Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Detroit Lions by a final score of 24-9 on Monday night, but Mayfield seems to think the officiating played a role in the loss.
After the game, the Buccaneers quarterback spoke candidly about the loss as he brought up a few calls that he believes could have been called against the Lions’ defense downfield.
“Some plays could have had illegal contact downfield and some holding calls, but it’s no excuse for the ones that were there and I should have hit them all, so it’s a little give and take,” Mayfield said after the game.
There was one call in particular that left Mayfield quite frustrated.
“Third-down defensive holding call that wasn’t called, also still pretty damn confused about the double review,” Mayfield said following the loss.
Mayfield acknowledged that some of his frustration that was directed toward head official John Hussey after the game might have been a little unfair, but he also made it clear that he was not happy about that doesn’t mean he was happy with the way the game was officiated.
“A lot of things in that game were a little questionable. Lot of frustration at the end of that, might be displaced onto John Hussey in the moment,” Mayfield said. “But, I work my ass off and put a lot into this game, so when things that I don’t deem fair, I’m going to let somebody know. That’s good, bad, indifferent.”
Mayfield and the Buccaneers will have a chance to bounce back on Sunday with a showdown with the New Orleans Saints.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.