Baker Mayfield Ruled Out Against Rams

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a setback during their Sunday night contest against the Los Angeles Rams as they lost star quarterback Baker Mayfield to a left shoulder injury. Mayfield exited the game at the end of the first half after going down in pain following a Hail Mary attempt. He was visibly struggling as he made his way to the locker room, raising concerns about the severity of the injury.

Mayfield's departure paved the way for Teddy Bridgewater to step in as the Buccaneers' signal-caller. This season, Mayfield had emerged as a vital part of the Bucs' offense, lighting up the field with impressive stats—2,365 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and just three interceptions, alongside 197 rushing yards and a touchdown.

However, his performance took a dip before injury knocked him out of the game against the Rams, where he completed only 9 of 19 passes for 41 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The Buccaneers, despite losing three of their last four games, still find themselves in a favorable playoff position, thanks in part to Mayfield's strong start to the season.

Adding to the team's woes, they are also without star wide receiver Mike Evans, who is on the injured list with a broken collarbone, and running back Bucky Irving, who has been sidelined since September. Fortunately, they were able to welcome back Chris Godwin, who returned after more than a month out.

If Mayfield finds himself facing an extended time on the sidelines due to this latest injury, the Buccaneers will be relying heavily on Bridgewater to keep their playoff hopes alive. Bridgewater, who spent last year coaching high school football in Miami, has made limited appearances this season, taking only a handful of snaps. Tampa Bay is undoubtedly hoping for a swift recovery for Mayfield to continue their push for the postseason.