WR Evans big game puts spark in Bills offense

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As outbursts by NFL receivers go, Lee Evans' recent critique of the Buffalo Bills' offense barely registered on the T.O. Scale. Blaming himself as much as anyone else, and without singling out his teammates or coaches, the usually soft-spoken Evans last week called the sputtering unit "awful." It's what Evans did afterward that raised considerable attention. Backing up his words with his actions, Evans had a franchise-record 265 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns in a 24-21 win at Houston on Sunday. It was a performance that topped the Bills' former record of 255 yards set by Jerry Butler in 1979. Overall, it was the 11th best outing in NFL history -- and most since Terrell Owens had 283 yards with San Francisco in 2000. "It's still kind of hard to put into perspective," Evans said Wednesday after the team returned to practice in preparation for its game against Jacksonville this weekend. "It's kind of surreal to think about it. You can't really ever grasp it to realize exactly what you did." What Evans did was provide a spark to an offense in big need of one. His 265 yards receiving were more than the total yards Buffalo (4-6) had produced in seven games this season. Just as important, Evans with his words and actions continued his emergence as a leader of a young, revamped team that's spent the better part of this season seeking both a voice and identity. "It couldn't have been planned any better, huh?" quarterback J.P. Losman said. "He speaks up and it works out." "It didn't surprise us. That's what the great players do," added linebacker Takeo Spikes. "He put it on his shoulders. That was his performance, like, `Give me the damn ball."' What's curious is that Evans, best described as low-key, polite and genial, would never say anything like that. Ask Evans to recall his most outlandish touchdown celebration, and he'll go back to his high school days in Bedford, Ohio. "Probably the most flamboyant thing I did really wasn't that flamboyant," Evans said with a chuckle. "Right behind our end zone was our band, so I ran up in the band one time and high-fived a few of those guys. That's about it." No Sharpies, cell phones, or Irish jigs. Most all of Evans' 20 career NFL touchdowns have been followed by him gently flipping the ball out of his hand, nodding his head and looking for a teammate with whom to celebrate. "That's his style," Losman said. "That little Lee Evans head nod. And that's it. That's how he leads. That's his deal. It's pretty cool." Evans is the first of Buffalo's two 2004 first-round draft picks, selected 13th overall out of Wisconsin. He spent his first two seasons producing respectable numbers, including 843 yards receiving and nine touchdowns as a rookie, while playing in the shadow of veteran Eric Moulds. With Moulds forcing his trade to Houston last spring, the Bills were counting on Evans to fill the role as their No. 1 deep threat. He's delivered, leading the team with a career-high 55 catches, 822 yards and four touchdowns. They're impressive numbers considering he plays on an offense that, prior to last Sunday, hadn't scored three touchdowns in a game this season and had produced as many TDs -- two -- as its defense in its previous three games. It was this type of ineptitude that led to Evans' outburst. The breaking point came following a 17-16 loss at Indianapolis on Nov. 12, a game in which the Bills came away with six points despite three drives inside the Colts 20. The loss spoiled a strong outing from Buffalo's defense, which produced the team's lone touchdown. Evans acknowledged having difficulty looking his defensive teammates in the eye, knowing the offense cost Buffalo the game. "I was frustrated. It was really, really upsetting," Evans said. "It was unacceptable." How different his mood was after the win at Houston. Among the first players to board the plane for the trip home, Evans took his usual seat up front, this time making sure not to hide from anyone. "Nah," Evans said. "When somebody looks at you in the face and says, `Congrats, good game,' you know, that's all that needs to be said."