The injury that has everyone spiraling
Things just went from bad to worse for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the final moments of their Week 3, 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. The vibes are officially off.
It happened with less than two minutes left on the clock. Facing a fourth-and-13, Mayfield was trying to keep the play alive when he got hit and threw an interception to Andrew Van Ginkel. He was visibly in agony on the field, screaming while clutching his right hand. He walked off with trainers and went straight to the locker room. Head coach Todd Bowles said, "He'll get an MRI tomorrow just to see exactly what inside is wrong with it, so we'll know tomorrow."
What this means for the Bucs
Before he had to dip, Mayfield had tallied 217 yards, one TD, and one interception. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels stepped in, but he couldn't move the chains, finishing 0-for-3 on passing attempts.
This injury is a massive L for a team already struggling to find their rhythm. The Bucs are 0-3 for the first time since 2014, and all three of their losses have been one-score games. To make matters even more high-stakes, Mayfield just inked a three-year deal worth $55 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid signal-callers in the league. The pressure is on for his recovery.
Why it matters
Starting 0-3 is a rough spot for any team with playoff ambitions, and losing your QB1 to a thumb injury is the definition of a nightmare scenario. All eyes are on the MRI results to see if the Bucs' season can be salvaged.
