NFC Notes: Baker Mayfield, Derrick Brown, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles recalled Baker Mayfield‘s fumble in Week 15 which led to a touchdown by the Packers, praising Mayfield for staying resilient after facing adversity. 

“You [have] to have the resilience to come back,” Bowles said, via Jenna Laine of ESPN. “I think [Mayfield] never broke stride. He [understood] what happened on the play. They [had] a turnover, [and] they [had] a touchdown. It was early in the game, no need to get down.”

Mayfield is playing out a one-year, $8.5 million deal with Tampa Bay. Bowles has been impressed by the quarterback and is confident a conversation regarding an extension will likely occur. 

“I’m sure that will be an offseason conversation probably, but I love where he is at right now,” Bowles said. “I loved him when he came in, not just because of the game he played [Sunday]. [He is] very smart, very tough, knows where to go with the football, very mature where he is as far as getting his reads and getting everybody in the right place. I mean, me personally, I really like where the guy is at.”

Mayfield is glad they found a way to win Week 15 despite it not being the best performance. 

“For me, you’re never out of the fight. You have to play the next play,” Mayfield said. “Even though everything happened before that, and it wasn’t pretty, find a way to win. That’s what people remember. It’s just a win on the column.”

Falcons

• Falcons DC Ryan Nielsen said he hasn’t been surprised by ILB Nate Landman production: “No, look at the body of work. The guy is all over the place,” via Michael Rothstein. 

Panthers

Panthers DL coach Todd Wash said he told DL Derrick Brown that he’s been underachieving and the defense lineman has responded well to his feedback. 

“Basically, up until this point, I think he was a little bit of an underachiever and that’s what I told him,” Wash said, via Mike Kaye of The Observer. “And he did not like that at the time, but it was also the truth. And he said, ‘Coach, I appreciate it, but I’ll prove to you that I can do it and do it well.’”

Panthers G Nash Jensen praised Brown and thinks the defensive lineman has been “dominating” his opposition. 

“It’s just pure domination,” Jensen said. “No matter who he is going against, he doesn’t play down to anybody’s level, and he plays higher than anybody he’s going against. Whether it’s one of the worst guards in the league or (Dallas Cowboys guard) Zack Martin — who is a (potential Hall of Fame) gold jacket — (Brown is) just out there dominating. He knows all the calls, he’s an insanely smart player — it’s just a lot of fun to watch.”

Brown is trying to stay hungry on the field and avoid complacency. 

“I get those moments in the game where I know I’m doing pretty well during the game,” Brown said. “But, at the same time, it only takes one play to screw everything up you did that day. … It’s one of those things I always think about before I try to go and just do something crazy, that I gotta just keep doing my job, even on the best of the days and even the worst of days.”