“It Felt Like Everybody Was Having Their Best Games Against Us”
February 11th, 2022
Mike Evans talked about the bullseye effect this week.
The greatest receiver in Buccaneers history joined the PFT set at the Super Bowl to talk all things Bucs with the great Mike Florio and former Bucs QB Chris Simms.
Simms wanted Evans to explain what it was like running through the season as the defending champs. Much was made before the season that the Bucs were now “the hunted,” and Evans said he could feel it every week.
“The season obviously didn’t end like we wanted, but man, it was an unbelievable season to have the fans back, getting everybody’s best game,” Evans said. “Everybody we’re playing against, we’re getting their best. I mean, it felt like everybody was just having their best games against us. And I was on the other side playing against Tom Brady. Even though he plays quarterback, I wanted to play my best to beat Tom Brady. And when you’re a great player, that’s what’s going to happen. And when you’re a great team, that’s what’s going to happen. So I mean, it was fun getting everybody’s best, tightening our game up to make sure we were ready.”
Joe’s glad Evans mentioned the flip side of being the hunted — which is knowing you’re on everyone’s list and you’re tightening up your preparation as a result.
Damn, Joe was having a solid post-Pro-Bowl week before seeing and hearing Evans today. It conjured up too many sad thoughts of just how close the Bucs were to returning to the Super Bowl this season.
February 11th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
Call out Todd Bowles Joe he lost the game
February 11th, 2022 at 2:01 pm
Agreed with you on that last sentence Joe.
Ugh… what could have been.
February 11th, 2022 at 2:52 pm
You apparently didn’t visit this site in the hours after the game or the immediate following days.
February 11th, 2022 at 2:59 pm
Not only SB champs but led by Brady…..you bet we got everybody’s best game.
Got to get over ‘what could have been” and get to what can be.
February 11th, 2022 at 3:12 pm
When you have Tom Brady, and are defending Super Bowl Champs, this is what happens.
You are gonna get everybody’s best game.
February 11th, 2022 at 3:21 pm
Stupor Bowl winner means you have a target on your back. Any team that beats you gets a feather in their cap and a hour hour of pointless discussion on every news outlet.
February 11th, 2022 at 4:19 pm
THANKS, TODD.
How’d that job hunt turn out?
February 11th, 2022 at 4:53 pm
Two words: Todd Bowles.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Yeah I still can’t rewatch that rams game. Play prevent and there is a good chance we are playing Sunday. And everyone is excited and Tom isnt retired. And he is ready to try to go 3 peat. But we all know the ending no. We’d to rehash
February 11th, 2022 at 9:01 pm
Mike evens it seemed as if the other teams played their best against and that’s true but it’s also true our defense sucked injuries plaqued us all season im really surprised we were 13-4
February 11th, 2022 at 9:09 pm
Yes it is always the case. SB champ gets the bull’s eye every week. So you add that to the injuries and the coaching and locker room issues, and AB (which was a microcosm of it all). We should be proud that the team got as far as it did, and Brady was still able to get them to within eight quarters of a SB repeat.
This season is going to be a different problem, perhaps even trickier. As I’ve posted before, the Year Three problem. Same one that the Seahawks faced after losing the SB stupidly to NE. That kind of loss leaves scars, coaching questions, and on top of that, the loss of key veterans.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:53 pm
So in 2022 without Brady the Bucs will be written off. The Bucs will not get opponents hair on fire games, they’ll get overlooked unless they start winning early.
I like what’s happening in N.O. They lost their biggest asset in Payton. Don’t care for him personally but he is a great offensive mind.
He bailed..perhaps because the Saints have no frightening QB on their roster.
Scatter armed and scatter brained JW coming off a major knee injury…and the running back they play at QB.
And now Kamara will sit for how long. In fact given the nature of that beatdown and the video he may be facing an orange jumpsuit. I’m not attorney but I think assault and battery that results in a guy getting permanent eye damage is a pretty serious offense.
The Panthers are not ready and the Falcons may the only team in our division that posts a winning record. Matty Ice is still young enough…he has targets and their defense is improving. I’m going to watch their draft for sure.
February 12th, 2022 at 12:56 am
People tend to have their best games against you when you are injured.
What is unforgiveable, is when the coaches let the other team have their best game against you because they’re out interviewing for other jobs when they should be preparing, and ignore the data presented, ignore the fact that the best receiver in the NFL is on the other side and might just need to be covered, especially at the end.
Blitz the mailman next time, Todd. He might at least eventually find the correct address where Matt Stafford was standing.
February 12th, 2022 at 3:44 am
On balance, I have been a BA fan.
But let’s be clear…he is quick to call out anyone
(including Brady) if they play badly…especially if it
costs us a Loss.
However…when it comes to BA, Todd, or BL’s lack of
performance that causes an ugly loss, at best we get
generic coach’s speak.
“We could have executed better”
“We’ve got to do a better job inside the red zone”
“We’ve got to start games with a greater sense of urgency”, etc, etc, etc.
Perhaps I’ve missed something, but for the life of me, I
cannot remember a single time he specifically called himself, TB, or BL out as the reason for a loss.
The p*ss poor defensive play call against the Rams that
caused us the game with a minute to go???
Oh, that would be because some of our guys on the field
didn’t “get the word” on the play call.
Oh, and I wonder who’s fault that was?