Evans has become Brady’s point man

TAMPA — Bruce Arians doesn’t blame Tom Brady for looking for Mike Evans when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are close to the goal line.

The 67-year-old coach made a joke that even he could get the job done with one of the NFL’s best receivers at his disposal from inside the 20-yard line.

“Oh yeah, I can play quarterback down there with Mike. I mean, Tom loves it, though. It’s like having an unguardable guy,” Arians said of the 6-foot-5, 231-pound Evans. “But you know, I don’t necessarily like throwing it from the half-yard line, but I’ll take it.”

Evans has just 10 catches for 108 yards through three weeks. Still, he’s one of three receivers — along with Tyreek Hill and DK Metcalf — with touchdown receptions in each of the first three games.

With four TDs receiving overall, the seventhyear pro is tied with Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett for the league lead.

“It’s a great rapport,” Arians said. “If you’re going to load up the box to stop the run and leave him one on one, it’s going to be hard to cover him.”

Evans, who last year joined Hall of Famer Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, had a pair of 1-yard scoring receptions during last week’s 28-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.

He had a 2-yard touchdown grab on his only catch during a seasonopening loss at New Orleans.

“He’s a great red-area threat [with], I think, his size, his quickness, his elusiveness, his hands, everything,” Brady said.

“Mike is one of the great receivers in the NFL. I’ve got to find ways to get him the ball, get it to him in space — not just in the red area, but all over the field. That’s what my job is — to find him and get it to him.”