Mike Evans: Bucs Must Carry Themselves As Champs
June 10th, 2021
There’s a right way to handle entering a season as the defending world champion Buccaneers.
The greatest receiver in Bucs history was very clear about that today after minicamp practice.
Mike Evans acknowledged Tampa Bay’s struggles through much of last season but insisted that the standard created during the late-season run to glory is what must be maintained and duplicated.
And it starts now without room to waver.
“We’re Super Bowl champions. We gotta carry [ourselves] as that,” Evans said.
“Just keep working hard. I mean our talent is the best in the league. I’ve been saying that since last year. We just have to stay injury-free and just keep working. Don’t get complacent and just keep working.”
The clichés sound good, but Joe knows Evans believes them and is speaking from the heart.
Joe views all the chatter about staying focused in various ways. It really is possible to be too focused, work too hard and get burned out. It’s up to Bucco Bruce Arians to manage this 17-game season — coming off a season of no spring-practices or preseason games — with just the right touch to keep his players performing on gamedays with their hair on fire.
That is no easy task and, thankfully, Arians has Brady to work alongside to keep the Bucs from peaking too soon and or burning out.
Joe hates typing this. Hates it. But maybe, just maybe, the Bucs might benefit from an early-season loss to quickly obliterate any kind of Super Bowl hangover they might be feeling.
When Brady won back-to-back Super Bowls in the 2004 season. His Patriots opened 6-0 before getting mauled by the Steelers in Pittsburgh. They lost just one game the rest of the way, a one-point defeat to the Dolphins.
June 10th, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Blasphemy Joe!! 🙂
June 10th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
I’m going to waste as much time wringing my hands about a Bucs undefeated season as I’m going to waste on wondering what would’ve/could’ve been if the 7th CB on the Bucs depth chart got out of his military commitment.
June 10th, 2021 at 2:49 pm
NO!!! UNDEFEATED OR BUST!!
June 10th, 2021 at 3:18 pm
I’d sure like to run the table, but I’ll settle for first seed.
Too bad the pats won’t make the sb.
That would be epic.
June 10th, 2021 at 3:34 pm
Best way to get over a SB hangover is to ignore the praise and expectations and remember you start the season 0-0 just like everybody else. Players who believe the hype need to be humbled in training camp.
June 10th, 2021 at 3:41 pm
17-DASH-0!!!
It’s a Fanman FIRST! For years, it’s been one saying and one saying ONLY. If you’ve seen my preseason posts, I have made the same proclamation year in and year out. Not 2021! This year it’s different.
Say goodbye to “16-0”. Welcome….
17-DASH-0!!!
(and NO, I’m not drunk….yet!!!!)
June 10th, 2021 at 3:51 pm
Joe, I call those strategic losses. You see them in college basketball all the time. You don’t coach for a loss obviously but you don’t harp on it too much afterwards either. Just move on and reset the mind.
June 10th, 2021 at 3:52 pm
In fact, if you remember the Pittsburgh loss in 2002 that would be what i call a strategic loss. Backup qb played no pressure on anyone. Set us up nice for the SB run that year.
June 10th, 2021 at 4:08 pm
No way! Take every game as if it’s do-or-die playoff time en route to a perfect season. Evans’ attitude is perfect. Hopefully, everyone else on the team feels the same way.
June 10th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Bucs have the right mindset. They figured out a winning formula during the 8 game streak and just need to keep working and follow the formula. They love football and all still seem hungry for continued success and winning more championships.
June 10th, 2021 at 6:57 pm
Undefeated. Not undefeated. Don’t matter. Just make the playoffs and everything will work itself out.
As long as I don’t feel the way I did after last years Chicago loss. That one lasted for three weeks.
June 10th, 2021 at 7:40 pm
Nothing wrong wanting greatness like having a perfect season 20-0. Shoot I hope that’s what they all have on their mind! One heart one mind .That way complacency can’t set in when they’re all are reminded though they won the Stupor Bowl there were several games they didn’t play all that great and 5 of them were losses. Like PSL Bob said! Bucs gottal treat every game like it’s a playoff game. Simple formula, offense score many points defense don’t give up too many points. Plain AND simple
June 10th, 2021 at 9:44 pm
No, Joe doesn’t do true click-bait. Every so often he doesn’t mind a quick poke into the hornet’s nest just for fun I suspect. Hah! 😼
June 10th, 2021 at 10:15 pm
Every win is a new franchise record. Keep it rolling as long as possible. Go Bucs
June 10th, 2021 at 11:03 pm
I hate the notion of hoping for an early season loss. Half the team is young and hungry and the other half knows better because they’re vets.
I would like them to kick ass every damn game …. but if they do need a wake up call how about squeaking past the Rams and beating a much lesser opponent while having a horrible game.
June 11th, 2021 at 9:52 am
If that is the Miami game I am thinking of, that last play was EPIC!!
June 11th, 2021 at 10:13 am
Also, don’t pull a Warren Sapp and kick the other team’s goal marker before the game.
June 11th, 2021 at 11:06 am
for some reason, brady struggles with the fins…
i think the locker room is too strong for them to lose focus…
GO BUCS!!!!