In the scorebook, it’s an inconsequential final play in a game already won.

And yet to watch Bucs receiver Mike Evans catch a 9-yard pass from Baker Mayfield, to see the reaction after hours of uncertainty, it was one of the most meaningful, emotional plays of the NFL season.

“It was amazing, man,” Evans said of the catch that gave him 1,000 receiving yards for the season, extending his streak to 11 straight years and matching Jerry Rice’s NFL record. “They made it that much sweeter. NFC South champs and then I’m in history with Jerry Rice, so that made it that much [sweeter]. I love those guys to death.”

For two months, that streak had looked to be in real jeopardy. Evans had a slow start, and a hamstring injury sidelined him for three games, such that in Week 11, two weeks into the second half of the season, he had only 335 receiving yards. He would have to average 95 yards per game to reach 1,000, and in helping the Bucs to a 5-1 record, he got within 85 yards entering Sunday’s game.

But Evans had no catches in the first quarter, and the Bucs fell behind by 10 points at the half. He managed enough yards that when the fourth quarter began, he was within 35. The same was true with seven minutes left, and Evans caught three passes to get within 5 yards of 1,000.

But with 1:51 left, rookie Bucky Irving scored on an 11-yard touchdown, putting the Bucs up 27-19 and in good shape to win and clinch a division title. But that might have come at the expense of Evans reaching the milestone. Tampa’s defense, trying to close out a victory, got the ball back to the offense with 36 seconds left.

The safe, conventional play would have been to take a knee and let the final seconds tick off the clock, to celebrate a victory, but the Bucs took an unnecessary risk. They tried to get the ball to Evans to give him a chance at the record. They took a timeout, just to carefully go over the options, without risking a pick-six and a game-tying score. They chose to send Evans in motion before the snap, making it harder to double-cover him, and Mayfield threw a quick pass that Evans caught and turned upfield, getting the milestone and turning the stadium into pure elation.