Todd Bowles Addresses Playing For Mike Evans’ Streak
January 1st, 2025
Yes, there is unwanted stress at One Buc Palace.
The greatest receiver in Buccaneers history, Mike Evans, is 85 receiving yards from 1,000 this season. If he gets to 1,000, it will mark 11 consecutive years and tie the all-time NFL record held by legendary Jerry Rice (1986-1996).
Unfortunately, a hamstring injury cost Evans 3 1/2 games this season and Todd Bowles stole six yards from him on Sunday.
The Bucs have a must-win game against the slimy Saints on Sunday in order to make the playoffs and win the NFC South crown. So the Bucs simply cannot go overboard to get Evans his record unless the game is out of reach (hopefully in the appropriate direction).
Winning Sunday is more important than Evans’ record.
Still, there’s no reason the Bucs can’t get both done.
Head coach Todd Bowles addessed the situation on the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday.
“We’re very aware of [the streak] but we also are aware we have to win the ballgame,” Bowles said.”
“So within the scheme, we have to try to get him those yards, and everybody wants him to get them. But we want to win the ballgame just as much, even more so. And if we can do that and get him his yards, that’d be great.”
Yeah, Joe’s still pissed about those six yards lost on Sunday. Bowles was aware of the streak then, right? It was a blowout in the fourth quarter at the time.
The good news is the Bucs are 4-0 this season when Evans gets four or more targets, and Evans had more than 85 yards receiving in all of those games.
The bad news is the slimy Saints are an evil team and surely want to screw up Evans — mentally and physically — and do whatever it takes to make sure Evans misses the record or pays a nasty price for getting it.
Joe hopes Evans gets a couple of short throws on the Bucs’ opening drive, say 8 or 9 yards each. That should calm him a bit and lower his bar to a more manageable total.
For those who don’t follow every NFL move, Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, a longtime Evans rival, was traded to Washington in November.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:28 am
Yep “
Winning is more important than personal records.
That said if the team brings on their curb stomping boots early the rest will take care of itself.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:28 am
The worst thing this could do is encourage Coen to gameplan pass-heavy, which doesn’t play into Baker’s strengths and we’ll see interceptions (like he did against Dallas and it was detrimental).
January 1st, 2025 at 10:33 am
I think Joe is too sensitive about the 6 yards
January 1st, 2025 at 10:36 am
If they the play the Stanks the way they played the Poohters he’ll get those yards without forcing the issue. Hopefully he gets 100 yards 2 more tds and Baker gets 5 and 3 records will be set that probably will last for ever unless they can do it again next season.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:38 am
Bowles was primarily responsible for Brady having his 1st losing season. He threw away that last game.
If Evans misses 1000 yards, he’ll be primarily responsible too. Evans should have had those 6 yards. They also could have given him a couple more short safe targets for another 20 yards easily.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:40 am
Advice to Bowles, targeting your best receiver 10 or more times is a strategy teams employ most often. So targeting Mike more often is the best strategy to win the game duhh.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:43 am
Brady will be calling the game this week. Have faith Bucs fans I smell a playoff berth and Evans to hit a 1000 yds on the season.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:44 am
I’ll be heartbroken if Mike doesn’t get 1,000 yards.
Right now, I’m just apprehensive.
The Saints play dirty. No doubt about it. And yes, they’d love to be spoilers and aren’t above pulling some underhanded tricks. They’ve proven that.
But, I can’t see playing the blame-game for the situation we’re in with Mike and the playoffs.
Pick any game on any given Sunday and go watch the All-22. You’ll see mistakes and missed opportunities everywhere.
We just need the entire team and coaches to bring their A-games, play aggressively, and play to win.
Third time’s the charm, as they say. We got curb-stomped by Denver and Dallas after we did some curb-stomping of our own.
A solid effort by the O, the D, and S.T.s and we won’t have to worry about that happening again.
Mike will get the 1K yards and we go into the playoffs!!
January 1st, 2025 at 10:46 am
it’s happening…
go mike go…!
catch mike catch…!
score mike score…!
(then think twice before you hand the ball off into the stands) 🙂
January 1st, 2025 at 10:48 am
Just knock it off about “those lost 6 yards”, he would have a bunch more yards if he hadn’t dropped several passes early in the season not being critical of Mike just saying things happen. More worriedabout Saint deliberately trying to injure him.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:52 am
Please- we won’t ever win a game with that kind of nonsense thinking. We do better when our passing game sets up the run game. If we start worrying about what can go wrong passing the ball we are losing what makes us great. An aggressive take no prisoners passing game. 1 interception against Dallas that should have been a touchdown. Tell me how that is detrimental Please. The fumble was detrimental Please. We didn’t get close to losing this year because of any interceptions. Fumbles lost us at least one game, maybe 2. All that being said Mike will get his yards tomorrow. And he will get them early. Then we’ll close them out running the football down their throats.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:59 am
About the “stolen six yards”. I was just another drunk dude sitting on my coach. I started yelling (which I never do) “decline the penalty..just decline it!” Bowles either didn’t hear me or he ignored me! 😡 I hope that six yards isn’t the difference.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:03 am
Beware of those knee targeting safeties the Saints have.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:04 am
I’m not concerned about the 6 yards like many of the obsessed media types. We need a healthy Mike for the Saints game and once that game is in the bag at halftime, Coen will make sure Mike gets his yards. It’s funny that the same people obsessed with the 6 yards at the end of the game are the same ones saying Godwin should have been out of the game when he got hurt.
