Mike Evans’ Separation Is Not The Problem
September 25th, 2024
Still toying with defensive backs.
Mike Evans’ numbers have ticked down since Week 1.
Evans has just 120 yards receiving on just 12 targets through three games, including three targets Sunday against Denver. That’s way too low for one of the best receivers who has ever snapped on a chin strap.
Initially, Joe wondered if Evans’ wasn’t getting separation and that’s why Baker Mayfield isn’t targeting him. Then Joe wondered if the rotten pass blocking Mayfield had to endure last week was the culprit.
Well, Judah Fortgang has been monitoring all NFL receivers, clearly using All-22. In his ratings, only Chris Olave and Calvin Ridley, through three games, are getting more separation than Evans.
So just based on this intel, Joe thinks it is fair to rule out that defensive backs are blanketing Evans, though Pat Surtain did a decent job Sunday.
The lack of targets even provoked a response Todd Bowles after the Denver debacle.
“We have to get him involved early,” Bowles said. “We have to have a better plan for him, and we have to get him the ball.”
Joe doesn’t think there is one Bucs fan that would argue with that. In fact, Joe can bet that the two-game funk the offense is in would vanish once Evans starts having an impact.
September 25th, 2024 at 12:29 am
Better put Hainsey or Klein or both to help out the corpse at RT who Todd seems to think is worthy of a job. Nothing is happening with an open festering wound playing RT.
September 25th, 2024 at 12:36 am
I just don’t understand that, how did “lets get our hall of fame wr the football” just f-ing slip the mind of our coaches? Is Baker just not looking for him enough? I love me some Chris Godwin but you can’t just throw to one guy all the time, what gives?
September 25th, 2024 at 1:23 am
We’re dealing with a Serious lack of skilled coaching. How is Coen different from Canales? I’m not seeing the big change “in a positive way”. Just more of the same “Obvious” lack of know how in a “slightly” different way…..
What’s wrong with an experienced play caller? What is this anti experience kick Bowles is on??? More, Much More, Bowles making bad decisions is what I’m seeing here. O line SUCKS. Who’s responsible? The OC. The play calling is amateur hour. Who’s responsible? Again, ANOTHER inexperienced OC. I never saw Kentucky play ball last year. We’re they any good? Never heard anything special but then that could be my lack of give a darn about them and I missed something special. DID I? The way this is unfolding, I’M NOT SURPRISED I NEVER HEARD A THING ABOUT THEM!
The only thing I’ve witnessed so far is a CLUSTER FARCE! Where’s the magic? Does Coen deserve this job???
Am I wrong?
All I know is that if we barely break even OR WORSE in the win / lose column again this year, IT’LL BE TIME FOR A CHANGE!
ENOUGH WITH THE AMATEUR HOUR, BARELY SCRAPPING BY CRAP! WHERE IS THE “PROFESSIONALISM”???
Talent IS there. This fiasco IS on the COACHES and it’s GETTING OLD, FAST!
September 25th, 2024 at 4:49 am
Let’s see what Klein can do. This is going to turn around. Still anticipating Mike breaking records. We are only three games in. Rather fix everything now, instead of when it is too late.
September 25th, 2024 at 5:50 am
Baker Mayfield has to take blame at some point. It’s not all the O-Line fault. Mayfield holds the ball way too long, he’s slow to react at times, not sure where he wants to go with the ball.
Baker Mayfield has been sacked 61 times in 22 games with the Bucs
He has attempted 725 passes
That works out to 8.4 sack ratio for pass attempts
Tom Brady was sacked 80 times in 57 games for the Bucs
He attempted 2357 passes
That works out to 3.4 sack ratio for pass attempts.
Baker Mayfield is getting sacked 60% more than Tom Brady, because Mayfield holds the ball too long, and he’s indecisive about where he wanna go with the ball. Where as Tom Brady always knew exactly where he wanted to go with the ball. The ball was out of Brady hands before the defense could react. Brady got rid of the rock, even if he had to throw it in the dirt .
