Chef Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Bucs are a playoff team.

This week represents a real good news, bad news situation for Tampa Bay Bucs’ quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Chef has officially accomplished something very few (likely no one) could’ve imagine he would— The Tampa Bay Bucs are in the postseason. This is the same team, led by the same quarterback, who was supposed to win four games. According to pundits, Tampa Bay should be firing Todd Bowles, letting Baker Mayfield walk, hitting the reset button, and looking for a brand new quarterback with their top-five draft selection right about now. August predictions have remarkably different appearances compared to their January realities.

Chef Mayfield has played the best football of his career and his season has been good enough for Tampa Bay to be NFC South champions and land themselves squarely in the postseason. The Chef’s performance this season has been one of the best in Bucs’ team history. Mayfield finished the year with 28 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. His impressive touchdown to interception ratio was also accompanied by a 4,000 yard passing season, the first such season of Mayfield’s career.

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Lots of good news, the bad news? The Chef isn’t cooking with his best ingredients— Baker Mayfield is injured. Tampa Bay’s quarterback was the recipient of a late hit against the New Orleans Saints. The injury and its effect on Mayfield’s performance is more than speculativie. Mayfield has been listed on the team’s injury report and has yet to throw a touchdown since the play. Tampa’s game being a Monday night contest could help Mayfield, giving him extra time to rest, but his health is in question and as a result, Tampa Bay’s offense may not be as productive as it was down-the-stretch with a healthy chef.

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