How Can Buccaneers Get an Edge vs. Eagles? Baker Mayfield Factors to Climate

Regardless that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of many NFL’s six remaining undefeated groups, they will want each potential edge they’ll get to take down the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 – which incorporates the climate.

Baker Mayfield even mentioned that taking part in Sunday’s recreation in Tampa Bay ought to give the Buccaneers an edge.  

“Benefit for us, we’re in Tampa. The warmth, they don’t seem to be used to that,” Mayfield instructed Mark Sanchez on FOX Sports activities’ “Rearview” podcast. “I do know there’s already been the tales that broke about them coming all the way down to Tampa a day early. I do not essentially suppose that helps them. At some point would not get you acclimated to this humidity. So, I believe, truthfully, it makes them give it some thought extra after they get down right here earlier.”

Sunday is about to be a reasonably humid day within the Tampa space, with a excessive of 91 levels and 65% humidity forecasted for that day, per FOX Climate.  That is definitely a bit hotter than the climate in Philadelphia this time of yr. 

The climate may need additionally come into play within the Eagles’ final three conferences in opposition to the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Philadelphia has misplaced three of its final 4 conferences at Raymond James Stadium, together with a blowout within the Wild Card Spherical of the 2023 NFL Playoffs and a decisive defeat in September of final season. 

The Eagles’ 33-16 loss to the Buccaneers in Week 4 final season was truly the final time they misplaced a recreation that Jalen Hurts began and completed. The defending Tremendous Bowl champs have now gained an entire common season’s price of consecutive video games (17) that Hurts has performed everything of. 

As some have questioned Hurts’ passing capability throughout the Eagles’ 3-0 begin, stats like which can be why Mayfield has the last word respect for the quarterback he’ll be going up in opposition to on Sunday. 

“The best way Jalen carries himself — clearly, talks about his mentality how he seems to be as much as a few of the nice opponents, Jordan, Kobe, a few of these guys simply mentally prepared,” Mayfield mentioned. “He’s simply all the time attempting to outwork you, and I believe he’s all the time been like that. I respect the hell out of that.

“He’s a deep thinker that all the time tries to encourage his guys by main by instance,” Mayfield added. “You possibly can respect that.”

Baker Mayfield and Jalen Hurts share an Oklahoma connection, with Mayfield successful the 2 matchups between the 2 since he joined the Buccaneers. (Picture by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photos)

Hurts hasn’t been essentially the most prolific passer this yr, together with his 479 passing yards rating twenty eighth within the league getting into Week 4. However the outcomes he is helped produce for the Eagles in his four-plus seasons as their beginning quarterback are plain. The Eagles have made it to the Tremendous Bowl twice with Hurts underneath middle, together with a Tremendous Bowl victory final yr as he took residence MVP honors from that recreation.

Hurts has additionally accounted for seven of the Eagles’ 10 touchdowns to date, so he is definitely doing his half in serving to the Eagles get on the scoreboard. However past Hurts, arguably the motor behind Philadelphia’s success the final couple of seasons has been its protection. It had one of the best complete protection and second-best scoring protection final season.

The Eagles’ protection has been a middle-of-the-pack unit to date this season, although. They rank 18th in complete protection and fifteenth in scoring protection. However that statistical drop off will not deter Mayfield from respecting the Eagles’ protection forward of Sunday’s recreation. 

“It’ll be a troublesome matchup. We all know that,” Mayfield mentioned. “Simply from a expertise standpoint, their protection — clearly, it begins up entrance. They have some monsters. Acquired to maintain these guys in the beginning.

“So, we’ll have recreation plan, clearly, to attempt to tire these guys out.”

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