Overcoming Adversity
November 13th, 2023
Bad drop didn’t stop him.
Joe may have never heard the crowd at The Licht House so quiet.
It was early in the third quarter and the Bucs appeared to be driving for a touchdown in a 7-3 ballgame with the lead.
This appeared to be another debacle in the making like the Atlanta game earlier this year: Two bad, boring offenses in a pillow fight — unwilling or unable (or both) to score more than a touchdown.
But the Bucs were marching. On second down from the Tennessee-7, Baker Mayfield found a wide-ass open Mike Evans in the middle of the end zone. Mayfield hit Evans right in the numbers. Perhaps it was too easy? Evans dropped it. The Bucs would settle for a field goal and a 10-3 lead.
After the field goal, the three-gun salute from the cannons sounded to celebrate the score. And the stadium was damn near silent.
Did Evans’ drop suck the life out of Bucs fans? Were they now believing the team was doomed for another bad loss to a bad team with no offense?
Again, Joe never heard that stadium that quiet before after a Bucs score of any sort.
Well, if Bucs fans were depressed, Evans was mad as hell at himself for that drop, enough so that when he did score a touchdown, Evans dragged two Titans defenders with him into the end zone after catching the ball on the Tennessee-5.
“We just kept playing,” Evans said of he and his Bucs teammates after that ugly drop. “That’s what this game is about – adversity, and overcoming that.
“That’s what life is about. You know, we just kept fighting, and we were able to make some plays down the stretch to win it.”
And Evans was the one making plays. He finished the game with 143 yards receiving. It was Evans’ second-best game this season eclipsed only by his 171 yards receiving against the Bears.
Every time Evans has over 125 yards receiving this season, the Bucs win. How about that?
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Bucs and Evans is damn happy that is over.
“It’s a lot of weight off your shoulders,” Evans said. “This feels great. Everybody in the locker room is having fun. You know, four in a row is tough, especially with our talent, and what we believe that we can do.
“We definitely believe that we can be contenders and be a playoff team. This is a good start for us.”
What better way to keep the good vibes going than to take down the NFC West bully 49ers in their own crib in six days?
Evans has 737 yards receiving yards in 2023 and needs just 263 yards receiving in eight games (averaging 33 yards a game) to reach 1,000 yards for the 10th straight season.
Mike Evans is too strong 💪
📺: #TENvsTB on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kECSNGc6Bj pic.twitter.com/Mvd9mu4GpW— NFL (@NFL) November 12, 2023
November 13th, 2023 at 12:06 am
Great touchdown after a terrible drop. Evans said in his press conference he was thinking about who he was going to give the football to after scoring the touchdown on his drop. He lost consecration, it was too easy in his mind and he lost focus and dropped it.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:11 am
Mike had a great statistical day but I wouldn’t advocate the huge contract he’s seeking. He’s dropped 3-4 TDs and critical 3rd downs this year. He’s an all time great Buc but so is LVD. LVD is playing for $7M.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:14 am
Listen, that is a great story and a much needed win. But don’t think for a second the Bucs don’t catch a good old fashioned beating next week. Sunday will be a bloodbath and it won’t be the Bucs holding the axe. I am not looking forward to my dad and best bud (both niner fans) coming over on Sunday to watch this s-show that is about to go down.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:19 am
Bucs going to play a complete game n3xt week and shock the nfl
November 13th, 2023 at 12:21 am
Mike probably cost the team 7 points today. Could have been bad if we didn’t make up for it
November 13th, 2023 at 12:47 am
A couple of plays before the drop, the reason the Bucs were near the endzone, is because Evans made an amazing catch on yet another underthrown ball by Mayfield – if Mayfield actually puts the ball where it should be, there is no drop, and Evans has the TD there.
As for the earlier, alleged drop – that’s BS. Assuming the defender didn’t touch the ball, which was not clear from the only replay they showed, the guy was right in Evans face when the ball was getting there. That’s not a drop.
The endzone drop, however, was a drop. And you know what, Angry Mike, is the best Mike, and the drop made him angry.
