“It Is Just Football”
October 5th, 2017
Doing his job.
Talk about getting baptized by fire.
As Dirk Koetter announced on Buccaneers.com yesterday, rookie safety Justin Evans is expected to start tonight, his first NFL start.
However, Evans is not facing just any old Joe Montana Case Keenum. No sir. In his first start, Evans will try to temper the right arm of perhaps the greatest quarterback to take an NFL field, Tom Brady.
Welcome to the NFL, son!
Joe spoke with Evans this week. At the time, no one outside One Buc Palace was aware Evans would get the start — with both T.J. Ward and Keith Tandy nursing hip injuries, it was next-man-up for Evans — but Evans did tell Joe he expected his snap counts to increase against the Patriots.
And while he is well-aware of who will be taking snaps on the other side of the line of scrimmage, Evans said he has to worry about his job first and foremost.
“It is just football,” Evans said. “We are just out there playing football, trying to win. Yeah, it is Tom Brady out there. But it is just football.”
Last week Evans was forced into duty due to the aforementioned injuries. And he didn’t embarrass himself. Joe hopes being able to hold his own against a two-time Super Bowl winner like Eli Manning will help boost Evans’ confidence going against maybe the greatest.
October 5th, 2017 at 5:05 pm
Hopefully this will start the dawn of Evans and Ward holding down the fort at the Safety position!!!!!!!! which could very well be the long term plan!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!
October 5th, 2017 at 5:20 pm
He was all over OBJ on that one play in the end zone but I wasn’t really watching him other than that. Dude definitely carries some I don’t give a f*ck type of swag that I like. Eli didn’t go his direction very often – hopefully because the coverage was solid.
October 5th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
He should have kept his mouth shut. How bad is Gronk going to punk this rookie tonight? It’s going to be UGLY back there!
October 5th, 2017 at 5:26 pm
I update I just got was Gronk is not a sure thing to be active and if he is he’ll be limited.
October 5th, 2017 at 5:35 pm
Gronk is out tonight.
October 5th, 2017 at 5:37 pm
Sydney…Gronk is very limted tonight..might get a few snaps but will not play is usual self…
October 5th, 2017 at 5:38 pm
Hopefully he and Brady will be on the bench watching the whole second half !
October 5th, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Sydney, Gronk isn’t even going to play tonight
October 5th, 2017 at 5:39 pm
UPDATE: Gronk is officially out for tonight..YEAH!!!
And Altered Ego..that would be nice!!
October 5th, 2017 at 5:45 pm
Well at least Gronk being out helps considering all the injuries we have. Evans will certainly get tested tonight but hey that’s the only way you learn. Hopefully he takes full advantage of it! Go Bucs!
October 5th, 2017 at 5:51 pm
Bucs D make Giselle cry….
October 5th, 2017 at 5:53 pm
Yes, Gronk is out, but let’s hope that the defense doesn’t make his backups, Dwayne Allen and UDFA Jacob Hollister, look like Pro Bowl Hall of Famers. The Bucs offense has to step up and score. Go Bucs!
October 5th, 2017 at 5:59 pm
BUCS CAN HANDLE GRONK! BRING ON GRONK!
October 5th, 2017 at 6:16 pm
So since our pass rush is less than spectacular, it seems teams have had some success rushing 3 and dropping 8 into coverage against Brady this year. Do we have three bodies to drop 8 tonight?
October 5th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
3 man rush All night and we win the game!!
October 5th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Does anyone know where the pregame with Ira will air tonight?
October 5th, 2017 at 6:21 pm
Never mind, found it. Channel 10 at 7 pm.
October 5th, 2017 at 6:24 pm
This young man is very smooth in coverage, and he has better range than any other safety we have.
A born free safety.
Just has to focus on tackling, instead of hitting, and he’ll be our free safety for a long time.
Really happy that Gronk is watching, not playing tonight.
October 5th, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Good luck enjoy your night and have fun!!
October 5th, 2017 at 6:39 pm
Go get em Justin!
October 5th, 2017 at 7:00 pm
This is worse than the Giants game. Way more Pats fans. Yell louder Stick Carriers!
October 5th, 2017 at 7:14 pm
Justin Evans sucks…….seriously
A safety that can’t tackle????
His pass coverage is suspect…..
Gee, what does those two qualities remind you of??????
Hummmmmmmm????????
Is he Chris Conte 2.0????
Brady is going to tear this secondary apart and make another otherwise bad secondary look horribly rank and stank!!!!
It won’t be our offense, or dline, or linebackers that will lose us this game. …..it will be our crappy secondary (minus Brent Grimes)!!!!
October 5th, 2017 at 7:17 pm
I want to see Yards After Catch from our receivers and TEs tonight
October 5th, 2017 at 7:20 pm
Gronkowski is out. Well, makes it a little easier for the D. The weather looks good, too. Go Bucs!!
October 5th, 2017 at 7:22 pm
Game is going to be a shootout, if the Bucs are lucky.
NE’s defense is bad, the Buc’s defense is just so beat up.
Brady vs. Winston tonight!
Come on Jameis, make a statement and show the world you’re ready!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!
October 5th, 2017 at 7:39 pm
Justin Evans…..all anyone thats says he can’t tackle are too stuoid to know anymore than what they heard come out of some talking head draft night…when he was criticized for missing tackles trying to make a big hit….DAMN…what a thing to get hung on you ….he his FAST….likes to hit….and I am quite sure understands tonight he will make the tackle first….group thinkers….
October 5th, 2017 at 7:45 pm
Midway thru the 3nd quarter isaiah johnson might be your new safety and Evans in therapy after brady shows him what a goat is.
October 5th, 2017 at 8:51 pm
Same exact tugging motion that wasnt called on the patriots 3 plays ago gets called on us.
Oh boy.
October 5th, 2017 at 8:52 pm
@AlteredEgo
You clearly didnt watch any college film of Justin Evans, or watch him in preseason.
Not hating on the kid, and I love his upside, but his tackling technique coming out of the draft was really bad.
October 6th, 2017 at 12:25 am
He tackled and covered very well tonight and got a pick
October 6th, 2017 at 12:28 am
^ your 100 percent right he did