Baker Mayfield is flirting with becoming a full-fledged MVP candidate as he leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Sunday’s contest against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.
Meanwhile, San Francisco is just trying to keep its quarterbacks healthy.
Brock Purdy (toe) is expected to sit out for the fourth time in five games and Mac Jones (knee, oblique) will again fight through injuries during a Week 6 showdown of 4-1 NFC teams.
Mayfield is coming off a dynamic performance in which he passed for a season-best 379 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-35 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
Mayfield hears the praise but hasn’t forgotten being discarded earlier in his career. The impressive comeback story is nice, but he’s not getting caught in the chatter.
“At the core, definitely the same, but matured in different ways,” Mayfield said Wednesday. “I’m not worried about little things that don’t matter. Now if you put it in the landscape of a competitive football game — in that atmosphere — that’ll never change.”
Mayfield ranks fourth in the league with 1,283 passing yards and is tied for third with 10 touchdown passes. He has been intercepted just once in 172 attempts.
The Buccaneers’ four victories have come by a combined nine points.
Meanwhile, San Francisco is 3-0 on the road after posting a 26-23 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 2. The game ended with the 49ers stuffing a fourth-down run.
“It was a huge character win,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. ” … I’ve really enjoyed these guys since OTAs.”
Jones passed for a season-high 342 yards to go with two touchdowns. He was battered throughout the contest, aggravating a knee injury and hurting an oblique.
“I’m really impressed,” Shanahan said of Jones. “He’s played his ass off. He got banged up in the second half and fought through it … I can’t say enough good things about Mac.”
Kendrick Bourne had a career-high 142 yards while matching his career best of 10 catches against the Rams. The performance came with the 49ers missing key receivers.
Jones and Bourne have a deep familiarity after playing together for three seasons with the New England Patriots.
Tampa Bay remains without longtime standout receiver Mike Evans (hamstring), but rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka has been an immediate force.
Egbuka has 25 receptions for 445 yards and five touchdowns. He’s tied for second in the NFL in scoring receptions and ranks fourth in yardage.
Asked Wednesday why he has clicked so well with Egbuka, Mayfield put it in the simplest terms.
“He’s just pretty damn good,” Mayfield said. “That’s just about it.”
Mayfield connected with Egbuka on all seven targets against Seattle. Egbuka finished with 163 yards and a touchdown.
“I don’t enter any seasons of my life with too many expectations when it comes to statistics or anything really,” said Egbuka, the former Ohio State star who was selected with the 19th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Evans was one of five Tampa Bay players to miss Wednesday’s walkthrough. He will sit out for the third straight game.
Also missing the walkthrough were receiver Chris Godwin (fibula), running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) and cornerbacks Zyon McCollum (thumb) and Benjamin Morrison (hamstring).
Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said McCollum underwent a thumb procedure and his status would be determined late in the week.
Purdy was one of seven 49ers slated to miss Wednesday’s practice due to injuries. Also sitting out due to injury were receivers Jauan Jennings (ankle/rib), Ricky Pearsall (knee), Jordan Watkins (calf), defensive ends Robert Beal Jr. (ankle), Yetur Gross-Matos (knee/hamstring) and defensive tackle Alfred Collins (knee). Jones was limited.
San Francisco has won the past four meetings, including a 23-20 road victory last November.
–Field Level Media
