Tez Johnson scores the lone Bucs touchdown last night on a 22-yard catch-and-run. _(Photo courtesy Buccaneers.com.)_
_Joe is going to try to keep this short not just because the Bucs got slapped around by the Lions, not just because Mike Evans’ Bucs’ future is in doubt, but it is in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. A gloomy morning it is._
**Mike Evans And His Bucs’ Future**
Last night we all saw it. Mike Evans looked like he was knocked out cold on what appeared to be an otherwise sensational play by Evans.
The future Hall of Famer sure seemed like he was out cold on the turf of Ford Field when he caught that bomb from Baker Mayfield down the middle of the field. The ball rolled out of his arms when he went dark. Evans layed on the turf looking like he was asleep.
Joe got a text from someone who was at the game who said he heard Evans’ broke his collarbone. Of course, this was unconfirmed. But Bucs coach Todd Bowles admitted immediately in his postgame press conference that yes, Evans had a broken clavicle.
It looks like Evans won’t be back until Christmas. Maybe.
So yeah, Evans’ streak of 1,000-yard receiving seasons is over unless one expects him to get two 400+ yard receiving games to end the season—if he returns by Christmas.
Evans is in a contract year. Joe checked some old notes from this past spring and at the time, folks with the Bucs had no idea what Evans’ future plans were beyond 2025.
Evans is 32. Generally, when a 32-year old receiver starts breaking down (hamstring, concussion, broken clavicle), that’s often a sign that Father Time is tapping on his shoulder. Does Evans want to play again in 2026 and risk more injuries?
Could last night be the last time Evans wears a Bucs uniform?
This is all so sad because Evans had such a damn good training camp. At worst, it was Evans’ second-best camp Joe had seen from him. He was lights out.
So Evans’ record is over. And maybe his days as an NFL receiver? Joe sure hopes it hasn’t come to that, but Joe can also see that happening.
**Bucs’ Offense Wasn’t Ready**
What happened? Did the Bucs’ offense pull a Josh Freeman and nearly oversleep the team buses to the stadium? Did the Bucs leave their playbooks in Tampa? What happened?
The offense in the first half looked worse than a Byron Leftwich special. The Bucs couldn’t run and they sure as hell couldn’t pass. It was pathetic. Joe hasn’t seen a Bucs offense that bad since former Bucs commander Greg Schiano anointed rookie Mike Glennon as a starter.
Last night’s game really should have been a Lions blowout. Detroit left maybe 17 points on the field in the first half. And the saddest thing about it? The Bucs were powerless to take advantage of the Lions handing out Halloween candy the way they did?
Hell, even Lions coach Dan Campbell made the foolish mistake of listening to ESPN Analytics and went for it on fourth down and it blew up in his face when he had an easy field goal to make.
Impotent. That’s what the Bucs offense was. Impotent. Joe hasn’t typed that about a Bucs offensive effort in a long, long time.
The Bucs, or any other team, are never going to beat a good team on the road when it throws presents in the trash like they did in the first half.
**Defense Wasn’t Great But Did Its Job**
In six previous home games entering last night’s game with the Bucs, including a playoff loss to Washington last winter, the Lions had scored 31 or more points in each of those six games.
In those same six games, the Lions averaged 37 points a game.
Last night the Bucs held the Lions to 24.
Any time you hold a playoff team like the Lions, in their home den, to 24 points, you ought to be in the game. You ought to have a real shot of winning.
But as Joe pointed out, the Bucs offense urinated down its hind leg last night.
Sure the Bucs gave up some big plays. The Jahmyr Gibbs 78-yard touchdown being the key stake in the heart. But still, 24 points for a team that was averaging 37 at home. That’s two touchdowns short of their average.
Third down percentage? The Bucs held the Lions to 23 percent (3 of 13).
And honestly, the Bucs never seemed to be in the game.
The Bucs offense threw away a very solid effort by the defense.
**Charlie Heck Did An Admirable Job**
A bunch of Bucs fans had Justin Skule dancing in their heads before last night’s game. Understandable. It was last year that Aidan Hutchinson went wilding on the Bucs.
Just like last year when the Bucs played at Detroit, right tackle Luke Goedeke was out. So Hutchinson was, again, facing a backup right tackle.
Last year Skule tried to stop Hutchinson, who went absolutely bananas against the Bucs, registering 4.5 sacks and wreaking havoc all over the place.
Now did Hutchinson wreak havoc last night facing Charlie Heck? Yeah, but Hutchinson didn’t maul Heck like he did Skule.
Wanna know how many sacks Hutchinson had last night? Nada. Zip. Zilch. Goose egg. Joe doesn’t think you can blame Heck for the no-show offense.
**Season Not Over**
The Bucs next have to travel across the Gulf to the Big Easy to take on the slimy Saints, one of the worst teams in the league. It won’t be a walk in Jackson Park because playing a road game on a short week after a road Monday night game is not simple.
Still, it’s the slimy Saints!
If the Bucs can put the slimy Saints in their spot on Sunday, the Bucs will be 6-2 heading into the bye at the midway point of the season.
If Joe told any Bucs fan this summer, sober, sunburned or soused, if they’d be happy entering the bye with only two losses, would they take it? Hell, not only would any Bucs fan take it, they’d probably be buying Joe beers.
The fact this team with all its injuries is one win from being 6-2 in the first half of the season is just extraordinary. No one could have seen this coming. No one would have predicted it.
While last night was an awful loss, the season is not over. Hardly. No, no opponent is going to spot the Bucs a touchdown each game because they feel bad about all the injuries.
The Bucs still have a shot to make this season really special. Still should win the NFC South. Just take care of business against the slimy Saints and don’t make Joe gag up his jambalaya or bread pudding with whiskey sauce at the Gumbo Shop or spit out his po’ boy at Parkway Bakery.