NFC Notes: Baker Mayfield, Darren Rizzi, Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Tampa Bay has lost three of their last four games after a tough overtime loss on the road against the Chiefs. Despite a close loss to an elite opponent, Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield remains focused on finding ways to win regardless of who they play.

“Right now, it’s about us,” Mayfield said, via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “It doesn’t matter who we play. We need to focus on doing our job and finding ways to win. That’s all that matters. We just have to stop the skid. We have to look at the things of why we lost when we look at the tape and go from there.”

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales said he’s very optimistic about where RB Jonathon Brooks is at, but didn’t go as far as to say that they definitively plan to activate him this week.

“Really optimistic about Jonathon, as far as just the week that he had,” Canales said, via Panthers Wire. “We got a real critical decision to make with him this week, really on Wednesday. So, Brooks and Jaden Crumedy will be the two decision we gotta make this week, whether we feel like it’s time for them to come up.”

• The Panthers are sending the Chiefs’ 2025 fourth-round pick to Dallas in the trade for WR Jonathan Mingo. (Mike Kaye)

Saints

• Saints interim HC Darren Rizzi said that QB Derek Carr will be their starter on Sunday: “Derek Carr is going to be the quarterback on Sunday. … I’m not going down that road.” (Katherine Terrell)
• Josina Anderson reports the Saints are looking at candidates to help out with special teams with Rizzi taking over as interim HC. 
• When talking to executives around the league, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes Saints’ recently traded CB Marshon Lattimore isn’t viewed as the same quality player he was earlier in his career, but is still a good talent for the Commanders to acquire. 
• As for New Orleans firing Dennis Allen, Breer reports the decision was pushed by owner Gayle Benson after reaching a “breaking point” with their troublesome season.
• According to Breer, GM Mickey Loomis didn’t want to fire Allen, but Benson pushed them to make a move. 
• The Saints traded Lattimore to the Commanders on Tuesday and Loomis praised the cornerback for his time in New Orleans: “Marshon has been a fantastic player for us. It was a great draft pick. You know, he was a defensive rookie of the year the year that we drafted him, ‘17, and made the Pro Bowl a number of times. He’s a fantastic player. He was a good teammate and, you know, I’ve got nothing but good things to say about Marshon. Unfortunately the last couple years he’s had some soft tissue injuries to deal with and a couple other injuries to deal with, but he still is, I believe, one of the better corners in our league and Washington is getting a good player for their playoff push here and their run, so I wish him nothing but the best, I really do. It was just, you know, ultimately it came down to a deal that I thought was, you know, good for us, good value for us and that’s why we did it.” (Nick Underhill)
• Loomis feels they gained “good value” for Lattimore: “He is still one of the better corners in our league and Washington is getting a good player for their playoff push here and their run, so I wish him nothing but the best.” (Matthew Paras)
• As for New Orleans’ search for its next head coach after firing Allen, Loomis said they aren’t in a rush and have a lot of time to make a choice: “That’s not something that we’re gonna be real active with right now. There’s plenty of time for that when the season ends. Our focus has got to be on our team, our players, our coaches, our staff, and look, you learn more about who you have and who the people are that you’re working with in adversity that you do when things are going well.” (Underhill)