Losing Streak Without Mike Evans Extends To Six Games
September 29th, 2025
So durable Mike Evans has missed only 13 games in his 12-year career.
What’s Tampa Bay’s record in those games?
It fell to 3-10 yesterday. And they’ve lost six in row without their Hall of Fame receiver.
Joe warned last week that the loss of Evans is catastrophic to the offense. Baker Mayfield always says how the “offense runs through Mike.” And it does. The film shows Evans draws the attention of defenses and every team’s No. 1 cornerback, which opens up the field for others.
Rookie Emeka Egbuka played his first game as “the guy” in Evans’ hamstring-related absence yesterday against the Eagles. Yes, Egbuka made a huge play, a 77-yard touchdown grab that showcased elite concentration and presence, but he largely struggled outside of that play.
Minus the TD, Egbuka had 3 catches for 24 yards on 9 targets. Rusty Chris Godwin had 3 catches on 10 targets.
Evans was sorely missed and there was no tight end or receiver to fill the void. Evans led the Bucs in receiving last year in a win against the Eagles with 8 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.
He’s expected to miss at least two more games, at Seattle and home for San Francisco.
September 29th, 2025 at 8:50 am
Love ME but him not being on the field isn’t the reason we lose games only people or coaches looking for a escape route use that reasoning. We have to much talent in the WR spot to be saying we cant win without ME.
September 29th, 2025 at 9:07 am
Philly changed their pass defense from the prior matchup
Todd Blows rarely changes the Bucs pass defense
Philly corners were all over our guys, I’d sell my house, kids and maybe an organ to see the Bucs pass d play like that
September 29th, 2025 at 9:25 am
Regroup!!! Fly to Seattle! Start fast!! Make plays!!!
September 29th, 2025 at 9:32 am
There were a lot of incomplete passes that made contact with the receivers’ hands. As often as not, a Philly defender got away with interference. They also gifted the Bucs five or six first downs by penalty. They are a great defense but that is in part due to their “push the envelope” tactics that seem to work.
September 29th, 2025 at 9:32 am
Yeah I wish Todd would just let them play there natural position more. I didn’t wanna see big Vita dropping into coverage… Ever. C’mon man that’s nasty work. Both Yaya and Reddick need to get there sh!t together, they’ve pretty much been no show for too long. I know this team got what it takes. let’s get it!
Go Bucs
September 29th, 2025 at 9:33 am
Smarter than Joe says ” Philly corners were all over our guys .. he’d sell his house for Bucs D backs to play like that one.”
If the Buc’s D backs pulled jerseys all day the way Eagles did… They ‘d have 4 more pass interference calls! Refs let them interfere all day. That was part of the lack of separation. It’s hard to separate when the d back is pulling you back using your jersey as a leash!!
September 29th, 2025 at 9:44 am
Godwin & Egbuka both had some good catches, but both dropped easy balls as well. Wasn’t the Bucs best game from any standpoint. Although it is extremely hard to dig out of a blocked punt for a TD to start the game.
September 29th, 2025 at 9:56 am
Eagles held all day and were smothering our guys before the ball got their way, that’s pass interference, not good coverage.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:01 am
I gotta say somewhere. I really did NOT like that show boating Egbuka did on that long touchdown. Thats not who we are. Score the touchdown and get back to work.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:07 am
The TEs are a joke. That will have to be addressed in FA or the draft
The punt team is a joke. Fix it. It’s scheme and leadership on the field. And Dixon may boom one every now and then but he is oblivious to the rush. Wake up, dumba$$!
September 29th, 2025 at 10:10 am
ME13 had to sit out the game. Godwin’s rusty (3-for-10) & Egbuka’s a rookie (4-for-10). Shep wasn’t used very much (2-for-4) and our TEs are close to being non-existent. It’s obviously Baker’s fault. Ya right.
Of course Godwin’s gonna be rusty, it’s been almost a year since he’s played. Put a rookie into the #1 spotlight & ya he might struggle a tad with the increased attention. What I don’t understand though is why we didn’t use Shep and our TEs more.
