Advantage: Mike Evans
June 8th, 2020
So last week when Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians said his base offense will be “12” personnel, which is one back and two tight ends, it raised the antennae of a famous football scribe.
Hot-dog-eating-contest-protesting, mock-draft-scowling, L.L. Bean-wearing, Second Amendment abolitionist, Mike-Florio-arguing, parrot-insensitive, chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California-train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal-picture-taking, video-game-playing, Taylor-Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft-beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training, Budweiser-tolerant, baseball scorecard-keeping, pasta-feasting, vomit-dodging scrooge, Kay-Adams-following social activist NFL insider Peter King of NBC Sports believes Arians is playing it smart in several ways.
First, having two tight ends in the game provides more protection for park-violating, home-invading Bucs quarterback Tom Brady. Another reason King likes this is he believes stud receiver Mike Evans will blow up.
Strangely, Arians thinks the addition of Rob Gronkowski to a “12” personnel offense means one Bucs receiver will get less targets. King thinks that guy is Chris Godwin.
Therefore, King said, expect Evans to have a monster season.
As to who might get his role diminished if the Bucs play 12 personnel, say, 40 percent of the time, my guess is Chris Godwin, who really blossomed as an intermediate and deep threat with Jameis Winston last year. The bigger and more physical receiver of Tampa’s dynamic duo, Mike Evans, seems likely to be targeted more by Brady.
King did not detail exactly why Evans will get more targets than Godwin. Joe assumes King thinks Brady will throw many more passes to running backs and Gronkowski, which will take away targets from the receivers.
Some fans get their briefs bunched up because Evans doesn’t get more yards after the catch (YAC). Personally, Joe thinks this is severe nitpicking. Evans is putting up numbers worthy of a Hall of Fame career.
If, as some believe, Evans didn’t get much YAC because he was catching balls from Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, and that Brady will lead Evans better to allow for more YAC, then OK, Joe can buy that.
Joe just hopes Evans has his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season. If he does, the Bucs’ passing game will be fine, YAC or no YAC.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:16 am
Brady has been very clear – hit the open man.
Winston would throw into double coverage. His trust in ME was borderline foolish. The only reason it wasn’t foolish, is because ME Would win so often.
Godwin gets open, often.
This will be a completely different brand of QBing for the Bucs. And who cares about individual stats vs wins? Fantasy Nerds.
In BA I Trust!
June 8th, 2020 at 9:19 am
I think Brady will spread the ball around. Everyone will get their share. He’ll read the D at the line and the hot receiver will in general get the ball sooner. Everyone should have a higher YAC because of it IMO. It’s going to be a fun season. Can’t wait for some football!!
June 8th, 2020 at 9:20 am
King is wrong on Godwin who will continue to be the Bucs slot reciever on clear passing downs. On first/second down, that 2 TEs sets will keep Godwin outside but Godwin will still be fed a steady workload. Brady is still going to favor short/intermediate throws that favor Godwin vs Evans. On third down, in 3 receiver sets, TJ or Miller will come in on outside and Godwin will slide down inside like he did last year. Godwin is a faster, bigger Edelman and Brady will go to that option 3 out of every 4 times on third down.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:21 am
It appears, for the quicker and short routes, Brady prefers physical and taller catch players, ie gronk (6’6″). He likes player that can reach for the high ball. Mike Evans is perfect for Brady.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:29 am
It seems that you spend more space on your articles describing the source (Peter King) than you do on the actual article. Your comments on Brady ‘park violating etc… is already boring and not funny. America’s QB stuff was obnoxious. Time for a new slant on things Bro.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:39 am
I don’t give a crap who gets the ball as long as its not predictable which I know it will not be now that Leftwich had his play calling power override by Brady at the line of scrimmage. I odnt know that I can recall James ever being given the freedom to change the plays at the line on his own.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:46 am
Yes, Evans slides after the catch regularly. Not sure exactly how the habit got started nor what contributes to it, but you can point to Winston’s inaccuracy if it suddenly disappears. It might simply be a preservation tactic, which makes sense for a tall & lean WR. His injuries have been limited mostly to hamstrings. Yes it is nitpicking since he continues to produce at an elite level.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:51 am
@AlabamaBucsFan: I suggest that Brady loves the undersized but quick slot guys.
The freaks of Moss and Gronk aside, Brady made a living moving the chains with Welker, Edelman, and Amendola.
I suspect that a “12” will have Evans and Godwin on the field. 3rd down brings one TE out and a 3rd WR in.
I disagree with King in that Evans and Godwin will both get balls their way depending on play call and who gets open.
