Wide receiver Mike Evans notched two second-half touchdowns to lead visiting Tampa Bay’s 40-17 rout over the offensively inept Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The often-injured Evans caught scoring passes of 57 and 35 yards as the Buccaneers outscored the Chargers 27-0 in the second half.
Tampa Bay (8-6) remained atop the NFC South with second-place Atlanta (6-7) set to play at Las Vegas on Monday. The back-sliding Falcons swept the Buccaneers this season, however, and hold the tiebreaker should the teams tie for the division lead.
Tampa Bay won its fourth consecutive game.
The Chargers fell to 8-6 but hold the seventh — and final — playoff spot in the AFC. The Denver Broncos are one spot ahead of Los Angeles and the two teams play Thursday to kick off next week’s schedule.
Evans finished with 159 yards on nine catches. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield went 22-for-27 passing for 288 yards and four touchdowns.
The punchless LA offense lost one of its calling cards in the second half, too. Quarterback Justin Herbert’s streak of 357 consecutive passes without an interception ended in the third quarter as he battled a lingering ankle injury and withering pressure. Herbert, who hadn’t been intercepted since Week 2 against Carolina, fell one short of tying Tom Brady for fourth on the all-time list of most passes without a pick.
Herbert finished 21-for-33 for 195 yards and two touchdowns as LA was outgained 506-206.
Los Angeles led 17-13 at halftime after scoring on its first three drives. The Chargers jumped in front for the first time, 17-10, with 7:12 left until the break when Herbert tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston.
The three-play scoring drive was set up at the Tampa Bay 27 when Tarheeb Still intercepted Mayfield, who has six turnovers in his last two games.
Turnovers buoyed the Chargers greatly in the half, as the offense managed just 142 yards.
Rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who scored twice in a win over Las Vegas last week, exploited a busted coverage for a 26-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield less than four minutes into the game to open the scoring.
Chase McLaughlin went 4-for-4 on field goal tries. Rachaad White also had a receiving touchdown for the Buccaneers.
–Field Level Media
