The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been in an extended slump lately, dropping four of their last five games, with the latest blow coming in a walk-off field goal loss to the Atlanta Falcons. That being said, the Bucs received some good fortune this weekend as the Carolina Panthers suffered a shocking loss to the recently red-hot New Orleans Saints.
This allowed Tampa Bay to reclaim first place in the NFC South. Despite their disappointing loss to the Falcons in Week 15, it was not all doom and gloom for the Buccaneers. One of the few bright spots in the defeat came in the triumphant return of one of the club’s true icons: Mike Evans.
Buccaneers Superstar Mike Evans Opens Up About Long-Awaited Return to Action
Evans is arguably the most important and beloved figure in club history. The definition of consistency, he has never recorded fewer than 1,000 receiving yards in a season throughout the first 11 years of his NFL career.
This consecutive 1,000-yard receiving streak tied him with only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only players in history to accomplish this feat. His return to action was an emotional boost for a team that had been struggling lately. However, Evans opened up about his feelings before the game.
In the latest episode of “Bucs Players’ Table,” Evans explained to hosts Casey Phillips and William Gholston about his mindset coming back onto the field after suffering a broken collarbone earlier in the season.
“I was excited for the opportunity to return, been missing the guys, missing the team, and wanted to help us get wins,” Evans explained.
He added, “It felt good to be back out there. I was a little cautious at first because it was my first time playing in two months. I had to see how the bone was going to hold up. After I hit the ground a few times, it was apparent that I was going to be close to myself.”
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Evans looked more than ready to return, recording six catches for 132 yards in the loss to Atlanta. There is no doubt that he will play a significant role for the Buccaneers over their remaining three games as they aim to secure the NFC South crown and a postseason berth.
Evans’ return will also help a Buccaneers offense that sits 24th in the NFL according to PFSN’s Offense Impact. If Evans can continue to perform as he did in Week 15, the team might only continue to climb that list before the season is finished.
