Bucs Players Did Not Deny Being “Deflated” After Mike Evans’ Injury
October 22nd, 2024
Air left the balloon.
Joe doesn’t have field access in any NFL stadium. So at times, the only way Joe can judge what’s happening on the bench is by sight.
Joe does have locker room access after games. So Joe did some asking around tonight after the Bucs’ 41-31 loss to Baltimore.
From up above in the press box, it sure looked and felt to Joe like the Bucs were a different team after Mike Evans went down with what a nasty hamstring injury.
Baker Mayfield looked rattled. The Bucs didn’t seem to have the same fire. They weren’t playing as sharply.
So Joe asked four players, two on defense and two on offense, the following question:
“It appeared that air was let out of the balloon after Mike Evans got hurt. Is that fair?”
Not one of the four claimed Joe’s observation was inaccurate. All lamented Evans having to leave. One player used the word “deflating” in describing the reaction to Evans’ injury.
Each claimed that was a reason the Bucs lost. The common denominator to why the Bucs lost? Lack of execution.
At least no one told Joe the loss was because of “communication.”
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:44 am
Only 2 onside kicks allowed in a game joe. Ask the players if any of them knew that rule.
There was no scoring then onside kick left. We ended Godwins season for Bowles hubris.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:45 am
He should not have played.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:46 am
The Bucs lost to the better team. They would have lost with or without NE. The credit goes to the Ravens, they are unstoppable on offense. There’s a reason why they are the best offense in the NFL. The Bucs are not on the Ravens level. They were clearly over matched tonight.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:47 am
**ME
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:48 am
Im his news conference mr hc didnt even know. Blood on roquan smith’s dirty hands and it is our sorry head coach that ia reponsible. Period. Our Defense reached it’s ceiling with him and he consistently doesnt have our team prepared, dumbest moves at most crucial times, lackluater attitude, etcetera. Chris Godwin was the absolute last straw.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:51 am
Evans has been playing hurt all year and he was holding his hamstring man that’s kind a ah whatever lol on to Atlanta
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:55 am
Rule has been clarified. The previous version of the rule only allowed 2 attempts. That version did not pass.
Sorry for confusion. I was very mad.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:56 am
MANY are spreading misinformation about the NFL onside kick rules…..
There is NO rule that says your only allowed 2 onside kicks.
That was a proposed rule but it didnt pass!!!!
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:58 am
aj brown was held out for at least a month and he was walking around much better than mike. that should tell you how long to expect mike out for
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:02 am
I fully believe this story because this team is ran by a mentally weak individual! This “next man up” bs is just that… BS!
Todd’s ceiling as a hc is 9-8. Ditch this guy after this season is done.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:02 am
I feel terrible about what happened to Mike and Chris, but I am glad that we fought until the end. To me, there was no reason to keep our best players out. I seem to disagree with just about everyone.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:02 am
Yeah I expect ME13 back after the bye week for the Bucs…..
That would be in 5 weeks I think??
Doesn’t matter…..
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:02 am
No doubt Ravens have a good offense, but there is literally no type of offense in 2024 that Bowles’ defense excels against. Statue Cousins torches us. Rookie Bo Nix torches us. Every team in the league has figured Bowles out, and just like Lovie Smith, he either too dumb or too stubborn to change his antiquated ways.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:14 am
Calm down on the Bowles hate we had a chance to win so keep fighting I love that and bet you Chris is not done he will be back time for next man up to prove it
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:15 am
The players should not have been deflated. They should have been fired up to avenge Mike. There is no crying in football!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:29 am
Agree Pryda30…..
I guarantee theres nobody outside of the players that feels worse than what happened to Godwin than Todd Bowels.
Leave the man alone!!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:31 am
As a bucs fan of let’s say 30 years I can say I’ve never been as deflated as I am right now. Not even being hyperbolic.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:45 am
I trust in Liam Cohn and Baker to adjust the offense to the skill set of the next man up…the running game can be something special…it’s that defense that I simply cannot trust to not break my heart in the second half.
October 22nd, 2024 at 5:46 am
Team full of softies
October 22nd, 2024 at 5:50 am
I was saying all last week that Mike should’ve sat last night. Never should have played.
Is it possible that he felt his hamstring go in the split second before the pass reached him? It would certainly be a painful enough injury to distract any player from catching an otherwise catchable pass.
Broken hearted over the injury to Chris.
As much as I want Todd Bowles gone, I don’t know that I can blame him for Chris’ injury. If he had pulled all the starters because “we were going to lose, anyhow”, we’d be calling for his head for making that decision.
We’ve (including me) creamed Todd in the past for pulling the plug in the waning moments of games. Last night he went in the opposite direction and unfortunately the result was a serious injury for one of our star players.
Baker (and to an extent, Liam Coen) both strike me as the kind of people that will bounce back and soldier on even though they’re both kind of deflated right now.
*sigh*
October 22nd, 2024 at 6:33 am
@Vanessa Anne
WOW!!! Thanks for returning a measure of sanity to this discussion.
The only place we disagree is “wanting Todd gone”. I’m willing to give him the rest of the season and then add up wins and losses.
But I hope to get to read more of you here. I’m the “skunk at the picnic” here because I’m an optimist and generally most fans of most teams get a lot of their jollies pointing out their team’s follies and poor players. I get that from a football analysis point but NOT from the point of a fan!
Sadly here it gets taken to such an extreme that many posters and sometimes the blog’s owner get carried away in negativity that MAY be “good analysis” but is not supportive nor productive.
October 22nd, 2024 at 7:01 am
“Deflated?” These are professional athletes on one of the world’s biggest stages, MNF. Surely in their YEARS of playing football (Pop Warner, Middle School, HS, college, and now Pro) they’ve seen teammates fall. That is a pathetic excuse and yet another indictment on Bowles as HS….poor emotional leader, not to mention prep, defensive scheme, adjustments, and game management
October 22nd, 2024 at 7:23 am
Mike and Chris wanted to play. I also wanted Mike to rest up this game, but we don’t know what is spoken behind closed doors. I do notice that some teams have the coaches making the decision to have an injured player sit out. Not blaming Bowles, but this could have been one of those times. But we all know Mike. He is humble, won’t complain about pain, and will want to play until he can’t. This is what happened. Sadly, possibly the same with Chris. He wanted to play till the end. I like Todd, his players respect him, and there is a connection vibe. If they fire him, who do they get? Another coach that was fired or is being fired? An unproven OC or DC coach from another team. No way. Bowles needs to stay.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:51 pm
Lakeland Buc says the Ravens are not a better team they are an extremely dirty playing team thats the only way the can win they deliberately injured Godwin!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:48 pm
Why didcthe defender grab Mike’s legs ? Was that a illegal hip drop ?