The days of forcing balls into double and triple coverages are over.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:53 am
The only Buc guaranteed to catch fewer passes than last year is Perriman…..nobody has any real clue who will catch the same or more…..odds are that the ball will be spread around much more & with 3 pass-catching TEs…..likely there will be more caught by TEs…..& RBs…..less to WRs….
June 8th, 2020 at 10:03 am
@tbbf: true, and if the team is winning, no ball catchers will complain.
June 8th, 2020 at 10:13 am
Someone can perhaps explain this to me and curb my enthusiasm.
The defense only gets eleven players correct? Some have to rush the passer, some have to account for the running game…so how many are left to double team our targets?
Even trying a safety over the top still leaves guys in single coverage.
So if you can muster enough guys to double team a receiver…who’s it going to be? Talk about pick your poison….even if you could find a way to double two targets…requiring four of your eleven…that would still leave..either Gronk or CG14 in single coverage along with OJ or Brate and the RB out of the backfield.
Tom Brady may be the best QB in history to exploit mismatches. What’s a DC to do? Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters?
June 8th, 2020 at 10:23 am
BTW Do we believe Brady is also going to help our defense by exploiting them in practice and teaching them the errors of their ways.
For all the talk of grabbing a young QB for Brady to mentor in this past draft I’d just as soon have him “mentoring” SMB…Davis…Winfield..Dean in practice.
Our offense may be the best the Buc defense faces this year although KC and NO are still ahead at the moment.
June 8th, 2020 at 10:33 am
Brady will actually hit Godwin in stride on slant routes instead of 2 yards behind him. Resulting in smoother catches and more YAC just from accurate throws. Same for Evans. How many times did Winstow throw behind receivers while going across the field? Several times a game.
June 8th, 2020 at 10:36 am
I think Gronk’s impact will be huge, but I don’t necessarily think he will put up big numbers. Gronk will open up the run game and prevent safeties from locking on receivers. I think we will see Evans and Godwin get open a lot and catch a ton of balls, and we will see RoJo run with far more efficiency. Can’t wait to see this offense fly!
June 8th, 2020 at 11:08 am
You know, the number of times Godwin is targeted may not go down. Consider that if the Bucs have fewer turnovers, the Bucs will have more offensive plays. So, even if Gronk is targeted more than Godwin, Godwin may still have the same number of balls thrown his way. Of course I just recently bought a new Godwin jersey, so that may spell trouble.
June 8th, 2020 at 12:30 pm
With a QB that can hit him in stride we will see the MONSTER that has been held back all these years as a pro
June 8th, 2020 at 2:20 pm
Mike Evans is the best Offensive player in Bucc history. With Brady, he will have a 1000 yards by week nine.
June 8th, 2020 at 8:13 pm
Hot-dog-eating-contest-protesting, mock-draft-scowling, L.L. Bean-wearing, Second Amendment abolitionist, Mike-Florio-arguing, parrot-insensitive, chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California-train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal-picture-taking, video-game-playing, Taylor-Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft-beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training, Budweiser-tolerant, baseball scorecard-keeping, pasta-feasting, vomit-dodging scrooge, Kay-Adams-following social activist NFL insider Peter King………..yeah………..
Excited to see both Evans and Goodwin in the 12 Goodwin and Evans can block, and catch. It should be very exciting year to watch them.
June 8th, 2020 at 9:49 pm
Haha. The old Tom Brady can’t throw deep. King always says the dumbest crap I have no clue why you listen to this dumbo Joe.
“Chris Godwin, who really blossomed as an intermediate and deep threat with Jameis Winston last year.”-King
Watch Godwin’s full highlight’s and you’ll be lucky to see him run a route deeper than 25-yards. Godwin is strong and tough in every way and connected on the in and out routes all day with big time YAC. Brady connecting with Evans up top in the end zone is the big way Evans is going to blow up. Don’t sleep on Godwin Dumbo
June 8th, 2020 at 10:46 pm
One thing I know for sure is that I can’t have Godwin on my FF team this yr.
Last yr I had
Michael Thomas #1 WR in FF
Chris Godwin #2 WR in FF
Christian McCaffery #1 RB in FF
Aaron Jones #2 RB in FF
Of course I won, but This yr I can’t take Godwin.
Brady is too good a distributing the ball. Godwin bailed out JW so many times with Circus catches. Brady will actually know how to use these weapons to the fullest. Therefore there isn’t a lot of FF value as the ball will be so evenly distributed.
June 8th, 2020 at 10:47 pm
NOW that said above, Believe I will be drafting Brady!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
June 8th, 2020 at 10:49 pm
Evans is the best receiver in the league and far and away our best offensive player (excluding Brady of course) ever.