10. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The raw numbers from the Bucs’ loss against the New England Patriots would indicate that Baker Mayfield played about as good of a game as you can possibly play. But some of those numbers are inflated by some garbage time, desperation stats. We can’t deny that Mayfield has played at an MVP level at times this season, but he and the Cardiac Bucs just didn’t have it in them going up against the road warriors that are the Patriots.
Mayfield finished the game with three touchdowns, but the injuries to the skill position players are taking their toll on the Bucs. And Mayfield, especially.
Even though rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka continues to be fantastic, the Bucs need the rest of the parts out there to make the clock tick. Mayfield needs those guys out there to play as confidently as possible.
9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott, Cowboys were on a bye in Week 10
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys were on a bye week in Week 10, and it probably came at the best possible time. Not in terms of the Cowboys getting to the bye at a good time record-wise, but because this team really needed a reset.
Prescott, especially.
After a four-week stretch from the end of September through the middle of October in which he threw 13 touchdown passes, Prescott had a rough performance against both the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals as the Cowboys lost a couple of games in a row heading into their off week. But the highs from Prescott this season have been as good as any quarterback in the league, and you get the sense he’ll come out of the bye with a chip on his shoulder.