Mayfield magic as Bucs eye 49ers scalp

Baker Mayfield is flirting with becoming a full-fledged MVP candidate as he leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Sunday's contest against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

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Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield warms up prior to the game against the Seahawks.

(AFP)

Meanwhile, San Francisco are just trying to keep their quarterbacks healthy.

Brock Purdy (toe) is expected to sit out for the fourth time in five games and Mac Jones (knee, oblique) will again fight through injuries during a Week 6 showdown of 4-1 NFC teams.

Mayfield is coming off a dynamic performance in which he passed for a season-best 379 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-35 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Mayfield hears the praise but hasn't forgotten being discarded earlier in his career. The impressive comeback story is nice, but he's not getting caught in the chatter.

"At the core, definitely the same, but matured in different ways," Mayfield said. "I'm not worried about little things that don't matter. Now if you put it in the landscape of a competitive football game - in that atmosphere - that'll never change."