unable to secure a contract extension with Los Angeles at the end of the campaign.
The Buccaneers signed him to a one-year deal last offseason, but rumors suggest that they will offer him an extension for the upcoming season. He has done a great job this year, and it seems like winning against the Eagles in the Wild Card round secured him one more campaign in Tampa Bay, at least.
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