“Mike Evans Has To Have His Best Game Of The Year”
January 20th, 2024
“It’s your time, big Mike”
Mike Evans has had three monster games this season. All were against bad teams: Carolina, Tennessee and Chicago.
He was money against Jacksonville: 7-for-9 for 86 yards and two touchdowns. But that was four weeks ago. Evans had a bad drop on Monday and it’s been a little bit since he’s looked dominant.
That has to end tomorrow.
If you ask former NFL defensive back and team personnel executive Louis Riddick, the Bucs beat the Lions without Evans going off.
“Mike Evans has to have his best game of the year,” Riddick said, after describing how the Lions or vulnerable to “chunk plays over and over again” down the field.
Riddick picked the Lions to be in the NFC Championship game a long time ago, so he’s no Lions hater. And he’s not changing his prediction. He’s calling for a close game with lots of points scored.
Joe doesn’t need an analyst to state that the Bucs’ pass protection is a massive key to the Sunday. With the worst yards per carry in the NFL, the Bucs already are a one-dimensional offense. That dimension needs to hum and it starts up front.
On a side note, Joe can’t imagine what kind of money Evans will command in his next contract if he has a monster game tomorrow.
January 20th, 2024 at 9:45 am
Ever notice the only catches he drops are always fairly uncontested TD’s?
January 20th, 2024 at 9:49 am
After today, The Bucs will one of only 6 NFL teams still standing! Amazing, LFG!!
January 20th, 2024 at 9:51 am
Tomorrow could really add to his HOF resume and Buc legend status with a dominant performance. I’m hoping to see around 200 yards and 2 TD’s.
January 20th, 2024 at 10:07 am
The Bucs’ healthy D is vastly underrated. Goff didn’t see the dominating Kancey last time around.
The Bucs’ offense must minimize penalties and turnovers.
If they do, Bucs win.
January 20th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Pay the man…it’s not my money.
January 20th, 2024 at 10:17 am
@A Bucs Fan,
Bruh, stop playing Madden. If he gets 100 yards we’ll be grateful. The one knock on Evans has been that he gets shut down by top-tier CBs. Let’s hope he can be dominant against a mediocre pass defense, but I suspect there will be a lot of double coverage going Mike’s way. Most teams would rather let anyone but Mike go off.
I’m hoping to see a lot of Godwin, Otton. and White if Mike gets bracketed. I think the chunk plays could come from any of those guys with an occasional Palmer and Moore sighting. But the ultimate key is going to be pass pro and Baker staying hot.
January 20th, 2024 at 10:48 am
It’s amazing to me that this coaching staff can’t get Mike the ball on a consistent basis; A big part of that is Baker can’t find him in time or just over throws him.
January 20th, 2024 at 11:14 am
Lions didn’t see much of Ya Ya either.
January 20th, 2024 at 11:22 am
No matter what happens tomorrow as has been pointed…frequently by D.R. and Marine Buc…Todd Lycht will have to up his already great game to get the Bucs through the next off season.
There are just too many mouths to feed…guys who have EARNED what they’ll be asking for to imagine an easy off season.
I’m no capologist…I hate the money part…but it has become a major part of the game and the Bucs are staring down some major challenges…just beginning with ME13 and Baker.
Is Mclaughlin under contract. He’s playing for chump change this year?
Does Wirfs have one more year on his rookie contract? Even then would it be cheaper to sign him NOW?
And then comes perhaps the very best safety in the entire league. WTF will the Bucs have to pay Winfield? DW45 is probably gone unless he grows far more realistic about his value.
Long term IMO gotta keep Wirfs and Winfield…short term as in win now gotta keep ME13 and Mayfield.
Bottom line…I’m glad I’m not Jason Licht. Poor guy has his work cut out!!!
January 20th, 2024 at 11:38 am
QB>31 yr old WR
You aren ‘t going to replace Mike’s numbers with just a single person 1 for 1
It will have to come from multiple players.
That’s ok. Mike is expendable. Don’t get all emotional about it.
This is a QB league. Period. Without one you have no chance. Drafting is a crapshoot. Baker had won 2 playoff games with two different teams. He’s got what it takes.
@ marine – please see my response in the other thread. Thanks.
January 20th, 2024 at 11:38 am
A bit of disrespect on NFL Gameday View this morning, especially from Greg Rosenthal. I hope Bucs players watched it.
January 20th, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Bucs have been insulted by national sports bloviators since they came into existence. A top one has always been Cris Collinsworth, who is from central FL, BTW. Yahoo didn’t like it when they won their SB. He backed off somewhat when Methuselah12 was here. Go Bucs!!
January 20th, 2024 at 12:02 pm
*their first SB*
January 20th, 2024 at 8:08 pm
Evans and Winfield were HORRIBLE against Philly … that’s a good thing.
Those guys are coming in hot and looking for redemption.
January 20th, 2024 at 8:21 pm
He doesn’t need to have his best game of the season, just needs to be productive. We have lots of receiving options. Of course i would love nothing more than for him to have a career day, obviously.
The drop last week was bad, but we literally scored a touchdown 2 plays later. It had no real effect on the game. It was a different story with 1 or 2 of those drops early in the season.
With all that said, last time we played Detroit we had guys running wide open, including Mike, Baker just missed them. O-line got manhandled.
January 20th, 2024 at 11:00 pm
Here is ME 1st TD tomorrow. From Detroit 35, ME runs a deep seam route where cb and safety play it inside. Baker throws it outside to flag an ME makes cut to end zone flag. That play will be there if Baker gets time to set and just lay it out there for Mike to run under.
January 20th, 2024 at 11:30 pm
Hate to break it to everyone but we can and have won games where Mike did not make much in the way of stats.
Godwin can pick up the slack admirably. We do have other guys who can get yards. The question then is can Baker/Canales get the ball to them.
Go Bucs!
January 21st, 2024 at 12:23 pm
Season long stats like “worst rushing team in NFL” are irrelevant now. The Bucs can win with others making catches, too. Riddick’s take is dumb. He should stick to the draft, where dumb takes are applauded.
January 21st, 2024 at 1:10 pm
@beej
Yes. I have noticed that also.
He only drops the easy ones.