Fighter.

Joe sees a whole bunch of people, both on social media and on this website, killing Todd Bowles for leaving Chris Godwin in the game when otherwise the Bucs should have raised a white flag, made a few diving plays and gone to hell should have come. Dressing room.

Baker Mayfield did not agree with that.

Mayfield said the Bucs (he didn’t specify who) talked about doing just that, and giving up. Instead, Mayfield said the Bucs wanted to go down fighting.

So Mayfield noted that he (and teammates… coaches… both?) decided, “Eff that!” and opted to try for a win by 10 without timeouts deep in Bucs territory with less than two minutes to play.

“You know, we’ve been talking about it on the sidelines, thinking that if we get a rushing touchdown – obviously already got an onside kick during the game – get a rushing touchdown and an onside kick, there’s a possibility for a Hail Mary,” said Mayfield. We have a group of fighters. We all wanted a chance to try and win that thing somehow, somehow.

Joe admires this attitude. Guys who make it to the NFL and later move up the ranks are not likely to quit. Especially someone like Godwin who has a ring. He’s no DeSean Jackson.

Using rearview mirror logic, Joe gets it. Godwin was injured on a 3rd-and-17 play with 1 minute left from the Bucs’ 18-yard line. The Bucs should have thrown in the towel. But if they somehow won, how hungover would we all be this morning?

Joe only wishes the Bucs brought the same never-say-die mentality to Detroit during last year’s playoffs – and Joe could pick other moments, too.