There’s no Doug Martin, no Vincent Jackson, no Charles Sims. There’s simply Mike Evans. Yet, even though he is the top threat left standing, the 49ers won’t be able to stop him.
Don’t be fooled. The San Francisco 49ers’ pass defense is ranked seventh in the NFL, allowing only 215.5 yards per game. However, considering the rush defense is dead last allowing 174.5 yards per game, teams haven’t had to throw the ball much. That all may change on Sunday when Mike Evans and Jameis Winston roll into town.
The Buccaneers can not continue to rely on Jacquizz Rodgers to be the player the offense lives and dies by. If he was that great of a back he wouldn’t have been available a week into the season. Don’t get me wrong; Rodgers is doing exactly what the Buccaneers need him to do until Doug Martin returns, but he can’t be the focal point of the offense week in and week out. The ball has to get into the hands of Tampa Bay’s biggest weapon and that is Mike Evans.
Evans leads the NFL in targets per game with 12.2. The 49ers defense is just bad across the board so getting the ball into Evans’ hands early and often will be one of the biggest keys to victory. It’s not out of the question to think Evans could end up with double digit receptions and a touchdown or two against the weak 49ers secondary.
The Bucs will want to control the clock and minimize opportunities for their offense to make mistakes, that’s no secret. But think back for a moment to a pivotal play against Carolina in the closing minutes. On third down, Mike Evans was the lone receiver on the field, yet the Panthers couldn’t stop him from making a big time catch to move the chains. There isn’t anyone on the 49ers that will be able to stop him either.
Evans has earned back the trust of the coaches, his teammates, and the fans by showing he can be a reliable target that won’t drop the ball. His season thus far has been the polar opposite of 2015. He’s catching whatever is thrown his way, he’s making things happen in pivotal situations, and he’s getting in the end zone.
Expect Sunday in San Francisco to do nothing but continue to prove Mike Evans is rapidly climbing the ladder to the upper echelon of receivers.
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