This is apparently the week for odd on-field NFL fights, as the Cincinnati Bengals-Jacksonville Jaguars clash saw A.J. Green put Jalen Ramsey in a chokehold and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-New Orleans Saints clash saw an unusual incident between Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston (who was on the sidelines thanks to being pulled at halftime with a shoulder injury), New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans.
It appeared to start with Winston pointing at Lattimore from the sidelines, then poking him in the head. Lattimore whirled to confront Winston and pushed him, and Evans then ran in and drilled Lattimore from behind, knocking him to the ground, then jumped on him and started trying to throw punches. That created a whole fracas:
Mike Evans should be ejected for this cheap shot. Totally uncalled for. He's a Captain! Captains don't do this. #Bucs #TBvsNO @gregauman pic.twitter.com/vranBBn9Cp
— John Sabol (@John_Sabol) November 5, 2017
Here’s a look at the Evans incident next to the Green altercation:
Evans’ move led to a whole lot of wrestling references:
Mike Evans coming out of the dressing room to defend Jameis pic.twitter.com/JvVVr8ylY2
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) November 5, 2017
Mike Evans after we said AJ Green the best wrestler in the NFL pic.twitter.com/bem4UWtB2s
— The Book Of E-Leaux (@B8kOfELo) November 5, 2017
Amazingly, it didn’t lead to an ejection. Even Evans looked surprised by that:
Even Mike Evans can't believe he wasn't tossed. pic.twitter.com/R3GHv2JZH5
— Dan Hanzus (@DanHanzus) November 5, 2017
This game also saw Winston give one of the weirdest motivational speeches you’ll ever see:
Jameis Winston with an … interesting pump up speech. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/z0tESHAA6k
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 5, 2017
It didn’t work, though. Winston went six for 13 for 67 yards before he left the game, and the Saints were leading 16-3 at the half and 30-3 at the end of the third quarter. (They eventually lost 30-10.) So it’s understandable that there might have been some frustration on the Tampa Bay sidelines. But this still seemed far beyond an appropriate response from Evans in particular, and it’s remarkable that he wasn’t ejected. We’ll see if the league hands out any further discipline for him.
[John Sabol on Twitter]
