Mike Evans: Bucs “Absolutely” A Super Bowl Team
January 10th, 2025
The greatest offensive player in Buccaneers history has spoken.
Mike Evans didn’t drop any one-game-at-a-time chatter yesterday when asked if the Bucs have what it takes to be in the Super Bowl this season.
“Absolutely. Absolutely,” Evans said. “So we’ve got to come out here and put on a good show.”
Evans went on to say he believes the best team does usually win it all and flukes aren’t a part of the playoffs. Being hot is key, Evans added, noting the Bucs have won 6 of 7 games and are hot like they were entering the 2020 postseason.
Joe loves the confidence. The Bucs have players who know what it takes to get to the ultimate dance, so Joe thinks Evans is being genuine.
The Bucs are at least capable if their offense is truly humming on all cylinders, Joe believes. Simply stated, the Bucs can outscore anyone, which gives them a chance.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:19 am
Totally agree….
Sadly Its the WRONG HC/DC for the job that will keep them from getting close!
January 10th, 2025 at 11:23 am
Just hope our defense can help keep in the game. As for as Evans; he has done so much for the Bucs that the team owed him that 5 yards.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:29 am
Stop counting the chickens. First scalp the Redskins.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:35 am
Where does Evans rank on the list of the most important Bucs of all time? And by this I mean players who effected the franchise in a significant way. A short list
Selmon
Sapp
Brooks (I tend to think of Sapp as the more important player)
Evans
Brady
Without Evans I really wonder if Brady ever becomes a Buc.
I moved to TPA in the late 90s – so earlier than that, I am pretty unfamiliar.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:37 am
Luv Mike. But I disagree with him and a lot of You. Our Offense is Superbowl caliber. But our DEFENSE is not. It takes both to get to and win a Superbowl. We..do not have a good Defense at all. It can be average occasionally but not often. This is out Achilles heel. Just keepin it real guys.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:37 am
A Super Bowl team is one without any ring the alarm weaknesses. Our defense is that alarm that gets rung up many times in the 1st half of games. It is our glaring weakness
January 10th, 2025 at 11:42 am
Mike will retire with tampa as the GOAT for the Bucs.
January 10th, 2025 at 11:44 am
Rjs
Williams
Wilder
Gruber
Lynch
Barber
Just to name a few
January 10th, 2025 at 11:45 am
Hell Yeah! LFG
January 10th, 2025 at 11:55 am
The defense has been improving and YaYa’s coming on. If they take the field flat like they have on occasion the Bucs will lose but otherwise I believe they have as good a chance as anyone. The pass rush is improving, Winfield looks like he’ll be back, and the QB has been playing heroically.
Mike Evans has been a top 5 or so receiver the last 11 years. Has Lavonte been a top 5 or so off linebacker during those same years? Is one position more or less important than the other?
Brooks was the very top guy at his position his entire career. I would probably put him at “Bucs best ever player,” if longevity is part of it. Otherwise, I’d have him tied with Selmon. Two guys who were THE best, rather than one of the best.
That said, the buccaneers site has a video called “The Moment Mike Evans Hit 1000 yards” that almost made me cry all three times I watched it. It makes me think the Bucs can win out, too.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
It’s true the defense is not up to snuff to a true Superbowl Contender, BUT for the so called fans that comment here blaming Todd Bowles I have lost words to describe how blind these people are!! THE TALENT IS NOT and ,regardless of the injuries, at no time was ever on this team to be good enough this season on the defensive side of the field!! THE BUCS ARE REBUILDING ON THE FLY and a playoff appearance is EXTRA in terms of where they are talent wise!! Dean is a joke and this needs to be his last season, the whole secondary needs new blood, and lastly the Bucs MUST invest into multiple pass rushers to truly be a Bully on the Block and Superbowl capable!! Great Draft + A class FAs not just fill ins🚩🏴☠️🚩
January 10th, 2025 at 12:01 pm
What’s he gonna say,”Well, we had a good year but I think we need a little more help to play with the Big Boys”?
Of course he believes you have to.
Usually the I feel confident in the game plan speaks volumes.
If they sound confident who am I to argue.
Defense allows you to win Championships.
As good as our offense is, our defense will cause Baker to make more erratic throws trying to play catch up.
Bowles could very well pull a rabbit.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
With the defense getting to the QB more these last few weeks is incouraging. And our offense can hang with anyone and nice to see them capable of coming from behind if needed. If we show up ready to every game and play even at our average of this season we have a chance as well as anyone in the league.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Not with this pass defense and tired defensive scheme
Respect Mike but this team will be lucky to win a playoff game with this defense, very lucky
January 10th, 2025 at 12:46 pm
Shut up, Tye.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
Contain both Daniels and the running game. Force them to throw on every down which they may gameplan for anyway. Keep him from running like we used to do to Michael Vick and we have a chance of winning big.