Our TEs BTW have only been targeted 12 times in 4 games with 6 catches (50%) for 34 yds. That’s beyond pathetic. And Durham has only been targeted 1 time (0 catches), and Culp hasn’t been targeted at all (matter of fact, looks like he didn’t even suit up for the first 3 games, and only got 6 S/Ts snaps in the Eagles game). Still scratching my head.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Mike doesn’t block on punts. He didn’t fumble inside the 30. He didn’t throw a bad pick. He didn’t blow multiple Pi and defensive holding calls.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:21 am
Defense Rules,
“What I don’t understand though is why we didn’t use Shep and our TEs more.“
QB has the piece in his hand, makes the final decision on where the ball goes and decides on when to pull the trigger. The closer plays get to breaking down, that’s when Shepards value goes up, but he’s never the first or second read. TE is simple, we’ve needed them tp block, and why use Payne Durham
I’m the redzone as if he were the biggest body we have as a target on offense? Cant get’em the ball of the ball handler doesn’t look that way, and Grizz is obviously not making the TE position one of priority as an offensive
September 29th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Special teams, special teams, special teams, special teams.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Mike was truly missed yesterday and watching him on the sidelines, he knew it too. Probably feels bad about his hamstring and not being in there. Bucky gave it his all many times. Still upset about that bad call when in fact he was down.
All in all the Bucs did get back in the game, made it close and almost won. The Eagles were jumping up and down early on, not so much toward the end. They had their own issues going on.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:37 am
You’re spot on, Steve. Mikes absence changes the entire defensive scheme. Let’s see if Grizzard adjusts…
September 29th, 2025 at 10:39 am
They be gettin their mojo back next week!
September 29th, 2025 at 10:58 am
DR
An OC who is overwhelmed.
September 29th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Put culp #82 out at wr#1 let him run #13 routes
September 29th, 2025 at 11:43 am
If the Bucs play defense like yesterday’s second half for 60 minutes we can win without Mike.
September 29th, 2025 at 11:45 am
DR says: What I don’t understand though is why we didn’t use Shep and our TEs more.
easy answers:
#33 cooper dejean
neither shep nor the TEs could get any separation from him…he made a ton of plays…
GO BUCS!!!!
September 29th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
@smarter than nobody
“Todd Blows rarely changes the Bucs pass defense”
Eagles OC iKevin Patullo certainly outgamed plan Todd for the start of the game and he ruled the first half. I know you enjoy your juvenile rants but sometimes the OTHER guys have talent and skill. DUH maybe that’s why the entered the game with a Lombardi and winning NINETEEN of their previous TWENTY duh!!!
But “rarely changes”. WTF happened at halftime that enabled the Bucs to slam the door?
If you have any cojones you’ll at least attempt to explain those CHANGES!
September 29th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Can we run Tucker more?
September 29th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
813bucboi … ‘easy answers: #33 cooper dejean. neither shep nor the TEs could get any separation from him’.
I agree that he’s outstanding, BUT … he can’t cover everyone on the field. If we’re using Godwin, Egbuka, Shep & Culp or Godwin, Egbuka, Otton & Culp (plus 1 of our RBs) then someone’s gonna get open. DeJean can’t cover all of them.
September 29th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
Early Griz is very similar to early Canales.
We have a huge sieve on the right side of the line. Running right is stupid. Rolling right is futile. The lac of Te involvement is correlated to them helping out with the blocking. But the play calling in the first half and the routes receivers are running are too predictable.
Then there’s Magoo driving the special bus into the ditch every game dragging the whole team with him.
Defense is now the strength of the team if Todd calls it like yesterday’s second half.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
DR
cooper cant cover all of those players at one time but if he has to cover, shep, otton, culp, durham or an RB, he’s winning that rep…heck, if he’s physical at the line with tez or jmac, he’s probably winning that rep too lol…
the only players cooper cant cover are wr1…mike, godwin, EE2…
with a healthy mike, cooper wouldve had to cover Godwin or EE2…totally different story imo..
GO BUCS!!!!
September 29th, 2025 at 1:46 pm
“Philly corners were all over our guys, I’d sell my house, kids and maybe an organ to see the Bucs pass d play like that”
—————————->
I assume you didn’t watch the 2nd half 🙈
“Defense is now the strength of the team if Todd calls it like yesterday’s second half”
—————————>
No room on the bus for bigots who’ve spent years bitchlng daily about the coach. We all know your favorite teams are Jax and Detroit.. 🤡
September 29th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
We didn’t lose yesterday because Mike wasn’t playing or because Philly defensive backs always interfering. We lost because of a blocked punt, a fumble and an interception. We had bad field position to start some drives because our kickoff receiving team sucks. Would we have won if Mike was playing? It’s possible even with all the turnovers. Mike is big and strong enough to run through guys trying to hold and they couldn’t have doubled Mike, Egbuka and Godwin.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
Smart than Joe (lol- nope)
Did u even watch the second half?
