TAMPA, Fla. – The Bucs are on a four-game losing streak, but at 4-6, believe it or not, they still have a shot, albeit a slim one, to make the playoffs. The offense got a boost when star wide receiver Mike Evans returned to practice this week. It’s the first time since Evans retweaked his hamstring in Week 7. No one was happier than QB Baker Mayfield.
“It’s huge,” Mayfield said. “Just for the chances. We talk about trying to get explosive plays in. It’s huge to be able to have that threat in one-on-one coverage. To be able to take advantage of it when they do want to double cover it, it opens things up for other guys.”
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Those other guys are receivers Sterling Shepard, Jalen McMillan, and Rakim Jarrett. You can’t count out tight end Cade Otton who has been Mayfield’s go-to guy with Evans and Chris Godwin out.
While the Buccaneers’ defense has struggled, Tampa Bay’s offense has shone, even without Evans and Godwin. Credit new offensive coordinator Liam Coen for designing plays that work, and also to Mayfield, who feels comfortable in this offense.
“We’re driving the ball well, “Mayfield said. “But it’s hard to sustain drives when you’re not getting those chunks and when you’re not cutting the field in half. I mean we’re sitting at 4-6, so there’s a lot I can be doing better.”
The NY Giants are 2-8, losers of five in a row and made a quarterback change, benching Daniel Jones and replacing him with Tommy DeVito. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles says Evans is trending in the right direction for being able to go Sunday. Bowles and his staff did a deep dive into the season during the bye week. What did Bowles find out?
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“It’s just everybody needing to do their job,” Bowles said. If we take care of ourselves and everybody has their responsibility, not trying to do too much, we’ll be fine.”
Evans is in jeopardy of not hitting 1,000 yards receiving in a season for the first time in his NFL career.
“You guys have been around Mike for a long time,” Mayfield said to the local media covering the Bucs. “The streak-yeah, it’s important to us, but he cares about winning.”
The Bucs have an outside chance at winning their four consecutive NFC South crown but that would mean either win out or most likely finish the season 6-1. Bowles and Mayfield said it starts Sunday and it looks like it will be with Evans.
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