Nick Bosa is ready to strike again, and the Bucs know it. As one of the most relentless defensive ends in the NFL, Bosa has been Mayfield’s nemesis since their college days. That notorious flag-plant rivalry started when Mayfield, then with the Oklahoma Sooners, beat Bosa’s Ohio State Buckeyes and celebrated by planting his team’s flag in their stadium. A few years later, Bosa got his revenge in the NFL by sacking Mayfield and mimicking the move with his own “flag plant” celebration. So, with Bosa and the 49ers coming to Tampa Bay, there’s more than just a game on the line for Mayfield.
But Bosa is no one-man army. He’s got backup in Leonard Floyd, who’s proved to be a crucial addition to San Francisco’s defense this year. Mayfield’s taking all of this into account as he plans for Sunday, saying, “We have to know where Bosa is at,” knowing full well the entire defensive front can—and likely will—make life difficult.
Now, let’s talk about the duo charged with giving Mayfield a fighting chance: tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke. These two might be among the NFL’s best, but they’re preparing for Bosa like it’s the ultimate test. Wirfs has his game plan mapped out, noting Bosa’s lightning-fast get-off and pinpoint handwork, saying,
“He’s got power, he stays low—there’s all sorts of stuff you have to be ready for.”
Then there’s Goedeke, who knows exactly what’s coming. He’s been studying Bosa’s trademark moves, especially Bosa’s sneaky trick of lifting a tackle’s outside hand and slipping right by. That small detail may seem minor, but for offensive linemen, missing it means giving Bosa a free shot at Mayfield. This Sunday, the Bucs tackles are fully aware that keeping their quarterback clean is priority number one.
Sure, Bosa is the headline act, but San Francisco’s defense has stars at every level. Linebacker Fred Warner, for one, is the heart of this defense—fast, smart, and utterly ruthless. Warner’s known for blowing up the run game and shutting down passes with equal ferocity. As Mayfield acknowledged, “Fred Warner…flies around, really makes the defense go.” And it doesn’t stop there. In the secondary, cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward are ready to bring their scrappy style to Sunday’s game. Mayfield understands what he’s up against:
“Those corners…have good ball skills, so [we] just have to be ready for all three levels.” It’s a three-layered threat, and the Bucs offense will have to be on top of its game to make it through.
Bosa’s having another stellar season, with 28 tackles, 14 QB hits, 4.5 sacks, a pick, and a forced fumble through just eight games. At 27, he’s as relentless as ever and showing no signs of slowing down. When Goedeke was asked about what makes Bosa so effective, he summed it up simply:
“He’s a slippery guy…he has good power, too.”
Bosa’s uncanny ability to power through one moment and then dodge tackles the next is precisely what makes him such a menace.
With a three-game losing streak on the line, Tampa Bay knows how big this game is. But for Mayfield, there’s that extra twist of history—and perhaps the hope of redemption. If the Bucs can protect their quarterback long enough to keep Bosa and Warner at bay, they might be able to finally turn the tide against their rivals from the Bay Area. The stakes are high, but if the Bucs can pull it off, they’ll not only snap that losing streak—they might finally get the last laugh.
Nick Bosa is ready to strike again, and the Bucs know it. As one of the most relentless defensive ends in the NFL, Bosa has been Mayfield’s nemesis since their college days. That notorious flag-plant rivalry started when Mayfield, then with the Oklahoma Sooners, beat Bosa’s Ohio State Buckeyes and celebrated by planting his team’s flag in their stadium. A few years later, Bosa got his revenge in the NFL by sacking Mayfield and mimicking the move with his own “flag plant” celebration. So, with Bosa and the 49ers coming to Tampa Bay, there’s more than just a game on the line for Mayfield.
But Bosa is no one-man army. He’s got backup in Leonard Floyd, who’s proved to be a crucial addition to San Francisco’s defense this year. Mayfield’s taking all of this into account as he plans for Sunday, saying, “We have to know where Bosa is at,” knowing full well the entire defensive front can—and likely will—make life difficult.
Now, let’s talk about the duo charged with giving Mayfield a fighting chance: tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke. These two might be among the NFL’s best, but they’re preparing for Bosa like it’s the ultimate test. Wirfs has his game plan mapped out, noting Bosa’s lightning-fast get-off and pinpoint handwork, saying,
“He’s got power, he stays low—there’s all sorts of stuff you have to be ready for.”
Then there’s Goedeke, who knows exactly what’s coming. He’s been studying Bosa’s trademark moves, especially Bosa’s sneaky trick of lifting a tackle’s outside hand and slipping right by. That small detail may seem minor, but for offensive linemen, missing it means giving Bosa a free shot at Mayfield. This Sunday, the Bucs tackles are fully aware that keeping their quarterback clean is priority number one.
Sure, Bosa is the headline act, but San Francisco’s defense has stars at every level. Linebacker Fred Warner, for one, is the heart of this defense—fast, smart, and utterly ruthless. Warner’s known for blowing up the run game and shutting down passes with equal ferocity. As Mayfield acknowledged, “Fred Warner…flies around, really makes the defense go.” And it doesn’t stop there. In the secondary, cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward are ready to bring their scrappy style to Sunday’s game. Mayfield understands what he’s up against:
“Those corners…have good ball skills, so [we] just have to be ready for all three levels.” It’s a three-layered threat, and the Bucs offense will have to be on top of its game to make it through.
Bosa’s having another stellar season, with 28 tackles, 14 QB hits, 4.5 sacks, a pick, and a forced fumble through just eight games. At 27, he’s as relentless as ever and showing no signs of slowing down. When Goedeke was asked about what makes Bosa so effective, he summed it up simply:
“He’s a slippery guy…he has good power, too.”
Bosa’s uncanny ability to power through one moment and then dodge tackles the next is precisely what makes him such a menace.
With a three-game losing streak on the line, Tampa Bay knows how big this game is. But for Mayfield, there’s that extra twist of history—and perhaps the hope of redemption. If the Bucs can protect their quarterback long enough to keep Bosa and Warner at bay, they might be able to finally turn the tide against their rivals from the Bay Area. The stakes are high, but if the Bucs can pull it off, they’ll not only snap that losing streak—they might finally get the last laugh.
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