Mike Evans

Mike Evans hauled in three touchdowns as the Buccaneers shook off an early 14-0 deficit to top the Panthers, winning the NFC South and sending Tom Brady to ...

After a long pause, he smiled and said, "I was being polite there," with the room full of reporters erupting in laughter. "And eventually, maybe it's not that quarter, it's a quarter later -- he starts making a couple plays, it's tied up, it's a close game again, and that really motivates us as a defense because we know, even when it's 14-0, if we can hold 'em, 12 and the offense will get us back in the game." Instead, the Bucs were flagged for an ineligible downfield kick and Camarda executed a 41-yard punt on the next play. But Brady responded immediately with a 57-yard heave to Evans -- marking the first time since 2016 that the 45-year-old QB has thrown two 50--plus-yard touchdowns in the same game. He had one of the best games of his career with 10 catches for 207 receiving yards and three touchdowns and rocked a Carolina blue [Michael Jordan](http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4040622/michael-jordan) North Carolina Tar Heels jersey, gifted to him by teammate [Chris Godwin](http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3116165/chris-godwin) in the team's Secret Santa exchange last week. "He doesn't get nearly the respect he deserves, so any chance I get, I'm going to speak it for him because I know he won't do it. "I was telling him all throughout the game -- he's that guy," Godwin said of Evans. The first touchdown was a 63-yarder airmailed to Evans. The Bucs had not come back from a deficit of 14 points or more throughout a season marred by slow starts and a nonexistent vertical passing game. "Tom was just dropping dimes," said Evans, who seldom sees single coverage but did so Sunday, while the offensive line had one of its best games protecting Brady all season, affording him more time to throw and Evans more time to get downfield. "We've been through a lot this year, so we have a lot of resiliency and strength, so we don't get down when we get down score-wise. They buckled down, they stayed together as a team and they came through."

Watch Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady's best plays from his 4-TD game in Week 17 of the 2022 NFL season.

The Panthers are going to need at least another defensive stop to try and keep the Bucs from clinching the NFC South on their home field in Week 17. Permalink ...

Evans now has nine catches for 200 yards with three TDs. Brady is now 32-of-42 passing for 418 yards with three touchdowns. He then hit [Chris Godwin](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/12160/chris-godwin) for a two-point conversion, making it a three-point lead.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came away with another comeback victory – this time it came against the Carolina Panthers and clinched the NFC South title for ...

Tommy Tremble had three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown. Smith had four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. Brady finished the game 34-of-45 with 432 passing yards and had three touchdown passes – all to Evans. Moore led the way with six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. The Brady-Evans touchdown was for 57 yards and cut the deficit to five points. The first touchdown came with 13:49 left and answered a Sam Darnold touchdown pass to Shi Smith.

Evans' accomplishment secured a ninth straight 1,000-yard campaign to start his NFL career, which is now the longest ever by three full seasons, extending his ...

[Mike Evans](/nfl/players/1824909/mike-evans/) also made [NFL](/nfl/) history for the [Buccaneers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/TB/tampa-bay-buccaneers/). He now trails only [49ers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/SF/san-francisco-49ers/) legend Jerry Rice, who eclipsed 1,000 yards in 11 straight seasons from 1986-1996. In terms of combined 1,000-yard seasons, Evans is tied for third among all-time receiving leaders. Rice is atop that leaderboard with 14 total, while Moss eclipsed 1,000 yards 10 different times. [Super Bowl](/nfl/superbowl/) championship season. Despite Tampa Bay's offense struggling for much of the year, the veteran wide receiver went off against the rival [Panthers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/CAR/carolina-panthers/) in Week 17, eclipsing 100 receiving yards in the first half to top 1,000 yards on the season.

Mike Evans set NFL history while connecting with Tom Brady on a 63-yard Buccaneers touchdown vs. the Panthers.

They finally snapped that streak with a historic connection against the Panthers as the Buccaneers look to clinch a playoff berth with a win over their division rivals. [Tom Brady and Mike Evans](https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-qb-tom-brady-gets-brutally-honest-on-his-lackluster-chemistry-with-mike-evans) haven’t been totally [in sync this year](https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-tom-bradys-surprising-move-to-rebuild-chemistry-with-mike-evans-tampa-bay-receivers), but their connection was re-established on Sunday in Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers. Evans entered Week 17 with 913 yards, and picked up 94 more on five catches during the first half against the Panthers.