Three takeaways from Bills' sloppy 'TNF' win over Buccaneers

Thursday was a step in the right direction, but something about the Bills offense doesn't seem right, at least at the start of games. Whether that's an execution problem by the players or the failure of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, it's a part of the Bills game to keep an eye on. 

As for the second half, the Bills scored on their opening drive but punted on their next four possessions. So, consistency on that side of the ball is a growing concern heading into Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals on "Sunday Night Football." 

Where was Mike Evans? 

Evans was nearly invisible on Thursday night, and while the Bills defense deserves a lot of credit for shutting down the four-time Pro Bowler, the Buccaneers also played a role. 

Quarterback Baker Mayfield targeted Evans only three times through three quarters. By then, the Bucs were already down 24-10. Evans caught three of six passes for 39 yards and a score. However, he had only one catch for seven yards by the start of the fourth quarter. By the time Evans was involved, the result was all but decided with only 2:44 remaining on the clock. 

Entering Week 8, Evans averaged 8.2 targets per game, so seeing him be such a nonfactor for much of the game was surprising, especially since the Bucs struggle to score points. Only the New England Patriots (101), Cincinnati Bengals (100) and New York Giants (85) had scored fewer than Tampa coming into Thursday. 

Even against a tough Bills defense, making Evans a focal point seemed like a sound strategy. Although, the Buccaneers obviously disagreed. 

Lack of discipline on defense nearly cost Bills 

Things were much closer than they seemed in a game that felt like the Bills were up by 30 for most of it. So close, in fact, that sloppy play down the stretch by the Bills defense nearly opened the door for an incredible come-from-behind upset by the Bucs. 

Tampa scored with roughly two minutes to go, cutting the Bills' two-score lead down to 24-18. During the 17-play, 92-yard drive, two defensive penalties by Buffalo on fourth down kept the Buccaneers alive, ultimately leading to Evans' only relevant touch of the night and a successful two-point conversion. 

With 21 seconds left, the Buccaneers had one last chance for a miracle, which almost came to fruition. On the game's final play, Mayfield heaved a Hail Mary deep toward the end zone, and if wideout Chris Godwin had turned his head a second earlier, we might be discussing one of the most remarkable last-second victories ever. 

The Bills survived, but against more dangerous opponents, they might not be so lucky.