After rolling out to a 5-1 record and starting the season as the hottest team outside of Indianapolis, the Buccaneers fell flat in Detroit this week, losing a Monday night clunker to the Lions 24-9.

Things simply did not go the Buccaneers' way in this game. Already dealing with a number of injuries, Tampa Bay saw star receiver Mike Evans, who had just come back from one injury, go down with a broken clavicle. Quarterback Baker Mayfield—who was an MVP frontrunner through six weeks—was off, missing his receivers multiple times on potential completions.

Along with those obstacles, Mayfield felt that there were several officiating mistakes that went against the Buccaneers in the loss.

"Some plays could have had illegal contact down field and some holding calls, but it's no excuse for the ones that were there and I should have hit them all, so it's a little give and take," Mayfield said during his postgame presser.

Mayfield later also said, "Third-down defensive holding call that wasn't called, also still pretty damn confused about the double review. A lot of things in that game that were a little questionable. Lot of frustration at the end of that, might be displaced onto John Hussey in the moment. I work my ass off and put a lot into this game, so when things that I don't see (as) fair, I'm going to let somebody know. That's good, bad, indifferent."

The double review refers to a play where tight end Cade Otton caught a pass short of the sticks on fourth down and attempted to extend the football for a first down. It was initially ruled that Otton had gained the first down. The Lions challenged, and the officials reviewed the play and initially upheld the call.

But the official then got back on the mic saying that after “a second look,” Otton was short of the line to gain, giving possession back to the Lions. That play took place early in the fourth quarter with the Buccaneers trailing 21-9, meaning they would have been in much better position to come back if the referees stuck with the initial call.

Between Otton's first down getting overturned, the Seahawks being unable to challenge a potential safety on C.J. Stroud and T.J. Hockenson's overturned touchdown catch on Sunday, there have been a number of particularly questionable, costly calls this week.

Mayfield also acknowledged that he and his receivers needed to do a better job connecting, especially since the defense and special teams kept them in the game. He and the Buccaneers will look to rebound when they face the Saints next week.

More NFL on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Baker Mayfield Calls Out Officiating After Buccaneers' Loss to the Lions.