Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today “I just think that’s who he is,” head coach Todd Bowles said this week. “That’s the kind of guy he is. He doesn’t have to put on a façade to go out there and be a leader. He does the things he normally does. He leads by example – sometimes he leads by vocality and he talks it. He leads by actions, as well. The type of guy he is is energized every day, motivated every day, focused every day and everybody sees that. He makes it easy to play for and easy to follow.” It is clear to see why guys enjoy fighting alongside Mayfield. He carries a chip on his shoulder and has a personality that gets guys fired up. He plays through pain and is not afraid to lower his shoulder and fight for yards. As left tackle Tristan Wirfs has said multiple times, “Baker’s a dawg.” It has not been perfect, and at times, Baker Mayfield’s future with the team was questioned. But he never wavered, and now he looks primed to carry Tampa Bay into the playoffs. After a rocky stretch where both he and the team struggled, things could not be going any better. The Bucs have averaged 31 points a game over the past three games and are coming off a dominant win over the Jaguars on Christmas Eve. With Baker baking and the defense getting back into a groove, there is a lot to like about the Bucs’ trajectory going forward. Baker Mayfield: “I Feel Really Good About Where I’m At” The Bucs have surprised on a national scale and have put the NFC on notice with their December surge. Once 4-7, the team refused to pack it in when many expected them to, and while the temperatures are dropping in December, it is only starting to heat up in Tampa Bay. Plenty of guys on both sides of the ball have stepped up to the plate. Rachaad White, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, YaYa Diaby, and Antoine Winfield Jr. are just a handful of players who come to mind. Each has played a big part, but it has been Baker Mayfield quite literally leading the cavalry. 
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today “I feel good,” Mayfield said when asked if he has been playing the best football of his career. “Yeah, I feel really good about where I’m at, seeing the field. Obviously, playing quarterback, each rep you can take things away from it. [You’re] continuing to learn and improve on it. So yeah, I think just being in the system for a bit now and getting comfortable with it, that’s what happens. Once you get comfortable in the system, you can truly grow and see the improvements and I think that’s where we’re at right now.” Pairing how the offense has gotten comfortable in offensive coordinator Dave Canales’ system with how Mayfield has been leading, it is not hard to see the two correlate with the team’s wins. “I think a lot of that has to do with success,” Mayfield added. “The leadership aspect – I didn’t try and come in and be anybody else besides myself. That comes with time. I can always feel that. That’s always been something that’s been natural for me, but yeah, it has definitely happened more so in the last few weeks. Everybody has come together and that’s what we’ve had to do as a team to be able to put these four games in a row. We’ve had a lot of leaders step up, a lot of guys step up and that’s what you really look for.” Dave Canales On Baker Mayfield: “He’s Got That Chameleon Effect” Chameleons are known for blending into their surroundings. They can change their hues to adjust to different habitats and their shades to communicate with other chameleons. In a way, this perfectly describes the character of Baker Mayfield. Since joining the Bucs, he has blended in seamlessly with his surroundings and with the players around him. No matter if it is connecting with star wideout Mike Evans on post routes, bonding and warming up with his offensive linemen at practice or going through stretches with guys on the defensive line, Mayfield has shown the adaptability to fit in – while also being comfortable in his own skin. 
Bucs OC Dave Canales and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR “He cares,” offensive coordinator Dave Canales said. “He cares about his guys. He cares about all of us. He came here and from the jump, he wanted to meet with certain guys and really start to develop the relationship. The chemistry he has with the offensive line – he belongs in that room with those dudes. “At the same time, he comes into our QB room and we have a level of conversation in there where we’ve got to kind of talk about everything. He’s got that chameleon effect, where he’s able to make his way into any group and be really comfortable in his own skin is a big part of it. And then, [he is] a guy that bets on himself. At the end of the day, he’s like, ‘Game on the line? I want the ball in my hands. Let’s go.’ That’s his mentality throughout the game.” Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke shares a unique friendship with his quarterback, and to him, he sees Baker Mayfield as more of an offensive lineman because of the energy he brings. That’s coming from a guy who enjoys going a little Captain Insano in the trenches. “Yeah absolutely, I feel like he kind of has that poise about him, and just kind of that juice,” Goedeke said. “He kind of has that confidence and aura that he carries, and I love that about him. It’s great to block for him and play for him.” The post Baker Mayfield Leads Bucs With “Chameleon” Effect appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/baker-mayf ... chameleon/
