Baker Mayfield is making an early-season MVP case for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He's not doing it subtly, either.
The Bucs' franchise quarterback is chucking the ball down the field and running with a controlled wildness to pick up first downs.
He's also leading game-winning drive after game-winning drive.
And one stat might sum up Mayfield's fast start to the season better than any other.
The NFL's record over the last 20 years for touchdown passes traveling 20-plus air yards in the first six weeks of the season belongs to Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs' superstar threw eight such TDs in the first six weeks of the 2019 campaign.
Now, Mayfield has matched that.
Baker has also thrown eight touchdowns that have traveled 20 or more air yards, a big reason the Bucs are 5-1 on the season.
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He's doing it despite an oddly depleted receiving corps.
Mike Evans is out again. So is Chris Godwin.
On Sunday, the talented rookie Emeka Egbuka left the win over the 49ers early.
But there Mayfield was, throwing one long touchdown to Kameron Johnson and then another to Tez Johnson.
At this point, Mayfield seems so in control of the Tampa Bay scheme that he can make it work with anyone.
If he keeps throwing so well down the field, even with these lesser WRs, the MVP case will get stronger and stronger for Baker.
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