The Bucs made adjustments, blanketed the Philly receivers, and dominated.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:49 pm
That loss was because of a blocked kick and turnovers
The INT was a horrible pass .
September 29th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
Offense looked like it sorely missed ME. He may not get 1K this year but he sure draws the focus of their best CB which opens the door for our deep receiver room to standout. We definitely miss Mike and hope he comes back with a vengeance
September 29th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
It was real simple to see: With the threat of Mike and the need to double him over the top with a safety (like NY did all day), the other receivers had trouble getting separation. Godwin was a little rusty and had a drop. Egbuka had a drop also.
Even though Mike doesn’t have the numbers through 3 games, his presence is why Egbuka has been on fire.
As they get healthy at receiver and O-Line, they will be better than fine. They will be dominant.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:25 pm
Get well soon Mike…damn hammy!
September 29th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Evans will be going into week 7 with 140 yards. Even if he does come back mostly healthy, the OC/Baker has been only throwing 5 and 10 yard passes. That’s not many yards for a non-yac guy. I think his 1000 yard season streak is cooked. Therefore, his HOF trajectory is in danger. He’ll need to get 2 more 1000 yard season after this year to at least tie Jerry Rice. Right now Evans is behind Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Devante Adam’s, Tyreek Hill, and DeAndre Hopkins in HOFm. Mainly due to lack of dominant seasons Therefore lack of allpros. The Hof is not going to take in all these Wrs and especially not Evans right now as he is in lasrpt place.
September 29th, 2025 at 4:55 pm
Exhibit A above on how g00n g@ytor ignores the performance of the team and just holds onto some mantra for irrational reasons. Any train that the gender confused reptile is on is one where she’s the only passenger.
It bears repeating. Yesterday’s second half defense was the best we’ve seen in 2 years. Maybe when we held Seattle to 5 points in 2016. It provides Hope under a cloud of injuries and Magoo.
September 29th, 2025 at 5:00 pm
BradyGronkFan.
Thanks for the discourse on Evans.
I think you have a valid point about the NFL taking a bunch of WR’s. They only take a few.
However, you just stated that you personally felt that Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, DeVante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and DeAndre Hopkins are higher on the list of HOF without giving any reference.
To me, the only real competitor out of that group is DeVante Adams.
Here is my thought — the NFL more than any other HOF is about the story — can you tell the story of the NFL without including this player.
Julio Jones — Easy out — way behind ME. Came in with much more fanfare — but no NFL records, no Super Bowls, no special story.
Antonio Brown — Harder choice. Has a Super Bowl — and was considered best 1 or 2 receiver in the league in about 3 or 4 years.
DeVante Adams — this is the one that concerns me. Has a Super Bowl. Is tied with Mike Evans with 106 TDs in his career. That makes them 9th in NFL history. Behind Mike Evans in Receiving yards. But made pro bowls and All pros where ME did not.
Tyreek Hill — I do not see this at all. Maybe one could explain his HOF credentials — do not see them.
DeAndrew Hopkins — Has more yards than Mike in his career but barely and hsa played one more year. ME crushes him in career TDs.
So, I think what you are missing is you are counting Pro Bowls or All pros as more important — if the committee changes — maybe that can be the ultimate differentiator.
But you would be changing how they exactly do make guys HOF eligible.
The reason Eli Manning (4 PBs) will get in — he is history — more than Philip Rivers (8 PBs) or other QBs that seemed more dominant during Eli’s career.
What we see is when the HOF puts in Joe Namath (under .500 record) or Warren Moon is they had a place in what they think is the history of the NFL.
ME matching Jerry Rice for the longest streak and actually beating Rice and everyone else for longest streak to start a career is history.
It does not give him a guarantee to get in the HOF. But it gives him a one up on the guys you mentioned because of that story.
Story matters in the NFL — more than other leagues.
Again, thank for the discourse.
September 29th, 2025 at 5:03 pm
@DR, you are backing up what I heard in that game. This constant turnover of OCs plus injuries is bad. Compare it to any other business, especially entertainment.
September 29th, 2025 at 6:44 pm
You know who had a much bigger losing streak that includes this little streak??? Baker is 0-500(I jike I joke it’s much less!) When trailing by 11 or more in the 4th quarter