Third and finally In the wake of their three-and-out clinic against the Saints, the Bucs acquitted themselves to a degree Sunday, going 10-for-16 (63 percent), including a 6-for-7 effort in the first half. Two of the first-half conversions were on third and 7 or longer, including Brady's 14-yard strike to Chris Godwin on third and 7 in an air-tight window between two Panthers defenders. The conversion set up the Bucs' first touchdown of the day. "I think we've got to keep improving in that area, too, because there were still some plays out there that we were just really close on, just not quite 100 percent," Brady said. "That's a good, hard-nosed football team, they cover well. We just made some more plays this week than last weekend." Brady-Evans on target again Not targeted in the first half against the Saints, Mike Evans had a smorgasbord of spirals sent his way at Carolina. Evans was targeted a season-high 11 times, finishing with six receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. Two other Brady shots for Evans in the end zone missed, including a one that sailed just beyond his outstretched hands. "I call him 'Mad Mike' because when he gets angry he plays even better," said Antonio Brown, who had a team-high seven catches (for 69 yards) in his second game as a Buc. "He had a great message for our room this week to finish the mission." In two games against the Panthers this season, Evans has been targeted 21 times, finishing with 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Succop remains steady Veteran kicker Ryan Succop, who has not missed a field goal since an Oct. 4 home win against the Chargers, nailed all four of his field goals Sunday, extending his streak to 16 makes in a row. The streak ties Succop, signed in September after six seasons with the Titans, with Michael Husted (1996) and Martin Gramatica (2000) for the second-longest in franchise history. Connor Barth owns the record with 25 consecutive field goals between the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Joey Knight, Tampa Bay Times, published 16 November 2020