05 October 2023 , 03:12
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The New Orleans Saints attempted to engage in trash talk against the Tom Brady-less Tampa Bay Buccaneers but instead suffered a 26-9 loss to the team now led by Baker Mayfield.
During the summer, Buccanneers cornerback Carlton Davis gave fans a glimpse of the team's mindset when he expressed frustration with people doubting their abilities after Brady's retirement in 2023, confidently stating, "We're going to wreck s***."
On the sidelines during the Saints game, wide receiver Chris Godwin, who was mic'd up, conversed with Buccaneers linebacker Devin White. As the game progressed, it became apparent that Godwin had grown tired of the boisterous Saints and their trash talk.
"They love to talk all that big [bleeped oiut]," Godwin said. "They said, 'Tom not here or whatever.' You feel me? This damn division still goes through us, bro."
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Mayfield has completed 87 passes for nearly 900 yards over four weeks. He has thrown seven touchdowns and just two interceptions so far this season. Despite facing 48 pressures, Mayfield has been sacked only four times, boasting one of the best pressure-to-sack conversion rates in the NFL this season.
The 28-year-old QB went 25-for-32 with 246 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception against the Saints. During the game, Mayfield was shown to be in a confident mood as he was inadvertently recorded on a hot microphone making a vulgar comment to Godwin. "My d*** got hard as soon as I saw him running in the motion back," Mayfield said.
Mayfield frequently targeted Godwin during the game, throwing his way 11 times, completing eight of them for 114 yards. Deven Thompkins, Cade Otton, and Trey Palmer also caught touchdown passes against the Saints.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht expressed his confidence in Mayfield's potential success in the absence of Brady. During an appearance on Peter Schrager's "The Season" podcast, Licht spoke highly of Mayfield, commending his abilities and intelligence and emphasizing the former No. 1 overall pick's promising future.
Mayfield leads the league in pressure-to-sack conversion rates"I don't know where this started that he wasn't a good guy.," said Licht in response to Mayfield's reputation. "I think you can point to a few things that maybe people got the wrong impression of him, but he's a frickin' awesome dude," Licht said.
"He is a dude, and the players saw it right away, whether he's taking the linemen to the Bahamas on our break during camp to go golf. He's spotted around town at dive bars with a position group of receivers, with Mike Evans, with Godwin, with these guys. It's not fake. He really knows how to be a dude with the team, and they love it."
In their history, the Saints have faced off against the Buccaneers 64 times between the regular season and playoffs. New Orleans leads the all-time series 39-25. One of the Buccaneers wins was in the postseason with a victory on January 24, 2021, when they defeated the Saints 30-20 in the divisional round.