No “Ceiling” Mike Evans
December 31st, 2024
It’s possible that Mike Evans’ game is on the rise, something atypical for a 31-year-old receiver with 176 NFL games on his résumé.
Listening to Todd Bowles with WFLA-TV sports chief Dan Lucas yesterday, Joe heard the head coach say Evans is taking his game to another level.
“He goes up all the time. Nothing he does surprises you. He doesn’t have a ceiling,” Bowles said of Evans.
“He executes. He can play big-boy ball. He can play small ball. He can run after the catch. He can do everything you want. He can block. He can do all the above for us and we need every part of it.”
Joe sees a do-it-all Evans, as well.
Even if the Bucs won’t throw him one or more go-balls in a game, Joe thinks Evans remains capable of executing the deep shot. Sunday’s CBS game announcers noted Evans emphasized to them that he’s fully healthy to go deep.
In the four games this season in which Evans got nine or more targets, he’s had a big game and the Bucs are 4-0, including wins against the Eagles and Chargers.
Perhaps more important is that in each of those four games, Evans had 94 or more yards.
He needs only 85 yards on Sunday to reach 1,000 yards for the 11th consecutive season. So it seems the Bucs’ formula Sunday best include at least 10 targets for Mr. Evans.
December 31st, 2024 at 11:57 am
IMOH ….. ME13 will be a first ballot HOF-er.
I hope he gets his 1000 yds this Sunday….. BAKER, FEED HIM!!!! 😁
December 31st, 2024 at 11:59 am
Could have had more vs Carolina…….hopefully, that won’t cost him.
Targeting him deep on 50-50 balls will pay off……get a good lead and then start throwing deep to Mike.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:02 pm
Two ‘go’ routes could net him the 85 yards he needs.
Regardless of how he gets those yards, my vote is to sit him once he does.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:02 pm
Mike’s gonna have a huge game. No Lattimore to deal with.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:05 pm
i’m hoping mike has another 5k yards in him…
and jumps in front of larry fitzgerald to the number 2 position in all time receiving yards…
is it possible he has like 5 more seasons in him?
can mike play tight end from 35 to 40 years old as well, and just never retire…lol
can mike take some of those tom brady anti aging pills and just keep going…
can mike never eat a big mac again…
can mike stop snacking on haribos…
can mike hire alex guerrero…
can mike be like mike
December 31st, 2024 at 12:09 pm
oh you can bet bake is gonna feed him…!
if baker can get a ball back from the stands for payne durham, you can sure as hell bet he’s gonna feed mike everything…including a mickey dee’s happy meal
December 31st, 2024 at 12:16 pm
Doooooooo itttt. The man deserves every bit. Come in during the lost decade stuck it out with the team that drafted him he could have gone home and played for Houston. Man has bin a tru pro. My fav is him always getting into fight with the ain’t well more like lattimore but he done. Wanna be like Mike
December 31st, 2024 at 12:20 pm
Go get it Evans!
December 31st, 2024 at 12:33 pm
gp
Agreed.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:43 pm
It would be fun to see Mike (#13) with 13x 1K seasons.
Get this one and 2 more. Seems like a lot to hope for.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:47 pm
Yeah, I don’t think ME13 wants play as long as Jerry Rice, hence why Rice has that many.
ME13 has already proven he’s a HOF-er and the most prolific offensive player in Bucs history and one of the best WRs in NFL history.
If ME13 continues to play, it’ll just be for love of the game because he’s already made his money & career
December 31st, 2024 at 12:52 pm
Make sure the record gets gotten.
December 31st, 2024 at 1:05 pm
Start with a heavy dose of Bucky and then stating hit M1K3 with quick slants, getting him going and then BOOM…a mid-deep shot to get to the 85!
December 31st, 2024 at 1:18 pm
Evan’s record is secondary to winning this game. Had he not missed 3 games due to injury this would not even be a topic for discussion.
December 31st, 2024 at 1:25 pm
It was against the Saints that Mike needed 1k in his rookie year and it will be against the saints that he will need to keep the streak alive (full circle)
December 31st, 2024 at 1:28 pm
Early in the 4th quarter, leading 41-14, The Bucs had 3rd & 7 from the 21.
Evans caught a six yard pass to make it 4th & 1, but the defense was offside. The Bucs took the penalty like they normally would giving them 3rd & 2 instead of 4th & 1. The Bucs ended up scoring on a touchdown on a pass to McMillan, And, on the next drive, they put Trask and some other backups in the game.
With a lead that big that late in the game, I wished they would have let Evans keep the yards and tried to convert the 4th & 1 or kicked a Field Goal.
But, that is what Monday mornings are for, right?
December 31st, 2024 at 1:47 pm
I saw a lot of opportunity for quick hitch, bubble screen or slants against Carolina. If saints play off double coverage like Carolina did i hope they dink and dunk mike to death.
December 31st, 2024 at 2:30 pm
The countdown has begun. Cannot wait for Mike to reach his 1000 yds.
December 31st, 2024 at 2:34 pm
It’s true seems that Evans has performed better at age 31 than he has in his career
December 31st, 2024 at 3:03 pm
Only remaining thing we need to know about ME13, is who will be his HOF speech presenter? Would be interesting if Chris Godwin, Todd Bowles, Tom Brady?
December 31st, 2024 at 3:23 pm
I hope Mike Evans retires here like LVD will do……I think he’s the greatest offensive player in Buccaneers history.
December 31st, 2024 at 3:42 pm
IMHO
Mike is already a first ballot HOF . I don’t frigging care if he gets it or not because this is not about player stats ! BEAT THE AINTS & WIN THE DIVISON . IF THAT MEANS RUNNING BUCKY 40 TIMES OR THROWING TD’S TO ME13 JUST GET IT DONE & PLAYOFFS HERE WE COME
December 31st, 2024 at 4:42 pm
For the gamblers out there ,, easiest bet of the year is big Mike over yards, over 83 (or whatever it’s set at , probably more like 70) omg just checked the ML,,, Bucs are -950,,,,, haven’t seen that all year
December 31st, 2024 at 5:25 pm
It hasn’t mattered who was the Bucs QB through Mike’s 11 seasons. Besides Baker Mayfield and Tom Brady, Mike had had Josh McGowan, Mike Glennon, Jameis Winston, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. I think he will play 15 seasons, surpass the Jerry Rice record, and set a record that will never be broken.
December 31st, 2024 at 9:40 pm
Liam Coen should be able to work 82 yards for Mike in there somehow.
Too bad Bowles didn’t allow shaving, say, another 20 yards off that “total-needed” at the end of the 4th Qtr. last Sunday though.
January 1st, 2025 at 3:15 am
Correction: 85 yards.