Baker Mayfield: Stupid things from the loss will carry me for a while

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said the team can be proud of how they grew and battled together during the 2024 season, but those sentiments took a back seat to less positive ones Sunday night.

The Bucs took a 17-13 lead into the fourth quarter of their home game against the Commanders, but were unable to hold onto the lead. A botched handoff to wide receiver Jalen McMillan resulted in a fumble that led to a Commanders touchdown and the Bucs had to settle for a field goal after a snap helped stop a promising drive later in the fourth quarter.

That field goal tied the game, but the Bucs didn’t see the ball for the final 4:41 of the game as Washington drove for the game-winning field goal. The defense’s inability to get stops took a backseat to the offense’s mistakes when Mayfield repeated what happened in his postgame press conference.

“Just some stupid things today that cost the team,” Mayfield said. “It will carry me for a while.”

The Commanders never turned the ball over and never got a punt during Sunday night’s win. That made the Bucs’ mistakes stand out even more on a night that brought an earlier start to the offseason than anyone in Tampa had hoped for.