Raiders HC Antonio Pierce makes feelings known ahead of Buccaneers showdown: "Mike Evans is a problem"
Ahead of the Week 14 clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce singled out Mike Evans as a threat to his team's chances. The Raiders travel east across the length of the country to take on the Buccaneers at the Raymond James Stadium.
The home team is chasing the NFC South division title and needs a win to keep the pressure on the New Orleans Saints, who have the same record as the Buccaneers (6-6) but have a commanding and unassailable 2-0 lead in their head-to-head duels this season.
On the flip side, the Raiders have essentially nothing to play for except pride. They are 2-10 and are the favorites to pick first in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, jobs will be on the line, including coach Pierce's, who's keen on helping his team finish the year strong and convince the top brass that he's worthy of their trust for at least another season.
A win in Tampa would go a long way in achieving that, but Pierce is aware that his team are massive underdogs, as the Buccaneers boast a lot more firepower than the Raiders. The coach lauded the Bucs' roster and singled out wide receiver Mike Evans as one of the biggest threats. In his press conference on Friday, he said:
"Mike Evans is a problem. That's a big human being at wide receiver."
Mike Evans stats: An uncharacteristic season for the WR
Antonio Pierce's words of affirmation will help boost Mike Evans' confidence, as the veteran wide receiver hasn't had a particularly good campaign.
He has played only nine of the Buccaneers' 12 games and has 521 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His average of 57.9 receiving yards per game is the lowest he has managed in his illustrious career.
Evans needs 479 receiving yards in five games to continue his streak of finishing every season of his 11-year career with at least 1,000. It's a tall order for the 31-year-old, who has seemingly lost a yard and found it difficult to create separation down the field.
If he finds his footing over the next five games and hits 1,000 receiving yards, there's an excellent chance that the Buccaneers could win most of those contests and beat the Falcons to the NFC South title. It remains to be seen whether the wide receiver can continue his streak spanning 10 seasons.