“The Bucs Don’t Yet Have A Mike Evans Problem”
November 11th, 2020
Getting stepped over?
Interesting backroom drama analysis here in trying to find out what the hell is going on with Bucs star receiver Mike Evans and park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting Bucs quarterback Tom Brady.
We all know Evans is (was?) on a path to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only one receiver in NFL history has started his career with as many consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons as Mike Evans and that is Randy Moss.
If Evans can get 1,000 this year, he will be the first to have 1,000 yards in each of his first seven NFL seasons.
The Bucs brought in Brady as quarterback and all of a sudden Evans became such a non-factor that little Scotty Miller is nearly having as big of an impact.
Fun fact: Evans, despite all the hand-wringing from those watching the Bucs, leads the team both in touchdown receptions (7) and receiving yards (437).
After the seal-clubbing by the Saints on Sunday night where Evans was targeted only six times — the same amount of times the Bucs ran the ball — people are flipping out why Brady, who supposedly is one of the smartest quarterbacks who ever played, can’t get the ball to Evans.
And yes, Joe has wondered this for weeks. Evans is healthy. He’s had plenty of time to develop chemistry with Brady and vice versa.
When Arians said Monday that Evans was open but he wasn’t targeted for some reason, Arians didn’t mention who the culprit was but it was clear to Joe that Arians wasn’t trying to out Ryan Griffin. This has the national hollerers all stoked up that there is chaos behind closed doors at One Buc Palace.
Nick Wright, speaking on “First Things First” seen on FS1 weekday mornings, believes Brady better get on the same page as Evans or this is going to get out of hand quickly. Wright pointed out that the Bucs with Brady’s BFF Scotty Miller, rookie Tyler Johnson and business client, furniture-tossing Antonio Brown, could mean the disconnect between Brady and Evans is likely to shatter.
Joe thinks that’s a helluva point by Wright. NFL Network analyst and former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah has already documented how Brady is locking in on foot-rubbing, car-littering tight end Rob Gronkowski too much.
Throw Brown into the mix, and Evans may be lucky to see five targets a game in the not too distant future. And it’s not like Evans isn’t getting open.
Maybe we should calm down a bit? For a guy who was hobbled for the first month of the season, Evans’ numbers aren’t horrible. They are just down. Before the season, Joe expected Evans wasn’t going to hit 1,000-yards this season, as said on the Ira Kaufman Podcast.
Now why Evans isn’t being targeted more, Joe is not overly sure. But Joe knows the following full well:
A quarterback so many locally couldn’t wait to run out of town never had an issue getting the ball to Evans. Never.
And when Evans was a rookie, the Bucs had a truly worthless quarterback by the name of Stewart McClown. He had no problem getting Evans the ball. So Evans has had three quarterbacks in his NFL career, two of which never struggled to find him.
Just by using simple subtraction, you can figure out where Joe thinks the issue lies.
To see Wright’s take on the matter, click on the FS1 video below.
“The Bucs don’t yet have a Mike Evans problem. But they have the beginnings of a Mike Evans problem. Diontae Johnson, Hayden Hurst, Darnell Mooney, just to name a few, have more targets & more targets per game this year than Mike Evans.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/uEFc6FZGWM
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) November 10, 2020
November 11th, 2020 at 12:12 am
Both wrs in Carolina has more yards than Evans. He isn’t even top 30 in yards or yards per catch. Mike is getting open 10-15 yds down field all the time but Brady is seeing him or even looking his way a lot. He won’t trust Mike Evans enough to throw to him when he is double covered like he trust Gronk. Mike wants to win but he also wants to get that 1000yds because that will make his Hof probability go up. I’m just glad Evans isn’t a diva like DeSean Jackson who sabotaged Winston so many times, purposely trying to make him look bad.
November 11th, 2020 at 12:31 am
They will have a problem if Mike makes about Mike. This is a team game. I understand human nature, but the reality is they have multiple WR’s. and overall talented offense. Lets get real, these are multi million dollar payed athletes. Mike is set for life if he does not blow his last 50 million + contract. Again I understand human nature and ” what about me” attitude that players can succumb to. We will see how much Mike really is the player that he is described as. Because this is the new normal in Tampa whether he or anyone else likes it or not. If he really wants to win, and believe he does then it will go well. But we shall see how tired of losing Mike really is. GO BUCS!!!!
November 11th, 2020 at 12:40 am
Yes, Brady is playing favorites with AB over Evans. AB is either working for Brady’s company or is using Brady’s voodoo products. If AB does well, it helps Brady sell his voodoo medicine.
November 11th, 2020 at 12:45 am
I mean yeah, there might be a Mike Evans problem but it’s been all year long and no one cared when we won. One of the Joes may have a drinking problem, but no one cares when the Podcast is good.
