Buccaneers Season on Brink of Disaster After Devastating Injury Blow to Star Receivers

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The sight of Mike Evans stretched out on the ground in the back of the end zone, then limping off with a hamstring injury was bad enough. When Tampa Bay’s other top receiver, Chris Godwin, went down in the same game, the Buccaneer faithful were left wondering what their team would do without its top two playmakers.

TheBuccaneers suffered a double-digit loss to the visiting Ravens on Sunday, but the final score was almost an afterthought considering the major injury concerns that now face the team. Evans and Godwin, who entered the season as two of the top receivers in the entire league, both left the game in the first half and did not return.

ForBuccaneers fans, the sight of Evans on the ground, clutching at the back of his leg in obvious pain, was a nightmare scenario come to life. The star receiver had been virtually unstoppable in the early going, hauling in several long passes and making plays in the open field. That’s when disaster struck, as Evans suddenly found himself on the ground, grasping at his hamstring and unable to get up.

Thingsonly got worse from there. Not long after Evans departed, Chris Godwin went down in a heap, holding his own leg in pain. The injury appeared to occur after Godwin landed awkwardly on his leg while trying to make a catch. He was eventually carted off the field and did not return.

Asif the injury woes weren’t enough, the Buccaneers also had to deal with a stingy Ravens defense that shut down Tampa Bay’s offense for most of the day. The loss marked theBuccaneers’ third in a row, leaving them at a crossroads as they try to salvage their season. ForBuccaneers coach, the loss was a tough pill to swallow. “We just have to find a way to bounce back,” he said after the game. “We’ll see what we’re made of in the coming days.”

WithEvans and Godwin both expected to miss significant time, the Buccaneers will have to get creative to move the ball down the field. One potential solution could be an increased role for the running game, which was quietly effective on Sunday. Another option could be getting more receivers involved, particularly some of the younger players who have been waiting for an opportunity to contribute.

ForBuccaneers fans, it’s shaping up to be a long few weeks. While there’s still plenty of time left in the season, the loss of Evans and Godwin is a devastating blow. As the team tries to regroup and find a way forward, one thing is certain: the NFL season just got a lot tougher for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.