The Nature Boy gave the Bucs a pregame pep talk before the divisional playoff game, taking notice of Mayfield’s encouragement. It’s obvious that he wants the Bucs to defeat the Lions and get to the NFC Championship Game.
Mayfield has had a fantastic season with the Bucs, and he performed admirably against the Eagles. He threw three touchdown passes, finished 22 of 36 passes for 337 yards, and did not intercept any passes.It appears quite likely that Mayfield will need to have a similar effort if the Bucs are to defeat the Lions. Rachaad White doesn’t give the Bucs a strong running game, thus Tampa Bay will have to rely on its passing game to win. White had eighteen carries for seventy-two yards versus Philadelphia.The Bucs have a number of receiving options at his disposal, but Mike Evans is Mayfield’s most dynamic option. During the regular season, he caught 79 receptions for 1,255 yards and an impressive 13 touchdowns. Chris Godwin, a quick receiver who has caught 83-1,024-2 this season and a touchdown pass against the Eagles, teams with Evans.
Concerning the Writer
For over 35 years, Steve Silverman has covered the NFL for various publications, including ESPN Magazine, Playboy, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. Among his eleven published works is “Who’s Better, Who’s Best in the NFL.”
