The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have won their game this past week against the Las Vegas Raiders, but in the process suffered yet another key loss to their secondary. With only four games left in the regular season, the Buccaneers sit in first place of the NFC South with a 7-6 record. Only one game ahead of the struggling Atlanta Falcons, who own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Tampa.
Injuries have been nothing new for the Bucs this season, dealing with key players on both sides of the ball being out throughout the year. Still somehow, they’ve managed to claw their back into playoff contention, they have their last big test this next week against the Los Angeles Chargers before finishing the year against the Cowboys, Panthers, and Saints.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Missing Star Defender
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr suffered a right knee sprain in the second quarter of the Bucs victory on Sunday. Head Coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Winfield would be missing multiple weeks due to the injury, the last thing this Tampa secondary needed. Safeties Jordan Whitehead and Mike Edwards are already missing in action due to injuries of their own, Whitehead with a torn pectoral muscle and Edwards with a hamstring strain.
Winfield previously missed four games with a foot injury he sustained in week one. Young safeties Tykee Smith and Christian Izien will need to step up and continue to make plays while the Bucs make their final playoff push over the next month.
Winfield earned All-Pro honors last season before signing a four-year contract extension with Tampa worth $84.1M, making him the highest paid safety in NFL history. This has been a down year for the former All-Pro largely due to dealing with multiple injuries among the loss of other key defenders in the secondary. Bowles was uncertain when Winfield would return to action but hopes he would be back in time for the playoffs.
Making The Playoff Push
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers control their own destiny at this point, thanks to the Minnesota Vikings dealing the Falcons their fourth straight loss. All the Bucs have to do is win out, if they lose once they will need Atlanta to also lose at least one more game of their final four. This is more than possible as they still have the Commanders and the looking much improved Panthers on their remaining schedule.
One key to Tampa’s playoff push will be Quarterback Baker Mayfield taking care of the ball, the former first overall pick can’t continue to turn the ball over at such a high rate and continue to win football games. Running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White will be a big part of the Bucs success moving forward too. Irving has firmly placed himself in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation and for good reason. The former Oregon Duck has racked up 735 rushing yards and six touchdowns, to go along with 300 receiving yards.
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