November 13th, 2023 at 3:29 am
A great win for the Bucs. All of the captains balled out. It was nice to see. A win! No Carlton Davis getting toasted too! How refreshing was that. Next week the niners are 10 1/2 favorites. It will be asking a lot traveling to the west coast and eating a W against the niners. But as they say on any given Sunday the worst can whip the best…. The Bucs could use a little serendipity about now. Take da points! Go Bucs.
November 13th, 2023 at 4:44 am
They’re both drops. Unless you’re willing to concede Evans isn’t a Hall of Fame receiver & he’s just been the only decent option on historically bad teams more often than not.
November 13th, 2023 at 5:31 am
Had Baker been more accurate that 43 yard catch would’ve been an easy walk in TD. Instead Mike as to slow down, and make a hard catch. Same thing with the Palmer throw that was over turned. It shouldn’t have come down to a circus catch. Baker makes a better throw, it’s an easy six. Baker should’ve had two more easy TDs.
November 13th, 2023 at 7:18 am
The dropped TD pass by ME13 was perfectly thrown and hit him right in the ‘breadbasket.’ If I was in his shoes, I would have been mad at myself, too. He made up for it big-time, stinky Titans or not. So, 10.5 underdogs to the 49ers, eh? Time for Cardiac Bucs and a win.
November 13th, 2023 at 7:47 am
Rod, you are just so negative (sarcasm). What is it these idiots say… you are a troll. Can’t fix stupid.
November 13th, 2023 at 7:55 am
Says the guy who I’ve never seen before in this forum.
Funny stuff Harry.
November 13th, 2023 at 8:14 am
Buc U, Ive been on this site since it first came on. I don’t comment as much as I used to bc the personal attacks and stupid troll comments are disgusting to me. I don’t know why ppl can’t have an opinion w out all the BS
November 13th, 2023 at 8:22 am
The running effort Mike gave in this play is what he should give after EVERY reception. If he did, he would tack-on an additional 200-300 yards receiving per year. Why doesn’t he normally run “mad”? After too many receptions he’s looking for and finds the ground, before contact. The difference is noticeable.
I’ve said many times before, if I had his body, you’d need an elephant gun to get me to the ground. I think Mike is great. I simply think he could be better.
November 13th, 2023 at 8:59 am
Evans is playing his way out of the Bucs. A few more 100 yard games and 5 or more TDs, and it will be one oh his best seasons. The Bucs won’t pay the 23-25 million he’ll command in the open market.
The team mostly likely to get Evans is the Texans. They have a hotshot QB on a rookie contract, thus they can afford him. They don’t have another wr on a big contract. And it’s Evans home state. You heard it hear first.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:15 am
Remember what Evans did four years ago almost to the day? I do.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:07 am
Too many drops, ya he makes plays but loses ya games and momentum with his drops and taking plays off.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:16 am
I hope Evans cracks 1,000 yards in 16 games or less. His streak would mean more if he can continue it without needing a 17th game. I could care less whether Evans needs 16 or 17 games, but it would help Ira’s pitch for the Hall of Fame someday.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:16 am
Not the first time Evans has got a pass inside the 10 and dragged a few defenders into the end zone with him.
Probably won’t be the last either.
Dude is a stud.
November 13th, 2023 at 11:22 am
Self inflicted adversity, though…. Yesterday was Mike Evans’ whole career in a nutshell. Great player but an absolute rollercoaster, also. And now it’s as if we have the QB version of Evans in Mayfield.
November 13th, 2023 at 11:50 am
Evans 1st drop this game cost the Bucs at least 3 points. His 2nd drop cost 4 more points. This seems to be the norm this year for Evans. The big plays are nice but eventually dropped passes in key situations can kill drives and cost points. Similar to guy who hits 35 home runs but leads the league in strikeouts
November 13th, 2023 at 1:40 pm
You Trolls need to go back to where you came from. Mike Evans has only had 6 drops this year so far and over 700 yards with 48 catches. He’s been the most consistent receiver in nfl history. For the idiot who said Evans loses games I want you to name one game over his 10 seasons that he’s cost the Bucs to lose? You can’t, so shut your mouth.