Things are already getting a bit touchy between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions ahead of Sunday’s NFC Divisional matchup.
Lions defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson started things off by praising the Buccaneers’ wide receiver group, but he did so while taking a clear shot at quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“This group probably is one of the better groups we done faced all year, besides that Tampa group,” Gardner-Johnson said while the Lions were preparing for the Los Angeles Rams, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. (Mike) Evans, (Chris) Godwin, (Russell) Gage, that’s a great group. I played against them for real.”
The Lions did play the Buccaneers in Week 6, though Gardner-Johnson missed that game due to injury. So did Gage, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in preseason and has not played a snap all year.
Mayfield was quick to point that out when he addressed Gardner-Johnson’s disrespectful comment.
#Bucs Baker Mayfield on comments by Lions CB Chauncey Gardner Johnson that Bucs receivers are a good group that would be great with a good QB.
“I mean, I don't think he's really watched film because he mentioned Russell Gage. You know, we love Russell, but he hasn’t played a…— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 17, 2024
“I mean, I don’t think he’s really watched film because he mentioned Russell Gage. You know, we love Russell, but he hasn’t played a snap this year for us,” Mayfield said. “He must be going off the preseason stuff the media was talking about but he didn’t play our first game so I’m excited to see him. I think he’s a really good player.”
Mayfield did not really take the bait, and he has no reason to. He already has the Buccaneers in a place where few expected them to be, so his intention will be to keep proving doubters wrong. Plus, given how much his teammates love him, they’ll gladly take up the fight on his behalf.
Gardner-Johnson has never shied away from stirring the pot. It is making an already intriguing game even more interesting.
