Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, fresh off 11 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns last week against the New Orleans Saints, sat down with Insiders Mike Garafolo and Judy Battista to talk about anything related to Bucs football, but one much of the conversation centered on his relationship with Baker Mayfield.
“[Godwin and Mayfield’s] second year working together. We’ve had our ups and downs in terms of what each person is looking for. We are both very intelligent players. We’re just trying to win. We have a good connection that comes with a lot of hard work and dedicated time. I’m excited about where we are, but I know there’s a lot more in store for us.
Godwin is on pace for a career-best season. In six games, he has already totaled 43 catches for 511 yards and five touchdowns on 53 targets. At this rate, he should have 122 catches, 1,448 yards and 14 touchdowns, all season records by far.
The 28-year-old Buccaneers wide receiver is in the final year of his contract after signing a three-year contract extension worth $60 million in 2022.
Godwin and Mayfield partnership flourishes for Buccaneers
The Buccaneers’ 4-2 start will soon be tested with a series of brutal games. Next up in Week 7 is a home game against the Baltimore Ravens, followed by a rematch against the Atlanta Falcons, who beat them in Week 5, 36-30.
Tampa Bay then plays back-to-back games against last year’s Super Bowl teams: a Week 9 road game against the Kansas City Chiefs and a home game against the San Francisco 49ers.
There are nine teams in the NFC with two or three losses. Leading the division are the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings and the 4-1 Detroit Lions. There’s not much room for error. Only seven teams qualify for the NFL playoffs by conference.
Mayfield has 1,489 passing yards in six games with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. His 62.1 QB rating is tied for 12th and his 109.4 passer rating is second best.
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Last week, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman praised Mayfield as a teammate during their Dudes on Dudes podcast.
“He’s the ultimate teammate,” both men said. “Quarterbacks aren’t really like that… He’s a guy who wants to see you be a real guy, cheer you on. He will get into the trenches with you.
The Bucs have an offensive DVOA ranked 10th and their defense is ranked 11th. This could be a special season for the franchise. The Buccaneers team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in last year’s Wild Card round, 32-9.
This was no accident, as this season has proven.
