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Star wide receiver Mike Evans and the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open up their season Thursday evening against the Dallas Cowboys.
Fresh off a brilliant first season with Tom Brady leading the charge, Tampa Bay remains odds-on favorites to hoist the Lombardi for a second consecutive season.
In talking to the media about his team’s outlook, Evans had a pretty strong warning for the NFL’s 31 other teams. Don’t take it lightly.
Related: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys Week 1 preview
“We’re miles ahead of what we were last year. Not just me and his (Brady) connection, but the whole team—the whole offense,” Brady said, via the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ official website. “It’s really exciting and hopefully we can do something really special this year.”
Evans is one of all 22 Buccaneers starters from a season ago to return to the roster in 2021. Last year with Brady tossing him the rock, the three-time Pro Bowler recorded 70 receptions for 1,006 yards and 13 touchdowns. This represented the seventh consecutive season to start his career that Evans has registered north of 1,000 yards.
NFL should be scared about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans’ words shouldn’t go unnoticed. They come after Brady himself indicated that he’s feeling as good as he ever has in his career. Given that we’re talking about a seven-time Super Bowl champion, that’s no small thing.
Last season saw Tampa Bay finish with an 11-5 record while averaging nearly 31 points per game. After starting 3-2, the Buccaneers ended up winning eight of their final 11 to earn a wild card spot in the NFC. They then won their four postseason games by a combined 45 points, including a 31-9 route of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
In addition to returning all of their starters from a season ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers retained star wide receiver Antonio Brown. They also added a dual-threat back in Giovani Bernard to the mix. This team is absolutely legit.
We’ll get a first-hand view of just how good these Buccaneers are Thursday night against a shorthanded Cowboys team in Tampa Bay.