In a dominant display, Baker Mayfield showcased his quarterback prowess, passing for 337 yards and three touchdowns as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cruised to a commanding 32-9 victory over the sinking Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild-card game on Monday night.
Mayfield’s precision was evident as he completed 22 of 36 passes, connecting with David Moore, Trey Palmer, and Chris Godwin for touchdown receptions. Cade Otton also played a significant role, catching eight passes for 89 yards. The fourth-seeded Buccaneers’ stellar performance sets the stage for a showdown with the third-seeded Detroit Lions in the upcoming divisional round on Sunday.
Reflecting on the win, Mayfield expressed satisfaction with his team’s effort, stating, “We worked extremely hard to get a chance to be in the playoffs. We just wanted an opportunity and our guys came out and played really, really well. … We’re happy but we still got more to go.”
On the other side, the fifth-seeded Philadelphia Eagles faced their sixth loss in seven games after a promising 10-1 start to the season. Coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, “We were in a big slide, and any time that’s the case, I always look at myself first, and I didn’t do a good enough job.”
Despite playing with a dislocated middle finger on his throwing hand, Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts demonstrated resilience, completing 25 of 35 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown. However, the absence of key receivers A.J. Brown and the early loss of Julio Jones to a concussion proved challenging for Philadelphia.
Tampa Bay’s seven-point lead in the third quarter was expanded with a rapid nine-point surge in less than a minute. The Buccaneers capitalized on a safety following a sack on Hurts in the end zone, leading to a subsequent touchdown from Mayfield to Palmer. A decisive 83-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 23-yard scoring pass to Godwin, secured Tampa Bay’s victory with 5:42 remaining in the contest.
The Buccaneers had asserted control early, scoring the first 13 points of the game and establishing a 16-9 halftime lead. Chase McLaughlin’s field goals and a well-executed touchdown play from Mayfield to Moore set the tone for Tampa Bay’s dominance.
As the Buccaneers advance to the divisional round, the Eagles will reflect on their challenging season and look ahead to addressing areas for improvement in the upcoming offseason.
