Buccaneers’ Mike Evans Suspended: How Will This Affect the Odds?

Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play a very big game against the Green Bay Packers, as both teams expect to compete for a Super Bowl with quarterbacks a combined 83 years old.

The Packers’ Aaron Rodgers is without his familiar wide receivers, and now Tom Brady will be too. The suspension (one game) of Mike Evans over his role in the brawl last week with the New Orleans Saints now stands. In a letter to Evans explaining the suspension, the NFL wrote, “[You] violently threw your body into, and struck an unsuspecting opponent who was part of that confrontation. You knocked your opponent to the ground, and a melee ensued involving players from both teams.”

The “melee” started when Brady and Saints’ cornerback Marshon Lattimore exchanged words, then the Bucs’ Leonard Fournette shoved Lattimore. Evans subsequently ran in from the sideline and leveled Lattimore, leading to ejections of both players.

While Evans was being escorted from the field, he said to an official, “That’s Tom Brady. What do you want me to do?”

Evans was quick to jump to the aid of his quarterback, and his quarterback was quick to return the favor, saying, “Emotions are a part of sports. Sometimes they boil over. It’s an unfortunate circumstance. I don’t think it deserved any type of suspension. I think that’s ridiculous.”

Another player acting in the heat of the moment, a suspension may be unwarranted, but Evans and Lattimore have a history. This is now the third incident between them, and it didn’t feel so “heat of the moment.”

In 2017, Evans hit Lattimore in the back. Lattimore and then-Bucs’ quarterback Jameis Winston were jawing, even though Winston wasn’t playing. Evans was assessed a personal foul.

In 2020, Evans and Lattimore once again took a couple of extra shots after the whistle, with Lattimore drawing the 15-yard penalty on that occasion.

The last time the Bucs met the Packers, in the 2020 NFC Championship Game, Evans had 51 yards and the first touchdown of the game. With Chris Godwin also out, Evans will be missed this Sunday.

As per NFL odds, it’s a pick’em game. Pick and side. 

Bills’ Bobby Hart Suspended

During Monday night’s blowout, the Buffalo Bills repeatedly punched the visiting Tennessee Titans in the mouth, iguratively, a 41-7 rout and a second consecutive decisive victory to open the season.

It was the final literal punch between Buffalo reserve guard Bobby Hart and an unnamed Titans’ assistant coach that was one hit too many.

According to the NFL, which suspended Hart for this Sunday’s game at the Miami Dolphins, Hart went looking for a Titans’ player near the stadium tunnel after the game, and swung at him. Instead of hitting the player, he hit the coach in the head.

Buffalo’s lowered to 9-2, or +450, as the strong favorites to win the title, according to Super Bowl odds.

Chiefs’ Willie Gay Suspended

So, lost in much of the Week 2 news was the discipline handed down to Kansas City Chiefs’ linebacker Willie Gay. During an incident back in January. he was arrested (criminal property damage of less than $1000) when, involving a domestic dispute, he broke a vacuum.

Gay did enter a diversion program over the summer to resolve the criminal case, and will now miss the next four games-including the Oct. 16th game with the Buffalo Bills-having violated the league’s personal-conduct policy.

Buccaneers’ Bruce Arians Warned

Forget about the strange optics of former coach Bruce Arians on the sideline during games as new coach Todd Bowles tries to do his job, or the unretirement of Tom Brady after Arians announced he’s done coaching. Those were/are internal matters in the world of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What isn’t internal is Arians roaming the sidelines as if he was still coach.

It’s not against the rules having him on the sidelines, if the team determines that’s where he belongs. However, there’s a designated area belonging to coaches, players and officials, and Arians was seen wandering in that space Sunday during the New Orleans Saints-Bucs brawl.

The NFL has reminded Arians about staying out of that area. The team says he will comply.