Kyler Murray’s 3-0 Streak Over Baker Mayfield Is the Smallest Problem for the Bucs Right Now

Kyler Murray is back from his Week 1 concussion, and that adds a serious wrinkle to the Week 3 matchup against the Buccaneers. This game is huge, especially because it means the fourth NFL meeting between former Oklahoma teammates Murray and Baker Mayfield. And yeah, Murray’s got the edge right now.

Another Heisman Showdown

These two go way back, battling it out on the same turf in Oklahoma. Mayfield snatched the Heisman in 2017, but then Murray took over, won it himself in 2018, and picked up the torch. Their personal rivalry on the field has been all Murray so far, with him leading the series 3-0. Think about that, three straight wins for Kyler over Baker! But honestly, while that record is cool for bragging rights, the bigger picture for both teams is way more intense.

0-3 Is Looming Large

For the Vikings, this game is about pushing to a perfect 3-0 start, an insane early season statement. But for the Buccaneers? Man, they absolutely gotta avoid slipping to a crushing 0-3. That’s a deep hole no one wants to be in, especially this early in the season. There’s even an interesting twist that might favor Mayfield and the home team in this one. Baker has actually gone up against a Brian Flores defense twice before. In 2019, when Mayfield was with the Browns, they beat Flores’s Dolphins. And then in 2023, Mayfield and the Bucs pulled off a huge stunner against Flores’s Vikings in his very first game as their defensive coordinator. Across those two games, Mayfield threw five touchdown passes and only one interception. He’s clearly shown he can handle that scheme.

So, buckle up for Week 3. Kyler’s back and looking to extend his perfect record against his old college buddy, but Mayfield has a chance to turn around his team’s season and prove he can beat a familiar defense. This isn’t just about a rivalry, it’s about two teams fighting for their early season identity.

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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.