Sunday’s game between the Buccaneers and Bengals has an intriguing subplot.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield has never lost to Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow.
Mayfield is 3-0 against Burrow as a starter. All three matchups happened in 2020 and 2021, when Mayfield played for the Browns.
And, yes, Mayfield faced Burrow in 2022, when Mayfield played for the Panthers. In that game, however, P.J. Walker got the start; Mayfield entered the game after halftime, with the Panthers trailing 35-0.
The Mayfield-Burrow matchup is also one of two Week 1 games featuring a pair of Heisman Trophy winners. The other one happens in Charlotte, between Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.
The Bucs-Bengals game carries greater weight than Mayfield’s 3-0 record as a starter against Burrow. Both teams need to get off to a good start if they hope to get back to the playoffs.
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