Mac Jones was a perfect 3-0 as Brock Purdy’s injury replacement coming into a Week 6 clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the fill-in quarterback finally looked human for the San Francisco 49ers while on the road Sunday, tossing two interceptions while trying to carry an injury-riddled lineup. Baker Mayfield, meanwhile, was all but superhuman for the other side, showcasing otherworldly grit on some second-half highlights to overcome his own club’s bumps and bruises en route to a 30-19 victory.

Mayfield was without all four of his top wide receivers by the end of Sunday’s contest, with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and star rookie Emeka Egbuka all sidelined with injuries. That didn’t stop him from tossing two critical scores, including a 45-yard bomb to rookie Tez Johnson, and evading San Francisco’s pass rush to outduel Jones at Raymond James Stadium. 

He got timely support from coach Todd Bowles’ defense, too, with the Buccaneers racking up six sacks and two picks, including a fourth-quarter interception by Jamel Dean that damaged the 49ers’ hopes of a late comeback.

Here are some big-picture takeaways from Sunday’s matchup:

Play of the game

How can it be anything other than Mayfield’s improbable escape from a would-be sack for a monster first-down scramble?

Baker Mayfield is on an MVP pace

Making highlight-reel plays as a dual-threat quarterback is one thing. Doing it against another scrappy playoff contender without a good half-dozen key starters is another. Mayfield has drawn plenty of praise this year for his late-game bravado, and this was more of the same, except without Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and two top blockers in the lineup by the time the clock struck zero. Once regarded as more reckless than heroic, Mayfield is doing it all. He’s a rugged scrambler when he’s needed. He launches it deep with touch. And he’s thrown just one interception through six games. He is the Bucs’ offense. And he is award-worthy.

The 49ers’ injury woes aren’t over yet

San Francisco didn’t just lose Sunday. They also lost arguably their best remaining defender in Fred Warner, the All-Pro linebacker at the heart of Robert Saleh’s unit. Warner had his right leg trapped in pursuit of Rachaad White during the Week 6 matchup, and it wasn’t long before trainers had the leg in an air cast as Warner was carted off the field. Head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed later that the perennial Pro Bowler will be sidelined indefinitely with a broken and dislocated ankle. At a certain point, you just can’t weather this many major injuries; remember San Francisco was already missing edge rusher Nick Bosa to his second career ACL tear.

It’s time to give Todd Bowles some respect

Every year, national pundits like yours truly question whether Tampa Bay has what it takes to retain an NFC South crown. Bowles, after all, is still coasting off goodwill from the Bruce Arians era. Or is he? The Bucs are now 5-1 under his watch despite missing a slew of big names on both sides of the ball, well on pace to secure their fourth straight division title with Bowles atop the staff. Mayfield may be MVP material as the gunslinger running the offense, but Bowles is also finding ways to squeeze timely production from defenders both aging (Lavonte David), overlooked (Jamel Dean) and developing (YaYa Diaby).