Oftentimes football comes down to the game within the game. The matchups between individuals or specific units can really be what makes or breaks a game plan for a team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no exception with this.
This week the Bucs host the Denver Broncos who are on a two game losing streak to start the season. To be frank, this is not a good football team and the Buccaneers should win comfortably. However, there are a few interesting high level players on the Broncos roster.
One of these players might even be the best at his position today. It sets up for a heavyweight matchup that might not determine the outcome of the game, but it will be one of the best one-on-one battles all year for football fans. I break it down in this week’s X Marks The Spot: X Factor Matchup.
Mike Evans vs Patrick Surtain II
While the Broncos might have weaknesses all across their roster, they do have one special player. Patrick Surtain II is maybe the best cornerback in the NFL today. The 24 year old just entered his 4th season in the NFL and has already made a pair of Pro Bowls and an All Pro.
He has great size at 6’2 and 202 lbs and has deflected double digit passes in each of his first three seasons. There are very few wide receivers in the NFL who can expect to give him problems, but he might be facing one of those guys on Sunday. That is, of course, future Hall of Famer Mike Evans.
This will be the first time in their careers that these two will see each other. And of all the wide receiver’s that Surtain has gone against, there really isn’t anyone else in the game who is exactly like Evans. It will be a unique and exciting challenge for both.
So far, Evans is off to a relatively quiet start to his season. He currently ranks 36th in receiving yards with 103, but is tied for the most receiving touchdowns with 2. There is no question that the Bucs will want to get him going in an effort to help him get his 11th consecutive season with 1,000 receiving yards or more.
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Surtain on the other hand is not off to a slow start. In fact, he has done nothing but slow down the opponent’s top wide receiver. In each of the first two weeks, Surtain helped hold George Pickens of the Pittsburgh Steelers and D.K. Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks to 29 yards each in each of their respective games.
While neither Pickens or Metcalf are in the tier of a guy like Mike Evans, both are very talented wide receivers who are good number one options across the league. For their totals to be that low truly is a testament to how good Surtain is. You really couldn’t ask for a better showdown on the outside.
So what can we expect from this matchup? It could honestly go either way. I’d expect more than 30 yards from Evans, but even against a bad defense he probably won’t crack 100 yards because of Surtain being there. If Evans can eclipse 50 yards and perhaps a touchdown in this game, then that would be a good day at the office against this type of competition.
It’s also possible that Evans won’t get many targets at all in this game. The Buccaneers will have open receivers all over the field and with so many other options to throw to it becomes an easy matchup to avoid. Even if Mayfield wants to get Evans the ball, it won’t force it to him if it hurts the offense.
Either way, it will be very fun to watch. I’m hoping for at least one big play from Evans vs Surtain so it can be just another feather in his cap and another highlight on his Hall of Fame highlight reel. This one will be a masterpiece for the football junkies all around the league.
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