When a team hits a rough patch, emotions in the locker room can shift more quickly than you can imagine. That’s what happened with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose happiness vanished as soon as it arrived. They had just ended their three-game skid last week before the New Orleans Saints crushed them again in a 24–20 loss on Sunday. Now, frustration is showing, especially after quarterback Baker Mayfield’s latest comments.

“We should be frustrated about this loss,” he said, via ESPN‘s Jenna Laine. “We should take it out on Thursday night.”

In a post shared by Laine on X, Laine shared this blunt response when asked how he keeps the locker room from boiling over. His reaction was only natural as the Buccaneers have now dropped to 7-6, forcing them to share first place with the Carolina Panthers. On top of this, Sunday’s loss came at the hands of a team that has performed awfully throughout this year’s campaign. 

The Week 14 matchup began with the Saints marching 45 yards in six plays to take a 7-0 lead after a touchdown. The Buccaneers responded instantly with a 24-yard catch and touchdown by running back Bucky Irving. Now at 7-7, they gained a three-point lead after capitalizing on a turnover and turning it into a field goal. 

But just when the defense seemed to settle in, Baker Mayfield threw a costly interception early in the second half. QB Tyler Shough made them pay with a 34-yard touchdown run, flipping the game 14-10. Though the Buccaneers briefly regained the lead, a failed fourth-down attempt allowed Shough to go for another touchdown. It put the Saints ahead 24-17 with just 8:30 left to play.

With time slipping away, the Buccaneers cut the deficit to 24-20 but could never make a comeback in the game. In his comments, Mayfield is urging his team to channel their anger in the next game against the Atlanta Falcons, who have won just once in their last eight games. It seems like an achievable target for the Buccaneers, but they must still exercise caution. Meanwhile, Mayfield’s remarks follow an unfortunate incident that unfolded on Sunday. 

Baker Mayfield addresses Egbuka’s painful moment

Wide receiver Emerka Egbuka has had an impressive rookie season for the Buccaneers. However, there’s one hurdle he still can’t seem to outrun—drops. Heading into Week 14, he already had the most drops in the NFL with eight, and then two more slipped through his fingers against the Saints. The worst part?

The second one was a pass thrown into the end zone, a catch that would’ve sealed their win. Instead, it bounced away, and so did the game from the Buccaneers’ clutches. But in moments like these, Mayfield understands that the right words matter the most, and that’s what he did in this case. 

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“Afterwards, I went up to him and told him, ‘The ball’s gonna find you again and this two-minute drive when we get it back. So, [we’re] gonna need you,’” Mayfield told reporters. “It’s just the nature of the game. Telling people to catch the ball doesn’t doesn’t do anything. They’re not trying to drop it, so just tell him [to] pick his head up. Stuff happens. You just got to move forward [and] gotta play the next play.”

In the remaining stretch of the regular season, the Buccaneers face the Panthers twice. These matchups could actually decide whether they stay alive in the playoff race.