The dirt is better than a sack
September 25th, 2024 at 5:54 am
I lay most of the faults on the OC for his piss poor college play calling
And a QB that’s indecisive about where he wants to go with the ball. And for holding the ball too long
September 25th, 2024 at 6:25 am
Baker has been hit so many times in the last two games he’s hearing footsteps, as evidenced with that play where he rolled right well before the pocket broke down, which caused him to miss seeing a wide-arse open ME13 20 yards down the field. Brady was same in his last season with that horrid line, if nothing was happening by two seconds he’d just dirt the ball or dump it to RW, he refused to get hit anymore
September 25th, 2024 at 7:11 am
Baker holds the ball longer because he can’t see over the linemen. He looks for windows to through through. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that.
September 25th, 2024 at 7:46 am
Fact, there is very little separation between receivers, and NFL DBs. Baker did not let it rip last Sunday. If you’re waiting for receivers to get wide open chances are you’ll get sacked 12 times in 3 games. Throwing into tight windows is why QBs get paid the big bucks. Time for Baker to earn his paycheck.
September 25th, 2024 at 9:07 am
Bottom line is that unlike the bucs ,the teams we have faced can generate a pass rush with just 4 guys .
They dont have to wait that extra tick for a safety to cheat up or backer to come ,and baker is running for his life .
Being right handed affords him a smidge more time to throw that way
Put evans on the right and godwin in the slot to draw coverage to the other side untill the O- line gets their collective arses together.
September 25th, 2024 at 11:32 am
Lakeland, baker definitely deserves some blame for his sacks I seen two that was because he was holding the ball too long, but the fact you refuse to put a single ounce of blame on the offensive line is worrisome. When it came to last Sundays game there is plenty of blame to go around, play calling was trash, offensive line was trash and a couple times baker held onto the ball too long, like will be back Sunday so that will help, but wirfs was piss poor Sunday, he got beat on the edge for one sack and then got beat again and baker was hit as he was throwing. You get paid the kind of money he got, he’s got to be better as well
September 25th, 2024 at 11:57 am
There are at least 3 more sacks Baker barely got out of. He DID hold the ball WAY too long looking downfield. Usually when Baker hits his back foot he is confident with throws. Last week, after the pick, he was hesitant to throw the freaking football. Checking down to Bucky is never a bad thing. Baker looked to run WAY to early because he felt the pressure. In more ways than one and that has always been the problem for guys that don’t think Baker is elite. He can’t stand in the pocket and deliver accurate balls with someone in his face. This will NEVER change. You have to craft an offense for Baker predicated on a West coast style. I thought that was what we were getting. NOPE.
September 25th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
hard to make that assumption after being up against surtain he is that good he shut down metcalf also where the other games metcalf went off. lions game bucs went after their weakness in covering the slot wr
September 25th, 2024 at 4:24 pm
Yup, he was open dozens of times last week.
The problem is the QB couldn’t throw him the ball. Sometimes due to the o-line, other times due to Baker getting happy feet and/or just holding the ball too damn long.
This is what I was telling Rod on another article. Even with Surtain defedning him, Evans will still get open. And does. But he can’t do squat if Baker won’t throw him the ball.
September 25th, 2024 at 5:39 pm
Someone mentioned Brady’s sack numbers. I was at his last game. He looked like he was auditioning for the Professional Whack-A-Mole League. He fired the ball into the ground multiple times before the pass rush could get to him. Baker holds the ball longer because he’s hoping a receiver will come open. Maybe he needs to back off on that some, second and ten is a lot easier to deal with than second and seventeen. Also we don’t want to hear “Now at Quarterback, Kyle Trask” as Baker is limping into the tent.
September 25th, 2024 at 8:53 pm
Baker has worth depth of target in the NFL. 5 yards per target. That may explain why Evans isn’t getting any looks. Could be Baker. Could be Cohens offense or Could be a terrible o line play
September 26th, 2024 at 12:30 am
I ❤️ Love the BUCS and you can’t get the QB to throw the football. For Evans to back him up on him coming back to Tampa, this is what we get. A damn over paid QB that can’t play but stand with ball in his hand and get sacked. I think somebody needs to get on a roll and teach this so called QB how to throw a pass. And how could he possibly not see Evans as tall as he is. At least we know that if given that pass he will get you on the board. And if Bowles thinks he is worthy of that position Mayfield plays then maybe he wouldn’t be getting on the ground and kissing it. There should also be a time limit that if you can’t throw a pass in the 1st quarter they need to switch you out and put you in a kiddie corner to think about it. This is so embarrassing to the city of Tampa and the fans.