Members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have continued to embrace silencing critics despite a playoff run that few predicted at the start of December.
“It’s a revenge tour,” Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White said after his team’s remarkable 32-9 wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. “Everyone in here believes in one another, and that’s all that matters.” People are going to discuss on TV and make forecasts. But, at the end of the day, the ball has to be placed before we can go out and play. “What people say does not influence the outcome.”
Tampa Bay players and coaches chanted identical chants before and during the season, since many anticipated the team to lose when quarterback Tom Brady retired. Such forecasts appeared to be correct when the Buccaneers lost six of seven games, dropping to 4-7, but starting quarterback Baker Mayfield helped Tampa Bay win five of six games to capture the NFC South division title.
Laine reported that the Buccaneers were 3.5-point home underdogs against the Eagles on Monday.
“There’s something about being an underdog or [on] a road game, just having your backs against the wall and knowing it’s just your team versus everybody else when you’re counted out,” Mayfield said after passing for 337 yards and three touchdowns against Philadelphia. “It’s always a pleasure to play that part.” Obviously, I’m at ease in it, but our team has fully embraced it throughout the year.”
As of late Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Buccaneers as six-point underdogs in this Sunday’s divisional playoff matchup against the Detroit Lions. It sounds like many in the Tampa Bay locker room, such as tight end Cade Otton, would not have it any other way.
“We don’t really think or care about what the outside says,” Otton stated confidently. “We know the quality of players we have in the locker room, the quality of people, the coaches, the whole entire organization.”
Much will be said and written about Mayfield and head coach Todd Bowles’ futures with the Bucs after this Sunday’s game at Ford Field. While things change quickly in the NFL, logic dictates that both individuals have done enough to return to Tampa Bay for at least another season.
