Baker Mayfield takes blame for costly fumble as Bucs' season ends - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. — Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield took the blame for a lost fumble in the fourth quarter of Tampa Bay's 23-20 wild-card defeat to the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, and said that while it will «wear on me for a while,» he's proud of the way his team competed this season.

The fumble came on a botched jet sweep with rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan. Mayfield lost control of the ball as McMillan went past him and tried to dive on it. Instead it was recovered by Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner at the Tampa Bay 13.

«That comes back to me, just timing it up correctly,» Mayfield said. «First one all year that it happened on. So obviously the timing of it not great, being backed up. Defense had done a hell of a job getting us the ball, another fourth-down stop and yeah, unfortunate, but that falls on me.»

The play happened on first-and-10 from the Tampa Bay 15 with 11:58 to go in regulation. Washington had made it all the way down to the Tampa Bay 1-yard line on the previous drive, but Bucs defensive lineman Calijah Kancey took down running back Brian Robinson for a loss of 2 yards and the defense forced three incompletions for a turnover on downs.

On the Commanders' ensuing drive after Mayfield's fumble, quarterback Jayden Daniels connected with second team All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a 5-yard touchdown that, with the extra point, made it 20-17. The Bucs would tie it up on a Chase McLaughlin 32-yard field goal with 4:45 to go, but the defense could not hold. Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez' 37-yard field goal bounced off the right upright and went in.

"[It was] me and Baker not being on the same page," said McMillan, who caught 2 of 4 targets for 41 receiving yards. «Things like that