Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield expected start no surprise for Cardinals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield is expected to start this week against the Cardinals. Arizona isn't surprised one bit given the signal caller's makeup.
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TEMPE — The biggest question mark heading into the Arizona Cardinals’ Week 13 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers revolved around the status of quarterback Baker Mayfield.
And although it may have been answered on Friday — Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Mayfield is trending toward starting — Cardinals defenders weren’t taking the bait on the signal caller missing time based on his makeup.
“He’s as tough as they come.”
Cardinals DL Calais Campbell would be very surprised if Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield didn’t play this week. pic.twitter.com/9nGhHeC3tT
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 27, 2025
“In my experience with Baker, he’s as tough as they come. If you have to ask like one thing to describe Baker, his toughness is probably the first thing I think of. I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t play.
“Just given the circumstances and where they are trying to fight for their division and trying to earn a playoff spot mentality. I expect Baker to play. I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t. … I know he’s tough as it goes. If he can’t play, it’s because he can’t play.”
Through 11 games this year, Mayfield has the Buccaneers fighting for the top spot in the NFC South at 6-5. It’s a stark contrast to the Cardinals’ current standing at the bottom of the NFC West at 3-8.
The veteran signal caller, who is officially questionable for Sunday, has been a key piece in Tampa Bay’s success since coming to town in 2023 hungry for an opportunity following a four-start stint with the Los Angeles Rams the year prior.
Since then, he’s led the Buccaneers to two postseason berths behind a 25-20 mark, completing 66.6% of his throws for 10,950 yards and 87 touchdowns to 31 interceptions. He’s started every game for Tampa Bay since 2023. There’s a reason why the line moved upon the Mayfield news, with Arizona moving from 2.5- to 4.5-point underdogs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
You know the most recent trend of quarterback reclamation projects? It really kicked off with Mayfield, who went from lining up as a scout team defensive end in Carolina to a franchise role in Tampa Bay in the span of a couple seasons.
And sitting out just isn’t something he does.
“He’s a very strong guy, competitive guy. If he can throw, I feel like he’s going to be out there playing,” safety Budda Baker said Thursday.
“For us, it’s just a matter of understanding the concepts, understanding what they like to do and then kind of just going from there. If Teddy Bridgewater plays, we’ll go from there but we’re thinking that Baker’s playing.”
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Comments
4 Comments
Yet another QB the Cards could have easily signed.
Kyler Kyler Kyler.. hasn't played in 5 games. The 5 games he did play in, won2, and left is team the lead only for the defense to give it up. Now, do we need another rebuild? We never got this one done.... Cardinals=perpetual rebuilding.. Bidwill=perpetual losing - It's the family tradition.
Dude what game are you taking about that Kyler “left his team the lead only for the defense to give it up”???
Week 1: Took lead in 3rd Quarter, held lead to win the game.
Week 2: Defense gave him the lead to start, and then had to be the ones to protect it, because Kyler couldn’t run up the score.
Week 3: Calais Campbell forces a Safety to give Kyler the lead and the ball with 3:10 left in the game. Kyler just needed to run out the clock if not score. But, Kyler couldn’t move the chains.
Week 4: Kyler couldn’t get into the End Zone, until garbage time, trailing the game 20-6 into half way through the 4th quarter. Seahawks were in control the whole game. The Defense gets a stop, Kyler takes advantage of the Seahawks soft zone and scores a TD to Tie the game. Seahawks get serious and win the game.
Week 5: Yes Complete Implosion on both sides of the football. They had a huge lead, but Offense couldn’t score in second half: Fumble, Punt, Fumble, Punt, Punt to then the game. Defense just handing out TDs.
So what games are you taking about???
Brissett, however, did have the lead in several games only to lose the game in the end. However, I don’t blame the defense for the losses, but rather the coaching for ill-advised 4th down conversion attempts and play calling that cost them the game.
Week 6: lead 24-17 into the 4th quarter
Week 7: lead 17-13 into the 4th quarter
Week 9: Lead game the entire game.
Week 10: Got Desteoyed, both sides of the football.
Week 11: Got destroyed, both sides of the football.
Week 10: Lead 14-10 going to halftime. Regained the lead in the 4th 21-17. Lost the lead, tied to go to overtime (because of bad coaching). Lost in OT, because of bad coaching.