TAMPA, Fla. — There is a fine line between making history and becoming a footnote to it in the NFL. Between experiencing pleasure and excruciating pain. Mike Evans and the Bucs straddled those emotions in Sunday’s 44-27 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
With his 20-yard reception over the middle in the first quarter, Evans became the first player in NFL history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons.
But on the next play, Evans dropped a pass in the end zone, slipping on the grass and hyperextending his left knee. He sat clutching his knee, then stood and tried to put weight on it before sitting back down on the turf. Evans remained there for several minutes with trainers, who helped him to his feet and supported him on each side as he exited to the locker room.
The Bucs (11-5) clinched the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs as a wildcard. They will play the NFC East champion either next Saturday or Sunday. But it seems unlikely they will have Evans, their best receiver and one of the best players in franchise history to have never played in a postseason game. A brace was placed on Evans’ left leg and went to get an MRI.
Evans entered the game needing 40 yards to set the NFL record that coach Bruce Arians said they wanted him to get quickly, then hopefully get out of the game.
The Bucs won the toss and elected to take the football. On the first play of the game, Brady fired a 12-yard pass to Evans for a first down. That drive ended with Brady throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin.
On the second play of the next possession, Brady found Evans again, this time for 14 yards. Then came the record breaker — giving him 1,006 yards receiving on the season — followed by a standing ovation from the limited capacity crowd of about 16,000 at Raymond James Stadium.
Then on the very next play, Evans was all alone in the end zone for what should have been one of the easiest TD catches of his career. Instead, it may well be his last play of the season.
After that, the Bucs seemed stunned. The crowd grew quiet. Brady misfired on the next two passes and Ryan Succop was summoned to kick one of his three field goals.
With Evans out, Godwin picked up the slack with five catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
The Falcons drew to with 23-17 on Matt Ryan’s TD pass to Russell Gage with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter. The Bucs came right back, moving deep into Falcons territory on a 46-yard pass to Godwin. But three plays later, Scotty Miller failed to secure a pass from Brady that was deflected into the hands of Allen for an interception.
That led to another field goal by Younghoe Koo and the Bucs clung to a 23-20 lead with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
But the Bucs weren’t going to be denied. Brady drove the Bucs 75 yards for their next touchdown, a 3-yard scoring run by Ronald Jones.
Brown caught three passes for 32 yards on the drive and Rob Gronkowski drew a pass interference penalty.
Unfortunately, the Bucs couldn’t put the Falcons away. Running back Brian Hill got the corner and galloped 62 yards until he was tackled by Antoine Winfield Jr. at the Tampa Bay 4-yard line. On fourth and goal from the 1, Ryan flipped a TD pass to Hurst and the Bucs’ lead was only a field goal again with 8:19 to play.
Back came the Bucs. Godwin’s 46-yard reception gave the Bucs a first and goal at the Falcons’ 4. On third down, Brady found Godwin again on a crossing route for a touchdown, Brady’s third of the game.
Sean Murphy-Bunting recovered a fumble by Calvin Ridley with 3:11 remaining in the game to clinch it for the Bucs.
Brady finished 26-of-41 passing for 399 yards and four touchdowns.
