Bucs’ Mayfield has extra motivation Sunday
Baker Mayfield will be playing for an NFC South title on Sunday — and a shot at personal redemption against the team that released him last season.
Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8) can secure the NFC South division title and the fourth seed in the playoffs with a win at Carolina. However, a loss would eliminate the Buccaneers from playoff contention and open the door for the Atlanta-New Orleans winner on Sunday to capture the division.
The Panthers acquired Mayfield in a trade before the 2022 season, but he struggled from the onset and went 1-5 as a starter before being benched and later released.
The often outspoken Mayfield has never been critical of the decision, but beating the Panthers on their home field to win a division title surely couldn’t help but be satisfying for a player who has gone from 2018 No. 1 draft pick to journeyman quarterback after having played for four teams in the last three seasons.
“My mentality playing against the Panthers — the guys in the locker room are great. For other reasons, I’ll be extremely motivated to play,” Mayfield said. “Obviously, the division is on the line. There’s many things. Everyone
in our locker room should be motivated, not just me personally.” CHILD WITH LIGHTER RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE >> A fire at the $6.9 million home owned by Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill was started by a child playing with a cigarette lighter in a bedroom, a fire official said Thursday.
“It was an accidental fire,” Davie Fire Marshal Robert Taylor told The Associated Press.
Taylor did not provide the age of the child, or the amount of damage caused by the fire. He said the investigation is now closed.
Hill, the NFL’s leading receiver, has not yet commented on the matter and was not at Dolphins practice Thursday.
COACH, QB DECISIONS LOOM FOR RAIDERS >> The Raiders not only will have a major decision to make soon on interim coach Antonio Pierce, but Las Vegas management also will have a call to make on quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
Drafted in the fourth round from Purdue last year, O’Connell became the starter at midseason when Pierce was promoted after coach Josh McDaniels was fired.
O’Connell has produced some promising moments, but the past four weeks underscore the ups and downs of his rookie season. Shut out by the Vikings. Four touchdown passes and a team-record 63 points against the Chargers. No completions after the first quarter against the Chiefs. And 299 yards and two TDs against the Colts.
Two wins and two losses.
All of it a learning process. O’Connell had seven interceptions in his first seven starts. He has none in his past three.
“The ability to get practice reps throughout the week is huge, something I didn’t know how valuable it was before I was playing,” O’Connell said. “Just to get out there when the real bullets are flying is huge. I try to learn as much as possible. It’s been crazy. I’ve definitely learned more football than a lot of years in the past, but it’s been a fun process.” RAVENS ADD DALVIN COOK >> Dalvin Cook is joining the Baltimore Ravens for a playoff run after being waived by the New York Jets. The move by the Ravens came after Cook cleared waivers and became a free agent.
Baltimore is the top seed in the AFC and has the first-round bye, along with home-field advantage through the playoffs. The four-time Pro Bowl running back will be able to get familiar with the Ravens’ offense before the team opens its postseason during the AFC divisional round in 2 1/2 weeks.