TAMPA — On the downs that imply essentially the most, the Bucs have been at their greatest. Because the starting of final season, there has not been a extra environment friendly offense than Tampa Bay relating to changing on third down.
Requested the key to success in these crucial moments, offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard talked about figuring out the coverages a protection normally prefers on third down. He talked about changes. Talked about having a really feel for the sport. Talked about giving the quarterback the power to modify performs on the line of scrimmage relying on the protection’s look.
Middle Graham Barton was extra succinct when requested the identical query.
“Baker Mayfield,” he mentioned.
So maybe we are able to agree the reply is someplace within the center?
You don’t lead the NFL in third-down conversions with out having a sensible, environment friendly, versatile plan. You additionally don’t do it with out a quarterback able to pondering — and shifting — rapidly.
The Bucs — who play Monday at 7 p.m. at Houston — had been the one workforce within the NFL to prime 50% on third-down conversions final season. For the file, it was the primary time in franchise historical past the Bucs pulled it off. Which means Tom Brady didn’t do it in his three seasons right here. Heck, if you wish to get a way of how spectacular it’s, the Patriots didn’t prime 50% in any of Brady’s 20 seasons there.
After all, Mayfield didn’t do that all by himself. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin performed a task. So did Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. Additionally, Jalen McMillan and Cade Otton. To not point out the offensive line.
And it was Grizzard, the workforce’s move sport coordinator in 2024, who was in command of third-down conditions.
However the actuality is, third down is the quarterback’s showcase. Of greater than 200 third-down performs in 2024, the Bucs handed — or tried to move — a bit greater than 80% of the time.
And what had been Mayfield’s numbers like in these conditions?
Amongst quarterbacks with no less than 100 passes, he was second in completion share, second in yards, third in touchdowns and fifth in passer ranking. Joe Burrow was the one different QB within the prime 5 in all these classes.
As you would possibly count on, Mayfield deflected a bit when requested about third-down success. Like Grizzard, he talked concerning the necessity of understanding what the opposing defensive coordinator leans on in these circumstances. He additionally credited Tampa Bay’s versatility with play-calling.
“This offense calls for [everyone] to have a excessive soccer IQ,” Mayfield mentioned. “So [it’s] having the ability to go to the road of scrimmage with two performs and probably a kill to get to a 3rd. So, our guys are good. They’re capable of deal with that, and that enables us to achieve success in third down.”
It’s additionally price mentioning that Mayfield is prepared to push the envelope. Typically a bit an excessive amount of. He had the next interception fee on third down than in some other state of affairs. He was additionally prepared to make use of his toes and scramble extra on third down.
Mayfield averaged 8.3 yards per carry and transformed 52.1% of the time when working on third down. To place that in perspective, he didn’t scramble for as many first downs as Jayden Daniels (21) or Josh Allen (21), however he did have as many as Patrick Mahomes (12) and Kyler Murray (12).
“Video games are usually selected essential third downs, so we put an enormous emphasis on that throughout the week,” mentioned Barton. “And it helps that we’ve received the receivers, we’ve received Bucky and Rachaad who’ve grow to be nice pass-protecting backs, we’ve received guys up entrance who talk properly.
“And, in fact, we’ve received a stud at quarterback.”
It’s not as if the Bucs are reinventing the wheel relating to third down. Most groups have comparable methods relating to selecting out a number of performs and permitting the quarterback to regulate if he acknowledges the defensive protection earlier than the snap.
If something, the Bucs simply appear a bit higher ready. They usually commit one morning each week to go over third-down prospects in a gathering. They’re not afraid to unfold the ball round, and so they believe in Mayfield to learn the coverages rapidly.
“It comes all the way down to the plan, and for the previous two years Grizz has been an enormous a part of that,” tight finish Otton mentioned. “A whole lot of issues change on protection on third down, and we get loads of completely different appears to be like. Relying on what’s referred to as, we’ve received completely different solutions inside the play, and Baker has instruments at his disposal to sign to us when he acknowledges completely different reads and completely different coverages.
“Baker additionally has the power to increase performs and typically simply goes off schedule and runs for it himself.”