Baker Mayfield is going to present a bevy of challenges for the Washington Commanders when they see him for the second time at Raymond James Stadium. One of the biggest: they can't tackle him like a traditional quarterback.

"He's been hard to tackle in the pocket across every team that goes in there," defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said during his Thursday press conference. "You have to hit him as if you're going to hit a running back. If you go in there like you're going to hit...normal quarterbacks, you're going to come off [the tackle]."

The Commanders were one of the teams that struggled to bring Mayfield down in their first matchup with the Buccaneers. They had six opportunities to sack him in the 37-20 loss, and all but one of them ended with him breaking tackles to deliver explosive plays downfield.

That likely isn't going to be enough for the Commanders to pull out a win on Sunday against the Buccaneers' third-ranked offense. The best way to stop the Buccaneers' offense is to figure out how to harass Mayfield and get him on the ground.

"He's doing a good job of making people miss," Whitt said.

As good as Mayfield was in 2023, he shattered those numbers in 2024. On top of recording another 4,000-yard season and setting a career-high with a 71.4 completion percentage and 41 touchdowns, he's also rushed for 378 yards -- more than double the 163 he had in 2023 -- on 60 carries.

Mayfield's physical stature makes him better suited to take and evade hits compared to other quarterbacks. He's 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, and his bigger frame gives him a better chance at shrugging off defenders. He has five broken tackles this season, which ranks near the top of his position.

But Mayfield also has the quickness in the pocket to flat out avoid defenders. Facing a third-and-13 in the first quarter of the Week 1 game, Mayfield stepped up and narrowly missed a tackle by Jonathan Allen and scrambled for an eight-yard gain. Another example came in the second quarter, when he avoided a stunt by Frankie Luvu on a third-and-6 to complete a pass to Chris Godwin.

So, there's a reason why Whitt has emphasized exercising the proper tackling technique when trying to put pressure on Mayfield.

"We've gotta stay shoulder to thighs," Whitt said. "He does a good job of sliding up and out, and he's keeping his eyes downfield. I know he does scramble, but he's scrambling to throw. He's just playing high-level ball, and so, we just gotta get him on the ground."

It's certainly an achievable goal, despite how good Mayfield has been this season. The Buccaneers have given up 40 sacks this season, which is tied for 15th in the league. However, Mayfield plays behind a talented offensive line, led by tackle Tristan Wirfs, who has the fifth best pass block win rate.

If the Commanders do manage to get to him, there will be some opportunities to influence the game. Although his 41 touchdowns are tied for second in the NFL, he also paces the league alongside Kirk Cousins with 16 interceptions. As expected, Mayfield's aggressiveness can lead to game-changing moments, whether it's for his team or the opponent.

Mayfield has also fumbled the ball nine times -- the most for his position and all rushers. He's only lost one of them so far, but history would indicate that he will give Washington the chance to generate turnovers, which has been a point of emphasis for the team all season.

That just adds more reason to put pressure on Mayfield and actually bring him down.

"He is a rare competitor in that way and there's some guys that, in the pocket, the foot quickness the ability to move a shoulder to get underneath somebody," said head coach Dan Quinn. "They do have that. And you do have to make sure when you are rushing somebody that -- we call it a cage -- where you try to put somebody into a spot to at least not allow them to hitch up and go."

It's not a revelation when it comes to the position as a whole, but Mayfield and the Buccaneers struggle when he's under pressure. The team is 3-3 when he is sacked three or more times; likewise, they're 7-4 when he's sacked two times or less.

The Commanders have been respectable in terms of handling mobile quarterbacks since Week 1. On top of being tied for 11th with 43 sacks, the defense also held their own against Kyler Murray, Deshaun Watson and Caleb Williams, all of whom are known for being elusive in the pocket.

Sunday would be a great moment for the Commanders to show how much progress they have made this season.

"It's gonna be a little bit of a chess match," Whitt said. "But it'll be fun. I'm looking forward to it."