Coen will make sure Mike will get his yards – if he stays healthy. It helps that dirty Lattimore is gone.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:05 am
@ BradyGronk how could Bowles be responsible for Evans missing 1000 yards?!??
January 1st, 2025 at 11:08 am
How would baker and Liam not be more responsible than Bowles is Evans missing 1,000 yards?
January 1st, 2025 at 11:20 am
Evans also dropped an easy ball on the sidelines when he wasn’t paying attention which would have gotten him at least 20 more yards. If he comes up short he has no one to blame but himself.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:14 pm
Normally more yards for Evans equals greater probability of winning.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Anthony Says:
January 1st, 2025 at 11:08 am
How would baker and Liam not be more responsible than Bowles is Evans missing 1,000 yards?
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If he comes up 5 yards short that would be why. (bird in the hand) Game was not in doubt, even a turnover on downs would not have cost us the game.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Play physical from the opening whistle and punch Jordan, Davis and Mathieu in the nose to take the fight out of that defense. Remember last year when Mathieu nearly broke Baker’s ribs on a dirty hit which impacted him in the following game against the Panthers. Watch out for him in particular!
January 1st, 2025 at 12:32 pm
@Bucfanforever: how did you get that picture in your profile? (I’m an oldFartForever)
January 1st, 2025 at 12:32 pm
Mike will have those yards by halftime, bet on it.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:34 pm
Henry bringing hope!
January 1st, 2025 at 12:36 pm
If the Bucs took the 6 yards instead of the penalty it’s 4th down. By taking the penalty they had more downs to get more yards for Mike. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Too bad Baker’s one bad throw of the game came on a potential 30 yard pass to a wide open Mike Evans.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:48 pm
I can’t believe I’m saying this but if we can only have one, the division or Mike’s streak….I think I want the streak. And I feel guilty that I feel that way!
January 1st, 2025 at 1:09 pm
When Bowles accepted the penalty I shook my head. Another typical WTF decision. He could have thrown the challenge flag first at least, because Mike appeared to get a bad spot. Baker and Liam continue to overcome a big disadvantage and are appreciated for it.
January 1st, 2025 at 1:12 pm
Bowles struggles with game awareness and the ability to think and plan ahead. The number of costly mistakes are accumulating rapidly.
January 1st, 2025 at 1:16 pm
I really think Mike will get his 1000 yards this Sunday. However, I am worried about the Saints and dirty plays.
January 1st, 2025 at 1:22 pm
Saints have nothing to lose. We will know if they are laying down or came to play after the 1str qtr. Bucs need to bring it. Saints may play as if this is their Superbowl…and it is. They will probably double team Eans. So others need to be ready. Don’t force the ball to Evans. That might be a fatal mistake. Play hard Bucs. Don’t come out like the Saints are a given win. They might surprise you.
January 1st, 2025 at 3:08 pm
First, the Saints have been Slimy all too often in the past.
Now, the Bucs scored 51 points against the Saints in New Orleans in October while winning by 24 points. The Saints did squeak past Washington 3 weeks ago. But, since then, they lost 34-0 to Green Bay and 25-10 to Las Vegas.
So, someone, quietly and respectfully, should let the Saints know that the Bucs expect the Saints to do their best to win the game just as they did against Washington. But, that the Bucs will try to run up the score if the Saints target Evans and his record in a way that is not sporting.
That aside, NFL teams average 10 to 12 possessions per game.
The best way to get yards for Evans is to try not to throw a ball to a wide receiver on the first three or or four drives.
Run the ball and throw it short to the running backs and tight ends. Only throw it to a wide receiver to keep a drive alive or to score in the red zone. Punish the Saints for covering Evans, embarrass them and wear them down.
Then, while keeping to the original plan, look for Evans once or twice per drive on 10 to 20 yard crossing routes and quick outs for the rest of the half.
Follow the same plan in the second half. Grind the Saints down and punish them for the attention they give to Evans.
Avoid calling shots for Evans. But, when the opportunity presents itself, by all means, take it.
