TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The depth and resiliency of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are about to be tested.
The three-time defending NFC South champions lost their top two playmakers during Monday night’s 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are arguably the best receivers the franchise has ever had — not to mention one of the most dynamic duos in the NFL.
Evans, the club’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, touchdown catches and scoring, limped off with a hamstring injury on a night he gave the Bucs an early lead with the 100th TD catch of his career.
Godwin, second on Tampa Bay’s career list for receptions, receiving yards and TD catches, was carted to the locker room after suffering a dislocated left ankle in the final minute of a game that Lamar Jackson and the Ravens dominated more than the final score might suggest.
Coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that Godwin will have surgery and likely be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season. He possibly could return during the playoffs if the Bucs (4-3) wind up playing deep into January.
Evans is expected to miss the next three games against Atlanta, Kansas City and San Francisco as Tampa Bay finishes a stretch in which it faces three of the four teams that played in last season’s conference finals.
If all goes well, Bowles thinks the 31-year-old receiver could return to the lineup following the team’s bye week, when the Bucs visit the New York Giants on Nov. 24.
While the Bucs are exploring options, it sounds as if they’re not likely to pursue a deal to bring in any high-profile receivers.
“We’ve looked outside the building. But to get a true No. 1 in here, you’ve got to make massive trades and give up quite a bit. That’s not where we are at this point,” Bowles said. “We feel comfortable with the guys in the in the building. They’re probably not of the name status as Mike and Chris, or as accomplished right now, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play.”
So to keep Tampa Bay’s offense humming, Baker Mayfield likely will have to rely more on a rejuvenated running game, as well as a mostly young group of receivers that includes rookie Jalen McMillan, second-year pro Trey Palmer and veteran Sterling Shepard, one of Mayfield’s former college teammates at Oklahoma.
“The biggest thing is with those guys having to step up, we’re not going to ask them to be Mike and Chris. We know what they were when they made this team. We’re going to ask them to do the things they can do,” Bowles said. “We’re going to specialize in their talents, make them play fast and play hard, and then we’ll be OK.”
What’s working
Despite being dominated by the Ravens, who scored on seven of nine possessions with Lamar Jackson in the game, the Bucs continued to demonstrate they’re capable of moving the ball against any defense. Mayfield threw for 370 yards and three TDs, but he was sacked three times and threw a pair of costly interceptions. The Bucs finished with 481 yards, though a big chunk of that came after they fell behind by 24 points late in the third quarter.
What needs help
The Ravens have the NFL’s No. 1 rushing attack, and Derrick Henry had another monster night with 169 yards on 15 carries, including an 81-yard run. The Bucs have had one of the best run defenses in the league since Bowles joined the team as defensive coordinator in 2019. Baltimore gained 244 on the ground Monday night, so any solutions Bowles is searching for on that side of the ball have to begin with fixing the run defense.
Stock up
Rookie running back Bucky Irving, a fourth-round draft pick out of Oregon, continues to impress. He averaged just 2.6 yards per carry in rushing for 23 yards on nine attempts against Baltimore. However, he scored his third TD of the season and contributed to the passing game with three receptions for 54 yards.
Stock down
Slumping punter Jake Camarda was waived Tuesday. He was inactive Monday night and had been a healthy scratch for three of four games since the Bucs signed Trenton Gill to the practice squad.
Injuries
The Bucs may have to play this week without rookie safety Tykee Smith, who left Monday night’s game after being evaluated for a concussion.
Key number
11 — Evans became the 11th player in NFL history to reach 100 TD catches. The others are Jerry Rice (197), Randy Moss (156), Terrell Owens (153), Cris Carter (130), Marvin Harrison (128), Larry Fitzgerald (121), Antonio Gates (116), Tony Gonzalez (111), Tim Brown (100) and Steve Largent (100).
Up next
Sole possession of first place in the NFC South will be on the line when Atlanta (4-3) visits Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. The Falcons won a Week 5 matchup between the division rivals 36-30 in overtime.
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