“Danger!”
September 25th, 2024
Too early to panic?
Joe can just hear it now.
Someone has some AI software that sounds like the robot from “Lost in Space” cackling about Mike Evans’ low receiving numbers after three games, “Danger, Mike Evans! Danger!”
Is his streak in danger before the end of September? You know the record. Evans’ has 10 straight seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards?
Well, Josh Kendall of The Athletic is already hitting the panic button and suggests Evans’ coveted streak is in “early danger.”
Surprise: Mike Evans’ slow start
This is a Mike Evans appreciation post in disguise. He’s had 1,000 yards in each of his 10 seasons, which is remarkable, but the streak is in early danger. He has only 10 catches for 120 yards, and Chris Godwin has 10 more targets than Evans through three games. His lack of participation hadn’t hurt Tampa Bay until Sunday, when he was held to two catches for 17 yards by Patrick Surtain, and the Buccaneers were upset by the Broncos.
Well, it’s not like Evans isn’t getting separation. So that leaves Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen and quarterback Baker Mayfield to step up.
Joe knows Mayfield really wants to target Evans. So it’s not like there is something weird between the two.
Coen, apparently, has been able to dial up plays where Evans is open. What the Bucs have to do is find out why Mayfield may be missing Evans or why Mayfield is choosing underneath throws to Chris Godwin. Without Luke Goedeke at right tackle (Weeks 2 and 3), the entire offensive line’s pass blocking has caved in. Now it’s up to Coen and offensive line coach Kevin Carberry to fix it.
Joe has a hunch Evans not being targeted is connected to the jailbreak pass blocking since Goedeke has been out.
Ira Kaufman Reflects On Sunday’s Beating — What’s Critical And What’s Not — And The Current State Of The Bucs
September 25th, 2024 at 9:13 am
I think the Joes are right, Mayfield having defenders in his face so quick doesn’t allow time for Evans to be targeted. But truthfully I’m far more concerned with the Bucs winning games than individual stats and records. Just win baby! And all the individual stuff will work out. Go Bucs!
September 25th, 2024 at 9:30 am
Well when you don’t take ANY deep shots that will affect production…
September 25th, 2024 at 9:33 am
Until Goedeke returns, Mayfield isn’t going to have time to find Evans very often.
Joe, is Goedeke ever going to return from his brain/ head injury?
I’m skeptical
Concussion recovery literally is one day at a time. No reason to think he’s had a setback. Will know more today or Thursday. –Joe
September 25th, 2024 at 9:38 am
Doesn’t matter if Luke comes back, when Mauch is allowing quick pressure. Watch the tape, Mauch is being abused, and his man is closer to the QB then the outside rushers. Can’t have quick pressure in Baker’s face, Mauch allowed that to happen on back to back plays. He’s not an NFL guard, pull the plug on the experiment, it ain’t working, he hasn’t improved.
September 25th, 2024 at 9:41 am
Goedeke is not the reason all 5 players on the field can’t block anyone. This is a dumb narrative that insults our intelligence. Goedeke isn’t even all that good to begin with but regardless there are 5 olinemen on the field in his absence and they all basically suck, Mauch especially. That guy is an alarming liability and everyone looks past it. Crazy how people believe what they want to believe instead of what they see with their own eyes. A problem in this country that goes well beyond Bucs and football.
September 25th, 2024 at 9:42 am
Best QB there is is Patrick Mahomes and he looked like crap against us in the super bowl with two missing tackles
September 25th, 2024 at 9:59 am
Baker has to get the ball put quicker and the OC has to call quicker pass plays. Maybe even go up-tempo. Switch it up. Help your OL and QB put Coen!
September 25th, 2024 at 10:05 am
Mayfield’s interception came when he forced it into a double covered Evans. Put us down by 14 in the first quarter.
September 25th, 2024 at 10:29 am
HAHA Danger Will Robinson!!!
September 25th, 2024 at 10:30 am
RagingBrisket thinks all 5 O-linemen suck. Again, RagingBrisket thinks all 5 O-linemen suck. Hopefully, he is more knowledgeable when it comes to briskets.
September 25th, 2024 at 10:44 am
Totally agree. We need Goedeke back, and quick.
September 25th, 2024 at 10:48 am
I’m more concerned about the lack of targets for our young, speedy Wideouts. It’s seems like they are not even a part of the offense. And JMac is a excellent route runner with good hands. They are seeing a lot of one on one man coverage.
But to no avail…..this offense fail
To get them the ball
September 25th, 2024 at 11:04 am
Day 1-76- They sucked on Sunday giving up the booty all day and getting knocked around like a bunch of domestic abuse victims. How many sacks have they given up in the last few weeks? Where is the Bucs rushing attack ranked the last 2 years running? How many sacks has Wirfs given up so far this season? How about Mauch? Right, don’t believe observable reality, just believe what soothes your weak and fragile ego. Whatever makes you feel better champ!
September 25th, 2024 at 11:23 am
The imploding O-line and lack of playcalling creativity is to blame for Evan’s lack of involvement! It all changes this weekend with Luke back in and our OC waking up!!! Not on his watch…
September 25th, 2024 at 11:33 am
This is the NFL, no team goes undefeated, every team has bad losses. The main goal is to win games , not to get Evans his 11th year of 1,000 yards. Chalk it up as a loss and move on. It’s way to early for fans to be getting Chicken Little Syndrome, ” The sky is falling”.. The Bucs are off to a good start, enjoy it. They will lose more games than this one, relax, there is a ton of football left for Bucs fans to bitch about.
