Baker Mayfield is back at it again. Ahead of Sunday's game between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mayfield bluntly stated, "We don't like them. They don't like us."
If I didn't know any better, I'd think Mayfield has a legitimate issue with the Saints. The teams play each other twice a year and this is the second time Mayfield made the animosity known.
You compare that to the Saints side, and it's quiet. Part of that likely has to do with the struggles the Saints have had this year. It also has to do with the fact that Mayfield may be a little off base in his assessment. While the Saints don't "like" the Buccaneers, the feeling is nothing like the Falcons. To put it plainly, there's no hate week for Tampa Bay.
Baker Mayfield is single handedly trying to keep the Saints-Bucs rivalry alive
Mayfield's first shot at the Saints this year was much more of a low blow. When the two teams faced off earlier this season, Mayfield accused the Saints of being a dirty team. The quarterback told media that it "has not exactly been clean play from their part when we play them." It caught many Saints fans off guard, because that simply wasn't something that jumped off the screen.
Comments like that go to building a rivalry between teams. The Saints and Buccaneers never really felt like a rivalry. Instead, it felt like two teams that were good with an individual rivalry or two in the game. The Marshon Lattimore-Mike Evans battles were must see, but with Lattimore gone and the Saints bad, the animosity between these teams feels low. Mayfield is looking to change that.
It wasn't all bad, though. Mayfield was also complimentary of how competitive the Saints have been in recent games. "They play hard. You can see it on the tape based on the other games they’ve played since we’ve played them last. It shows, so we know what to expect."
The aspect of familiarity isn't lost on Mayfield either. He knows anything can happen, especially in a divisional game. He said, "Record doesn’t indicate how physical this matchup is going to be, what a tough matchup it is. So they know us. We know them well. So it’s one of those, who can execute better and be the more physical team."