Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is dealing with an injury to his foot and ankle area, putting his availability for the team’s Week 11 matchup against the Detroit Lions in question. He was seen wearing a walking boot at the team’s facility during the bye week.
The injury is not expected to be long-term, and Mayfield is not expected to be placed on injured reserve. He could, however, miss Tampa Bay’s first game after the bye.
## Injury Occurred Against the Bears
Mayfield was injured during the fourth quarter of the Buccaneers’ loss to the Chicago Bears. He was slow to get up after taking several hits. Before one sack, Chicago defensive lineman Austin Booker briefly grabbed Mayfield by the helmet, drawing a facemask penalty. Two plays later, Grady Jarrett and Jeffery Simmons brought him down on a sack, and Mayfield stayed on the ground for a few moments.
Mayfield has already missed three games this season. The Buccaneers are 2-4 in games he has started and 1-2 with Jalon Daniels starting.
## Buccaneers Face a Key Stretch
Tampa Bay entered its bye week at 3-6. Despite the record, the team remains in contention in a competitive NFC South, where the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons also have three wins.
The Buccaneers started the season 0-5 and have shown signs of turning things around. A loss to Detroit would leave them at 3-7, making a playoff push more difficult. Tampa Bay still has four division games remaining after Week 11, including a Week 12 matchup with Carolina. Having Mayfield healthy for that stretch could be important to the team’s hopes.
