Bucs look destined for fifth straight NFC South title — but will rash of injuries limit their playoff potential?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look well on their way to winning the NFC South for a fifth straight year and hosting a playoff game again. They've been one of the NFL's most consistent teams this season.
They've also been one of its most injured, and when "Football 301" hosts Nate Tice and Matt Harmon ran down the fatal flaws of multiple postseason contenders, the injuries sprung up with the Bucs.
"I just think the injuries and really the lack of reinforcements on offense," Harmon said. "I'm starting from a week-by-week basis to get more and more concerned about this."
Right now, the Bucs are without wide receivers Mike Evans (on IR with broken collarbone), Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula) and Jalen McMillan (on IR with strained neck), as well as running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder). Irving and Godwin were limited in practice this week, but ruled out by head coach Todd Bowles.
Tice noted that the offensive line has been banged up throughout the year, and while Tristian Wirfs is playing well enough, he's one of the best tackles in football when healthy.
"It's not just like, 'Oh, our starter is out," Tice said. "No, these are Pro Bowl-quality players that are out and missing time."
That's placed the burden of the offense on quarterback Baker Mayfield.
"Baker's a good quarterback. He's kind of a fringe top-10 guy, but we know he can be streaky, and up and down, and kind of go with the flow of the circumstances," Harmon said.
Rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has blossomed into a bona fide No. 1 option given the injuries to the wide receiver room, while Tez Johnson has been a good contributor too. But it gets really thin in the passing game, as Harmon notes, and the Godwin "easy button" hasn't been there.
"Emeka Egbuka has turned into an easy button, but I like having several easy buttons in this offense as opposed to just one," Tice said.
Not to mention the Bucs are getting nothing from the run game, with Rachaad White proving to be ill-suited for a full-time showcase role, though he is a good complementary back in Harmon's eyes.
It's all combined to stress the defense more than expected.
"I think the defense has been playing better than it did last year," Harmon said, "but I'm not sure it's at a level where that can win them a playoff game if their offense isn't firing on all cylinders."
Given all the injuries on that side of the ball, the defense might ultimately have to.
"I like their scheme," Tice said. "There's nothing I can go, 'Do this more, or do this more, or do that more.' It just, it is what it is."