November 11th, 2020 at 12:55 am
Evans has had 4 qbs. Don’t forget Mike Glennon was able to get the ball to him also
November 11th, 2020 at 1:31 am
Brady’s arm during this time of year turns into a noodle. Mike wants out of Tampa. He sorry. Sorry that he threw the quarterback that made him under the bus.
November 11th, 2020 at 1:34 am
Mike is sorry. Sorry that he threw the quarterback that made him under the bus.
November 11th, 2020 at 3:19 am
Too many cooks in the kitchen. Was never on board with the Gronk and AB additions but those are Brady’s guys and clearly he’s playing favorites. This has the potential to screw up our team chemistry and it never really was necessary to begin with. This offense was already loaded with talent and Brady’s gotten greedy. Better right the ship.
November 11th, 2020 at 6:34 am
MDFree … “This has the potential to screw up our team chemistry and it never really was necessary to begin with.”
Interesting observation on both counts. Brady IS the chemistry on this offense; it ALL revolves around him. Our offense has become what Tom Brady feels comfortable doing at age 43. Rollouts? Nah, too risky. Deep passes? Sure, at times, but a lot more ‘dink & dunk’ stuff. It’s become a ‘risk adverse offense’ and in an offense like that jump balls to Mike Evans are a No-No.
It’s also become a very INCONSISTENT offense it seems. When it’s hot, it’s very hot. But when it’s cold, look out Antarctica. This offense is LOADED with players who’ve been King-of-the-Hill here or elsewhere, and rightly everyone EXPECTS it to kiss arse.
But it coughs & sputters far too often, and THAT’S on the coaching. Game-planning, play-design and play-calling have been mediocre at best, and at times downright horrid. I don’t see that part improving this season because BA isn’t into that anymore & BL has already shown his lack of creativity. Oh we’ll win our share this season simply because of the talent we’ve accumulated, possibly going as high as 10-6 & maybe even making the playoffs as a wildcard in this COVID year. But going deep into the playoffs? Unlikely.
November 11th, 2020 at 7:49 am
“Lots of weapons for Brady”……that’s what we always hear……and that computes to “fewer passes for everybody”….
November 11th, 2020 at 8:19 am
Throw him the damn ball. Force it to him even. He’ll catch it.
November 11th, 2020 at 8:37 am
DR
you’re off the mark once again…
brady isnt even looking for mike….its as simple as that….
if it was play calling, play design and lack of creativity, bucs wouldnt have a top10 offense…..
the problem is execution….3rd and 3 brady forces a deep ball to AB with mike and fournette open underneath…..3rd and 2 brady forces a pass to gronk who was covered tightly by m.jenkins…gronk drops it…replay shows again mike open….
cant blame BL for that….even tho you want to….
GO BUCS!!!!!
November 11th, 2020 at 8:38 am
Clean House Says:
November 11th, 2020 at 8:19 am
Throw him the damn ball.
BINGO!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
November 11th, 2020 at 8:42 am
DR SAYS:It’s also become a very INCONSISTENT offense it seems. When it’s hot, it’s very hot. But when it’s cold, look out Antarctica.
you can say the exact same thing about the defense…..
the defense is too inconsistent….when its hot, its very hot….But when it’s cold, look out Antarctica.
the DEFENSE coughs & sputters far too often, and THAT’S on the coaching. Game-planning, play-design and play-calling have been mediocre at best, and at times downright horrid.
GO BUCS!!!!!
November 11th, 2020 at 9:37 am
I’ve said before season started Evans will want out of Tampa Bay by end of the year. Right on schedule.
November 11th, 2020 at 9:39 am
it seems to me- that brady would rather throw to his FRIENDS. we have a hof caliber receiver-yet dude would rather throw to his friends. this is not a good fit. geez drama -fied. better get figured out or the paper tigers will be comin out! still dont want to see saints playin in feb in our stadium
November 11th, 2020 at 9:50 am
How long will the Glazers pay top dollar to a receiver that is nothing more than a decoy. ME will be another great player that will move on and win a Super Bowl with another team. LD needs to move on too. Both of their careers have been wasted in Tampa.
November 11th, 2020 at 10:07 am
I told yall that Mike Evans numbers would drop . I said he will not get a 1,000 yards this year . But all summer long yall said that Evans will have more yards . And now we are going to pick a 43 year old quarterback who haven’t played well against average defenses over a guy who has been loyal to this team by restructuring his contract and has been a baller every year since he’s been here until Brady came . Facts !!!!
November 11th, 2020 at 10:30 am
Comes down to one question. Who is running the team? Is it Arians, or is it Brady.
Looks to me, at this point, it’s Brady. That needs to be addressed.
November 11th, 2020 at 10:42 am
Mike also had Ryan Fitzpatrick.
November 11th, 2020 at 11:30 am
Not throwing to Brate either.
November 11th, 2020 at 12:01 pm
Like I said yesterday I do believe Evans will be trade bait.
November 11th, 2020 at 3:42 pm
Tom That will be a stupid move to trade him because of a 43 year old quarterback can’t get him the ball !!!