The Saints are right behind the Bucs in scoring defense at 18th. So, if the Bucs are close to the red zone, they should score anyway they can.
But, the Saints are 30th in run defense, 30th in total yards, and 27th in pass defense. The Bucs offense is 4th in points scored, 4th in rushing yards and 3rd in passing yards. The Bucs should the ball on six minute drives until the Saints are ready to drop where they stand. Then, keep running the ball while occasionally spreading the ball around; not forcing it to Evans is the best way to get it to Evans.
January 1st, 2025 at 3:44 pm
I honestly did not understand why we didn’t use the end of the Panther’s game to give Mike a bunch of yards. Game was over, why didn’t they use the 4th quarter to basically throw easy balls for small completions to Mike, like we did 2 times in the past during the current 10year streak?
Instead we pulled Mike out of the game and chose to run the ball with backups…
The game was over, the Panther’s players had given up, there was no hard hitting anymore: this was the perfect moment to inflate Mike’s numbers!
January 1st, 2025 at 3:59 pm
Why does anyone think this game will be over by halftime. No chance in the world we blow them out. They are playing all their guys carr kamara and olave. They want to play spoiler. No chance we blow them out. Saints +13.5 is a gift. It’s that mindset that I hope our players don’t have cause will lead to Atlanta winning the division. When was last time Tampa was a favorite this large? Has it ever happened? I don’t like people’s mindset with this. Who care about anything other than WIN THE GAME SUNDAY!
January 1st, 2025 at 4:03 pm
I agree with some takes here. Joe isn’t being sensitive, taking those yards away was dumb, 4th and half a yard, the game was over. Use it as 4th and short practice or kick a FG. Not getting him 30-40 more yards in garbage time vs the Panthers wasn’t a great move either. Would have taken a lot of pressure off.
I’m mostly bitter cause I bet Mike to go for 100 with a TD and accepting the penalty/ not getting him garbage time yards was bad for Mike and for me !
January 1st, 2025 at 4:50 pm
Pretty sure he’ll get it or he wont.
January 1st, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Everybody on this site wake up Coen calls the Offensive plays, not Bowles he isn’t even capable of devising any offense plays it ain’t on Bowles it’s on Coen I doubt Bowles wud even say hay Coen u better make them calls or else like he is the godfather WTF is wrong with u jokers
January 1st, 2025 at 5:14 pm
That’s when bad things happen near end & start purposely targeting 1 person that ain’t how it works it’s 1 thing bucky running for 5 yds to get 1000 of season & complete diff someone needing 85 yds the pros don’t even usually get 85 yds in an entire game STFU morons I swear
January 1st, 2025 at 5:14 pm
I’m so sick of Bowles and his major flaws from time management to lack of game flexibility. This disgusting act of stealing Mike’s earned yards was so insulting to one of the most humble and talented player’s the Bucs have ever had. That same coach kept Mike Evans in a game against the Crows where he was clearly limping before busting his hamstring and costing him to lose 3 games. I wish this defensive genus would head to the Saints rather than Coen.
January 1st, 2025 at 6:26 pm
Without CJ, lattimore, and a washed up cam Jordan, the saints aren’t so slimy anymore. Just turds
January 1st, 2025 at 6:59 pm
Cobbtown, what rock did you crawl out from under? You sure ain’t no Bucs fan! I could care less about 6 yards or 600. I want the Bucs to WIN! Ask CG14 about how dirty the Aints are. Aints also have to deal with the mass shooting in NOLA New Years Eve. It’s already postponed the Sugar Bowl by a day. I don’t do college ball, but heard about it on the newsfotainment just a short while ago. Mebbe the duck will fly in and drop a load on a few dirty Aints. That and a Bucs wipeout will be just fine with me. Go get those cheatin’ SOBs, Bucs!! 10-7 here we come!
January 1st, 2025 at 8:52 pm
orlbucfan Says “Cobbtown, what rock did you crawl out from under? You sure ain’t no Bucs fan! I could care less about 6 yards or 600” I want the Bucs to win as much as you, but only the mentally impaired would think the Bucs could have lost that game at that point with 13:36 left to go in the 4th quarter. A field goal would have given us a 30 point lead at 44 to 14. I apparently have more compassion for one of our greatest players to achieve an amazing accomplishment rather that getting an extra 4 points at best in a meaningless score run up. Last, if you’re worried about the dirty Saints, having that extra 7 yards means Mike Evans would be able to exit the game sooner if we’re stomping those slime bags.
January 1st, 2025 at 9:56 pm
Conbtown – it’s ok. orlbuc is kind of like Todd Bowles’ emotional support entity. Anything obective that leans negative at all and you get some kind of disjointed wrath, and a longing for “no negative allowed” posters. It’s not difficult to have an image of this person in mind as you wade through it.
Carry on and Go Bucs.
Secure Liam 2025