Bucs locker room responds well after Baker's challenge 

Bucs respond well after Baker challenges the locker room to improve

Following the loss on Sunday, quarterback Baker Mayfield publicly called out the locker room for a lack of accountability and responsibility. FOX 13's Sean Barie reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - If it was a message Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback Baker Mayfield was sending with these comments after Sunday's loss, then consider it a message received. 

"You have to have some pride about you," Mayfield said after their 28-23 loss to the New England Patriots. "You've got to have the fear of that failure. When we talk about something, you have to have that responsibility and accountability for the guys around you." 

What they're saying:

Those words carried over into a new week for the Bucs as they began practice with a walk-through on Wednesday. 

"Leadership counts on this team," said head coach Todd Bowles. "When certain people talk, everybody takes heat for it. I'm perfectly fine with it."

"Obviously, we don't have too many divas in this locker room who think they're above the law or anything like that," said receiver Emeka Egbuka. "We know that everyone has to do their one-eleventh."

The backstory:

Clearly, the execution from the Bucs on Sunday provided Mayfield with the opportunity to do his "one-eleventh" off the field, as well. 

"The thing is, when I say something like that, it's not like this is, all of the sudden, this brand-new idea," Mayfield said. "Guys know we have to execute. The guys know what our potential is on this offense and on this team." 

What's next:

The Bucs tough stretch continues against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but Bowles knows this difficult stretch of the schedule also provides an opportunity. 

"It's a first-place schedule," Bowles said. "You get it all the time. We welcome it. It's exciting to play. You get to test how good you are every week. But we have to pull out those ball games and make less mistakes."

Meanwhile, the Bucs' schedule doesn't get any easier after Buffalo. A week from Sunday, the Bucs will be in Los Angeles to meet the Rams on Sunday Night Football.