Just as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ playoff push intensifies, a cloud of uncertainty has descended upon the quarterback room. Baker Mayfield is dealing with a sprained AC joint, and there is a real chance he sits against the opposing defense this Sunday. Consequently, he opened up about his backup, Teddy Bridgewater, with calm and confidence.

“Don’t want to hold this team back, obviously,” Baker Mayfield said in a press conference on Wednesday. “Each game here on out is extremely important, but Teddy’s more than capable of handling this on his own.”

Tampa Bay is giving Baker Mayfield time to rest this week and letting Teddy Bridgewater take most of the practice snaps. But when Sunday arrives, the starting QB job isn’t about who looked better in practice or who the coaches like more. It comes down to one factor: pain tolerance. Mayfield has a sprained AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder, so the staff needs to see if he can actually handle the discomfort. And the Bucs aren’t hiding that as well.

Josh Grizzard even said they’re building the game plan around Bridgewater first and then will switch only if Mayfield can physically deal with it. So the whole decision is tied to Mayfield’s injury, not performance or competition. The quarterback also explained the injury from his point of view.

“It’s there. Decreasing, for sure,” said Mayfield, who did not practice Wednesday. “It’s pain tolerance and management at that point. See how it goes through the week and go from there. [I] understand that we have Teddy. I have been in this spot before, hurting the non-throwing shoulder. If it’s going to hinder how I play, then probably won’t go. But [we] won’t know that until later in the week, getting practice reps and see how that goes.”

Mayfield has a passer rating of 93.1 with 2,406 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions in 11 games this season. So, he might be a big miss. However, head coach Todd Bowles stepped in and shared his plan while talking to the media.

“Obviously, Baker (Mayfield) is sore, so Teddy is going to take most of the reps this week.”

Bridgewater has a passer rating of 63.8 with 62 yards in 4 games this season. So, Bowles will make sure that if Bridgewater steps in as the starter, he’s prepared. However, even though Week 13 looks uncertain, there is finally some good news trickling in on Mayfield’s injury.

Baker Mayfield shared more information on his injury

Baker Mayfield had feared the worst after hurting his left shoulder in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Rams and aggravating it again right before halftime. Yet the medical checks calmed those early worries and gave the fans a reason to breathe again. And now Mayfield explained the difference between this injury and the one he suffered years ago.

“It’s very different. I had dislocated my shoulder completely, had a torn labrum, partial [tear in the] rotator cuff, and cracked the bone in the socket, so it’s very different. Now, it’s just truly about pain tolerance management, being able to move around, and being able to throw and go from there.”

After that, he said he would need the rest of the week to see if he could push through and keep his streak alive. Echoing Mayfield’s sentiment, coach Bowles confirmed the team would wait until the week’s end before making a final decision on his 46th straight start.

If he cannot go, then Teddy Bridgewater will step in for the Buccaneers against the Arizona Cardinals to help the team reach a 7-5 record.