The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a change, and they need it to happen sooner rather than later. After a crushing 34-7 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, the Bucs own a narrow lead over the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South. That being said, their recent cold streak leaves much to be desired for the team and their fans as the postseason rapidly approaches.
To make matters worse, the team will be waiting to see if franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield will need to miss extended time with a shoulder injury. Although an MRI revealed that his injury is better than initially feared, there is still a chance that he could miss their Week 13 showdown with the Arizona Cardinals. Even if Baker were to miss one game, he is not the only reinforcement that could be on the way.
Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles Provides Encouraging Updates About Several Injured Stars
Baker Mayfield is not the only player who could be returning to help the Buccaneers this season, but a few key weapons that could prove to be X-factors as the postseason draws near. According to PFSN’s Offense Impact, the Buccaneers came into Week 12 with the 26th-ranked offense, a ranking that could change once everyone is back in the fold.
In a press conference following the team’s loss to the Rams, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was asked about several injured players and whether they could see action before the end of the year. Bowles spoke about the progress of wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, as well as defensive tackle Calijah Kancey.
“All of them, J-Mac, Mike, and Kancey have been working out and running, training hard, and working to get back. Sprint-wise, they are doing well, but other than that, we will have to see. I think they’ll all be back before the season’s out, but I just can’t tell you when,” Bowles told reporters.
Although the returns of the three players remain unclear, the fact that none of them has officially been ruled out for the season is encouraging. If the Buccaneers can secure a postseason berth, they could receive a significant injection of talent to their injury-riddled lineup.
The team has already seen star wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. return to the lineup, albeit on a snap count, and all signs are pointing to running back Bucky Irving returning this week. If the Buccaneers can survive this cold, rough patch, the return of some injured players, coupled with a remaining schedule that gets dramatically easier, could bode well for their playoff aspirations.
