4 players who must step up for Buccaneers in Week 4
By Josh Hill
What better way to bounce back from a loss than to beat a hated rival like the New Orleans Saints?
That's what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can do in Week 4, as the team has a chance to head into its bye week with a 3-1 record and control of the NFC South. Getting a leg up on New Orleans isn't just a good way to bounce back from Monday's loss to the Eagles, it's critical in making sure the Bucs stay on track to be playoff contenders.
A loss would mean falling behind the Saints and losing the potential to own what could be a crucial tiebreaker. It's not going to be easy -- playing New Orleans never is -- but it's not an impossible task. If the Bucs are serious about winning on Sunday, they'll need a handful of guys to step up.
Mike Evans, WR
Over the first two weeks, the Buccaneers dialed up Mike Evans when the offense needed to find a spark. In Minnesota, Baker Mayfield connected with his top receiver right before halftime after struggling to get going. After that drive Mayfield settled in and guided the Bucs to a win.
A week later against the Bears Mayfield used a similar strategy to shake off a sluggish start and find a groove. Both of those games resulted in wins, but when Evans failed to provide that early spark for the Bucs offense things went south in a hurry.
Evans dropped some crucial passes on Monday night, including a touchdown pass that felt like it would have provided the exact kind of spark we saw the first two weeks. When that didn't happen the Bucs offense never found the right gear.
That absolutely needs to be avoided on Sunday.
Marshon Lattimore has gotten inside of Evans' head in the past, with two of the last four meetings ending with an ejection. That can't happen in Week 4, and Evans needs to get back to being the guy Baker can dial up to boost the offense's rhythm and confidence when it needs him the most.