ESPN analyst breaks down Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans mistake that hurt Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a tough loss to the Carolina Panthers, 23-20, on Sunday, putting their season in danger. Now, the Panthers just have to win in Week 18 to knock them out of the playoffs entirely, and the game came down to a crucial play that ended it late.

With 50 seconds left, quarterback Baker Mayfield dropped back and then stepped up in the pocket, looking to get the ball to wideout Mike Evans. Evans, however, moved right on his route, and Mayfield appeared to think he was going left, so he threw a ball into almost-empty space — unfortunately for Mayfield and the Bucs, Panthers rookie Lathan Ransom was there to catch it, resulting in a game-ending interception.

Fans took to social media afterward, debating on whose fault the pick was — was it an errant throw by Mayfield, a miscommunication by Evans or something else entirely? ESPN analyst and former Buccaneers quarterback Dan Orlovsky went over the play after the game on Sunday.

Dan Orlovsky breaks down big Bucs mistake vs. Panthers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) before a game against the Carolina Panthers | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Orlovsky did indeed cite the play as a miscommunication, but not one borne out of scheme or a failed assignment — it was simply bad luck.

"Mike's working his way through, looks to be like a crosser. He keys back and it looks like Baker starts to take off," Orvlosky said. "Right when Baker starts to take off, Mike's like, 'Oh, Baker's running or climbing the pocket out this way.' So Mike puts his foot in the ground, thinking 'Hey, probably gonna get this way.' Baker's thinking, 'He's just gonna keep going,'... Who's fault is it? This is no one's, man. This is just fraction of a second, different page."

Tough break for Bucs pic.twitter.com/pAtd8HtDws
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 21, 2025

This indeed seems to be the case. Mayfield stepped up in the pocket, and Evans began cutting in to block, thinking that Mayfield was about to take off. Mayfield, however, believed Evans was going to go with his original route, and that dissonance in half a second was enough to cause the interception. It's a bad break for the Bucs, but it's one that they've had far too often.

Mayfield himself appeared to corroborate this reasoning on the podium after the game.

“I’m never gonna question his instincts. That’s the thing. You can look and say, ‘Shoulda done this. Shoulda done that,'" Mayfield said postgame. "But it’s just the timing of the play and it happens in a millisecond.”

Baker Mayfield speaking about Mike Evans on that interception: “I’m never gonna question his instincts. That’s the thing. You can look and say, ‘Shoulda done this. Shoulda done that.’ But it’s just the timing of the play and it happens in a millisecond.” pic.twitter.com/hjUnvyLDDc
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) December 21, 2025

It seems as if the error was incidental, and it was a stroke of bad luck for the Bucs. Unfortunately, that bad luck came after earlier struggles throughout the game, which put the Bucs in a position to be hurt from a play like that. Simply put, they'll have to play better in all phases if they want to make the playoffs and actually play well when they're there.

The Buccaneers face off against the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday.

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