Be Like Mike
December 26th, 2023
Playmakers make plays.
What is the secret sauce of the Bucs’ win streak? Well, one popular NFL analyst believes it’s the Bucs letting their best player take over.
That player would be future Hall of Famer Mike Evans. Even though the guy is 30, he’s having one of his best seasons in the NFL. Evans could have 1,300 yards receiving by the end of the regular season and only needs two touchdowns for a career-high 15 touchdowns in a season.
Obviously, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is having a rebirth. One reason, per former NFL offensive lineman and current NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, is that Mayfield is putting the ball out there where only Evans can make a play.
And from there, Evans takes over. In Joe’s mind, that’s a pretty smart strategy. Let your playmakers make plays, especially when your best playmaker will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.
.@Buccaneers @bakermayfield to @MikeEvans13_ is red hot and hard to stop. Bucs on way to a division title? #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/7dXRwh2FJP
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 25, 2023
December 26th, 2023 at 12:18 am
the fabulous baker boys = ME13 and CG14 🙂
December 26th, 2023 at 12:23 am
Bucs barely beat Atlanta and Panther by four and three points with Baker throwing 48% and less than 150 yards. Bake just had a back to back multi TD’s against Green Bay and Jags for the first time this season. The Bucs wining streak is manly due to their solid defense by the Toilet Bowl not Baker.
December 26th, 2023 at 12:37 am
Bucs are winning because Bowles figured out he was being a knuckle head with that run run BS and sticking with veteran players like Hall and JTS who wasn’t getting the job done. The Bucs are getting the ball to Godwin and Evans and the change of players on defense are also making a difference
December 26th, 2023 at 12:52 am
So many in this town and on the national TV just continue to ignore this team’s reality. It is and had Always been the Oline! Last couple years that Oline was a mess. Last few games you can see that Oline is gelling! What a difference protection and a line that can actually put creases for a running back to gain 3-4 yards when needed. Thusly setting up a little play action. Last couple games Mayfield Has had a lot more clean pickets to deal from!
December 26th, 2023 at 3:33 am
ME is a great future hall of fame player but this is nonsense. ME got his thousand yards multiple games ago so he has been there all along. So No Evans is NOT the secret sauce to this resurgence.
The secret sauce isn’t so secret a sauce. Its right in front of our eyes when we watch the games.
The ball is going EVERYWHERE now. WHy? welll is it a coincindence this started happening once Mike got his thousand yards and the run built a little rep for not being nonexistent – I don’t think so
Baker has admitted he didn’t want to be the QB that broke the streak for mike. Think he was alone? Nope. Canales is now free to do all kinds of things and use players like Moore etc.
Now defenses have to account for everyone on the field.
Canales was right and a lot of us were wrong (myself included) – he needed to stick to the run game – not all that running up the gut but keep the defense knowing they can be beat multiple ways by anyone on the field.
December 26th, 2023 at 5:25 am
I find myself wondering after some stuff I read about Brady and Mike and his training regimen. If mike hasn’t adopted some of his “fountain of youth” elixir. They used to say it was in Florida you know.
Go Bucs!
December 26th, 2023 at 6:05 am
Ugh. David just shut up! They just smoked 2 teams back to back weeks. Yes team n baker has definitely had bad moments truth is his numbers are up there with the best QBs in the league! Team is on a 4 game win streak. Go follow another team maybe the saints or something
December 26th, 2023 at 6:06 am
IMO, The secret sauce has a lot of ingredients ,kind of like a little of this and a
little of that.
Running up the middle on first and second down consistently may have been worthwhile to get the blocking and running game in sync, but the offense was too
predictable. I will say that watching the O lineman and possibly TE’s downfield blocking to help spring White for his Td on the 30 + yard screen Td a required
execution not present earlier in the year, IMO.
But Bowles, bending to the pressure of a losing season adapted before it was too late. Its any bodies guess what other factors helped in this turnaround. In no particular order, I would chalk it up to a combination of necessity, and input from players, coaches and one very frustrated wife that probably started some frank conversations between a coach and a very unselfish, high impact player
who did not deserve to be an afterthought in this offense. This offense is much more balanced with Chris and other targets involved, and Baker being able to get in a rhythm, thanks to the change from the run, run pass offense that failed in the scoring dept.
December 26th, 2023 at 6:10 am
Who would have thought that using your best players would lead to winning games. 🙄
December 26th, 2023 at 6:51 am
maybe we woulda been better sooner if diaby and izien had taken over for jts and neal earlier in the season. kancey and diaby are balling and izien is a big upgrade. why did it take so long to give them the snap counts they deserve
December 26th, 2023 at 8:37 am
David, you’re doing the opposite of polishing a turd. Do you realize that? You’re taking something that is obviously good and you’re desperately attempting to make it less than. And you’re failing of course. Because you are simply a troll, and a poor one at that. But please carry on. It’s amusing reading simpletons try their hand at commenting.
December 26th, 2023 at 9:12 am
One of, inot the Best Bucs ever….
And people here in this site loudly said things like trade hime, he is old, trade bate…..
Just thinking this beast can wear a different uniform next year makes me sick!!!!!!
Peculiar fan base
December 26th, 2023 at 10:15 am
they should get CG14 his 1,000 yards too…
it’s well within reach…
he’s gonna need 1 big game
December 26th, 2023 at 10:33 am
The secret sauce is to actually utilize ME13 and his skillset. He is elite at the 50/50 ball. I dont think Brady threw enough of those to him, and previously Mike was used as a decoy to absorb coverage, or Jameis would throw that other 50% to a defender. He still has lots of fuel in the tank, and doesnt get as many targets as he should.
December 26th, 2023 at 10:36 am
Best odds on the team to get MVP @ +10000. Godwin @ +15000.
Good ole Baker is @ +30000. Flacco (4 Games) is +27000 and Trask is @ +50000.
Looks like Mike and Chris are creating a Johnny Football V2.0
December 26th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Classic shake n Bake
December 26th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
I do realize this is ancient history. Last season TB12 drove me nuts because, when in the red zone, he seldom targeted ME13 with those “only ME13 can reach TD passes”! Those passes were so common place the previous years of ME13 ‘s career!