September 25th, 2024 at 11:38 am
Mike just needs his wife to publicly call the Bucs out.
September 25th, 2024 at 11:47 am
Hoping Luke is back on Sunday. Worrisome about the guys coming back too soon after a concussion.
Red – Too funny, so true! Godwin’s wife did it perfectly. We love Mike’s wife too. She encouraged him to stay with the Bucs. Both guys are very lucky.
September 25th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
I’m pretty sure on the Bucs list of goals this season, getting Evans his 11th season of 1 000 wasn’t at the top. There is a bunch of football left to play so let’s wait a game or two before we start with ” the sky is falling” routine. Evans will get his catches. Everyone relax
September 25th, 2024 at 12:13 pm
It’s too early in the season for these kinds of projections. Three games isn’t a real sample size. The offense will get better, especially when we get Goedeke back
September 25th, 2024 at 12:17 pm
Relax,,, Mike 140 this week and a Bucs win heal some wounds ,, 2-1 , 2-0 in NFC ,,,, could be better,, but it could be worse too
September 25th, 2024 at 12:22 pm
After seeing what canales did with a serviceable quarterback, might we reconsider how effective he was with baker and the pass game? Many here were quick to tar and feather Dave on his way out….the panthers are not going to be an easy win on the schedule ( with dalton ). Still, like canales, Coen should hit the learning curve …
September 25th, 2024 at 12:53 pm
westernbuc … ‘The offense will get better, especially when we get Goedeke back’.
I agree with you, but I think it goes even beyond getting Luke back in the lineup. We’ve got a new OC and we’ve got a new OLine coach. Both have a college pedegree (not all that much NFL experience) & I suspect it’ll take some time for them to learn a few lessons that more experienced coaches have learned the hard way.
Beyond that though, this Spring I remember reading a lot of stories about how some Bucs had ‘transformed themselves’ during the off-season. Vea & Wirfs both lost a bunch of weight. So did Gholston apparently. Mauch & Diaby transformed their bodies (whatever that really means). Sounds like a lot of change, and whether it was good or not is determined by their performance on the field. So far? I’m impressed … unfavorably.
September 25th, 2024 at 1:01 pm
What worries me is if Baker starts to force the ball to Mike. I don’t care about Mike getting 1000 yards again, I’m worried about winning games. If that means targeting other receivers, so be it. Maybe it is Goedeke being out that’s causing the issue, okay no problem, when he’s back we’ll know.
September 25th, 2024 at 1:04 pm
Joe … ‘Is his streak in danger before the end of September?’
Relax Joe, Mike always runs in spurts. Last year his biggest game was 171 yards, with another at 162 yards and still another at 143 yards. Heck that’s 476 yards in just 3 games. At that rate he would’ve ended the season with almost 2,700 yards.
But in case you’re wondering, his lowest production in 3 games was 8 yards, then 22 yards then 39 yards, for a total of only 69 yards. At that rate he would’ve ended the season with 391 yards.
Mike runs in spurts. And oh BTW, his best 3 games last season were against the Bears, the Titans & the Panthers. Combined record: 15-36. And yes we won all 3.
September 25th, 2024 at 1:28 pm
My 2024 Priorities as a Fan
1. Evans – 1K
2. Beat the Saints x2
3. Beat ATL x2
4. Make the Playoffs
September 25th, 2024 at 7:35 pm
What’s with some of you guys worried about the ball being forced to Mike. The issue is not Mike being forced the ball, he’s getting 4 targets a game. A WR1 should be getting 8 to 12 targets a game.
September 25th, 2024 at 8:34 pm
To bad JW was not still here.
Its ok, Baker is more than capable of getting the ball to Mike like JW.
To bad we didnt have a QB more like Brady who sat behind Brady a couple of years.
Truth is, Mike is a beast that has not had a QB but for a two years.
September 25th, 2024 at 9:20 pm
Of course missing O-line players affects Mayfield. It does every QB . Remember (shameless bost) mahomes play in the Superbowl against the Bucs .
No ? It was a blowout and the chiefs never sniffed the end zone the entire game . Ahem 31-9 I think .
Ball games are won in the trenches . Ask Sam Darnold . The guys came out limping and flat as runny pancake mix last Sunday. A really bad combination. Still believe Klein will start at left guard before this season is over . Once he does he will be there for years to come .
Shake it off fellows ! !
As always Go BUCS 🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️
September 25th, 2024 at 10:52 pm
No worries. Mike Evans always tends to struggle against elite corners. Yes, I know, he had some big games but most of the time…. ME is shut down. We need Adam Humphries back for these situations.
September 26th, 2024 at 1:00 am
How about Ike Hilliard? He’d be as effective as Humphries at the stage. LOL. Putting Humphries in the same paragraph as HOF Mike Evans is an insult to paragraphs.
September 26th, 2024 at 9:29 am
All because we got that trash QB 🤷🏾♂️
September 26th, 2024 at 10:38 am
Liam caught the too smart for your own good bug. He will learn to just throw him the damn ball.