January 10th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
The Bucs can beat any team in the league when the offense is playing well.
Stringing together 12 straight good quarters (or at least 10 out of 12) to get to the Super Bowl – against good defenses will be the hard part.
Too many Quarters – and even a couple full halves of bad play over the ‘win streak’ of the last 7 games of regular season says that inconsistency will likely doom this team at some point prior to reaching the ultimate goal….
CAN the Bucs get to (and win) the Super Bowl this year? YES!
Will that actually happen? Probably not…..
January 10th, 2025 at 12:56 pm
M1K3 for President!
January 10th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
What else is he supposed to say there? “Well Joe, we had a decent season, but I don’t think we have what it takes to make a Super Bowl run.”
January 10th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
I have confidence the offense will find a way to keep scratching and clawing, even if they roll out a lousy quarter or two.
I have no confidence that the defense can rise to the occasion four games in a row. At some point, perhaps Sunday, a hole will be dug that is too deep to climb out of. Bad game management and lousy special teams (other than FG kicking) won’t help.
Hope I am wrong, would love to see a deep run.
January 10th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
If the D can get off the field more often then not, on 3rd and 4th downs, this will be an exciting post season!! 😃
January 10th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
Great offense defense is average totally can win this freaking Super Bowl. The run game is fantastic.
January 10th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
Say what you want about this defense but after the bye week the second half defense has played lights out. I think they’ve only allowed 26 total points in the second halfs of these games with only one scoring more than twice and with this offense that should be good enough to get it done.
January 10th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
All it takes is a 4 game win streak.
Let’s friggin go!
January 10th, 2025 at 3:05 pm
LFG Mike!
January 10th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
As in 2020 the Bucs got hot down the stretch with 6 games against teams where only one had much of a pulse.
As far as Offensive Production compared to 2020
7th in Yards to now 4th
3rd in Passing to 4th
3rd in Points to 4th
28th in Rushing to 4th (2020 team as also 28th in attempts). 2024 is a yard better per attempt. That is the only area where this team is better than 2020 and can certainly score points if they ‘are given the chance’.
Unfortunately the teams left are not going to just give others ‘chances’. Doubt there are going to be any 2023 Eagles in the NFC Division Playoffs this season. Closest may be the Texans.
Evans is correct that the Bucs Offense is good enough to be a Super Bowl team although it has trouble scoring when defenses didn’t allow them ‘the Chance’.
2020 Division Game was won by a dominant D Line and play of Winfield and White providing the Offense ‘the chances’ deep in the Saints End.
What Evans seems to not understand is his defense gives the other team a lot of ‘chances’,
2020 Defense Compared to Now
6th in Yards Allowed to 18th
8th in Points Allowed to 16th
8th in Turnovers to 16th
21st in Passing to 29th
1st in Rushing to 4th
If the Bucs catch a stroke of luck and get three straight opponents that play well below their potential they can make the big game. Currently any place willing to book a bet is laying out 12 to 1 odds.
January 10th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
Just think how far the Bucs have come when Joe can confidently write “the Bucs can outscore anyone’. If our defense can get some stops early and slow the other offense down, yes we can win it all. Let’s hope our defense up to the task. Go Bucs!!
January 10th, 2025 at 3:47 pm
Loving the confidence factor with Mike. The Bucs are so ready to win it all.
January 10th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
The Bucs offense simply has too many weapons! They will do well.
The defense will depend on who shows up. IF both Winfield and Dean are back at top speed that will be huge in an area that is presently the weakest on the team.
If Yaya and Calijah explode as they can, if Vea plays as he’s been playing this season we know LVD will show up!
IF the D is truly healthy I agree with Pickgrin…
“CAN the Bucs get to (and win) the Super Bowl this year? YES!
Will that actually happen? Probably not…..”
I think each game is a “pickem” contest from here on out depending on Buc and opponent’s health.
January 10th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
BTW I left out Shaq. Don’t know what he has left in the tank but if he can be even 90% of his former self he could really help Sunday night.
January 10th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
If he was 90% of his former self he would have never been let go in the first place
January 10th, 2025 at 6:40 pm
I can’t think of a high-offense/ low-defense team that won the Show
January 10th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Hard to leave Hardy Nickerson off of any of these lists. He was the example and leader than welcome Sapp and Brooks. Gave them the blueprint of how to be a professional. I feel that had a lot to do with they handled themselves.
January 10th, 2025 at 10:13 pm
This team can beat anyone if they come out prepared annd ready to play. Unfortunately this team can also come out looking completely unprepared and unmotivated and lose games they should have won.
These last few games Bowles has made great halftime adjustments so I have to give him credit for that. I just wish he could have them ready to go at the start of every game.