Baker Mayfield Hypes 'Pure Passer' Matthew Stafford, Talks QB's Legacy in NFL History

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield praised Matthew Stafford as one of the best passers in NFL history ahead of Sunday's Week 12 road game against the Los Angeles Rams.

"He can do everything. He's always been able to make every throw," Mayfield said when asked Wednesday what he appreciated about Stafford's game. "I think, obviously, as long as he was in Detroit, didn't get a lot of credit for how really good he was, and you're seeing that now. To me, he's always been a top three or five quarterback in the league, and one of the best, if not the best, pure passer in the history of the NFL.

"The way it comes off his hand, the way he can change his arm angles. Obviously, the no-look passes really started with him. He can do it all. Makes it really tough on your defense. Gotta be sound with your eyes, but he also knows how to move you, and move around the pocket too."

Stafford and Mayfield overlapped for half of a season in Los Angeles, when the Rams claimed Mayfield off waivers in December 2022 after losing Stafford to a back injury.

Mayfield, who has since revitalized his career with the Bucs, said he learned from Stafford that season even while the Rams star was sidelined by injury.

"I think I gained an even more level of respect for him about the communication, about how he wanted certain routes, certain schemes to be done... had a lot of respect for him before, but seeing him in person, on how detailed he really was, and exactly what he was trying to check to, that was big, seeing it in person," Mayfield said.

Mayfield has led the Bucs (6-4) to the top of the NFC South by passing for 2,365 yards with 17 touchdowns and three picks, while adding 197 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

The Bucs are riding a two-game losing streak into the matchup, however, despite scoring a combined 55 points in their last two contests.

Stafford meanwhile has the Rams (8-2) sitting at first in the NFC West after leading the NFL with 27 passing touchdowns while throwing just two picks. He also ranks fourth in the NFL with 2,557 passing yards through Week 11.

Who comes out on top in Sunday's NFC matchup could hinge on the Bucs' passing defense.

The pass defense is coming off an unstable performance in last Sunday's Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills, during which the unit limited forced two picks on reigning MVP Josh Allen in the first half but couldn't stop him from racking up 317 passing yards by the end of the game.

The Bucs also recorded no sacks on Allen after being limited to just one on Drake Maye during a Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots.

Tampa Bay's defense will need to find a way to limit Stafford more than it did Allen or Maye in order to help Mayfield snap the team's losing streak this weekend in Los Angeles.