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Tampa: Baker Mayfield Is On Pace To Have His Best NFL Season

Author Jeff Gorra

Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in first place atop the NFC South. With their win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Bucs currently hold the tie-breaker. In addition, their quarterback Baker Mayfield is quietly on pace to have his best personal season of his NFL career.

Mayfield threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Falcons. This bumped up his season total to 20 touchdowns (with eight interceptions), and 2,934 yards. In his first year with Bucs organization, Mayfield has been a solid addition to the team. It’s certainly no easy task to replace Tom Brady, on the field or in the locker room. However, Mayfield has had a calm confidence to his game that the team has certainly taken to. There’s a reason he wears the captain’s “C” patch on his uniform in his first year here, and it’s not only because he is the quarterback.

Here’s How Mayfield’s Stats Compare So Far

The former number-one overall back out of Oklahoma is now in his sixth NFL season. The Bucs are the fourth team he has played for. Mayfield’s best seasons prior to this year were his rookie year with Cleveland (27 TDs, 3,725 yards) and in 2020 (26 TDs, 3,563 yards). Currently, Mayfield is on pace to hit 26 touchdowns, and throw for 3,837 yards.

The next two games see the Bucs play other divisions. Next Sunday they will be in Green Bay to take on the Packers. Then, on Christmas Eve they return home to play fellow Floridians, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The season will likely come down to the last two games of the year, where the Bucs battle out the NFC South vs. in-division rivals, the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. The Bucs will need Mayfield to continue his leadership and solid play in order to keep hold of the division and head into the playoffs.

Great Players Bring Out The Best In Their Teammates

Mayfield will also have the help of his Pro Bowl number one receiver Mike Evans. To further emphasize the excellent season Mayfield is having, Evans too, is putting up high numbers. In just 12 games, Evans has ten touchdowns and 1,020 yards. He has the most receiving yards on the team in 8 games this year. Evans’ personal bests include 14 touchdowns in 2021, and 1,524 yards in 2018. Evans already has the longest touchdown of his career this season, a 75-yarder during the first game vs. the Panthers.

Ranking NFL Teams New Alt/Throwback Uniforms

To hype the start of NFL training camp and the upcoming 2023 season, many teams are unveiling a new gameday look. From classic throwbacks uniforms to more vibrant colorways, we’ve compiled a ranking for the best (and worst) of the new NFL alternative or throwback uniforms that you’ll see this season.

To clarify, this ranking is specific only to those teams sporting these threads on special occasions throughout the season. This does not include those uniform sets that have been updated (like the Carolina Panthers) or are a total makeover.

There is a lot to unpack here. Most recently, the Tennessee Titans finally showed us what we knew was coming. They will pay tribute their history with the Houston Oilers look. The same holds true for the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles who will both throw it back to their original colors. Then, there’s the Arizona Cardinals. They are the only franchise on this list that will have a completely new uniform design this season.

What Was The Methodology?

First of all, I considered tradition. In professional sports, so many teams’ original uniforms contain a character that truly embodies the city. Over the past 20 years, many organizations have moved away from that and opted for a louder and more modern look. Now, we are finding so many players and fans alike are attracted to the simpler design that screams history, instead of that extra neon stripe down the side.

Currently, the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have top selling jerseys in the NFL. They are the only two in the top ten sellers that will offer a new option for the 2023 season. Will their new alternate look be a future hot item? Time will tell. But for now, our official ranking lists the best new alternative and throwback uniforms for the upcoming NFL season.

  • #10 Cleveland Browns

    The Browns’ uniform design is so simple to start with that it’s hard to get creative on something new to wear without making it too flashy. With the new white helmets, the Browns will pay tribute their roots. It also nicely compliments the 1946 patch. However, not everyone seems to be in favor. NFL fans have been quick to point out the Browns’ in-state rivals the Cincinnati Bengals, already wear alternate white helmets.

     

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  • #9 Arizona Cardinals

    This is a tricky one because Arizona has worn the black jersey, black pants combo for a few years now. However, their new alternative look showcases the team’s new design, which is much simpler. The black helmet here is sharp. I just don’t understand why only the away red jersey says “Arizona” across the top, and the rest of their jersey options do not.

     

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  • #8 Indianapolis Colts

    In reference to the “Indiana Nights” and an “Indiana Night Sky” the Colts will have an all-blue uniform look that pairs with the black helmet. This look will debut week 7 against the Cleveland Browns.

     

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  • #7 Minnesota Vikings

    There’s not a huge change here. The Vikings alternate look is simply a nod to their classic original look. It contains the gray facemask. “The Classic” will be worn on the first week of the season.

     

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  • #6 Detroit Lions

    The Lions will debut a new blue helmet with an alternate logo on October 30 against the Raiders and during the week 18 matchup with their division rival Vikings. It will be paired with the alternate all-gray jersey and pants combination. This set also pays tribute to the culture and city of Detroit.

     

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  • #5 New York Jets

    The Jets have all sorts of new toys and expectations this year. Aaron Rodgers and company will wear “legacy” whites during their opening game (Monday Night Football) against the Buffalo Bills, and on October 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The alternate parts here are the white facemask, the retro logo, and the jersey design that mirrors the Jets of the ’80s.

  • #4 Philadelphia Eagles

    From Gang Green to Kelly Green. The Eagles haven’t officially posted photos yet, but UniWatch did have a preview. This set also pays tribute to look Reggie White and Randall Cunningham made famous. This design should be the team’s permanent look.

  • #3 Tennessee Titans

    What we all knew was coming. What NFL fans have wanted for years, finally was confirmed this weekend. The Titans will sport the classic throwback look that respects where they came from. That would be Houston. The Oilers logo with Columbia blue will be worn twice this season. Though these uniforms are a total hit, there’s a slight deduction in ranking due to the Titans taking so long to finally showcase these. How do Houston Texan’s fans feel about this?

     

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  • #2 Seattle Seahawks

    Seattle is also paying tribute to their roots. While this is a complete departure from their current uniform, the throwback mirrors the classic Seahawk look from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. It may (or may not) be coincidental, but this look will also be worn against the Cleveland Browns on week 8.

  • #1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    This is just the most unique color in the entire NFL catalog. The Creamsicle makes it triumphant return. Taking the field on October 15 vs. the Lions, this throwback “Bucco Bruce” look was the team’s standard uniform from 1976-1996. “Our fans have waited a decade to see our players back in these classic Creamsicle jerseys, and we are excited to celebrate our rich legacy when we debut these one-of-a-kind uniforms,” the Bucs said in their official announcement.

     

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Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.

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