Buccaneers get some much-needed good news after tests on Tristan Wirfs' knee injury

As if Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers wasn't bad enough, an injury to that knocked Tristan Wirfs out in the first half only made things worse.

Wirfs needed to be first helped off the field and then back to the locker room after his knee buckled and bent the wrong way while trying to block Nick Bosa. At first glance the injury looked bad, and even though he didn't need to be carted off the field Bucs fans still couldn't help but assume the worst.

After all, we've already witnessed a season-ending injury to Chris Godwin so another bad break seemed very much to line up with how things have gone. Thankfully initial reports came back with positive news, something that built into a collective sigh of relief this week.

Tristan Wirfs is expected to only miss 'a few weeks' after suffering knee injury

The first positive sign was how many NFL insiders were reporting almost right away that the injury wasn't as bad as it seemed. That trend of good news continued a day later when NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Wirfs only had an MCL sprain -- rather than a torn ACL -- and would only miss a few weeks.

It's an absolutely stunning break for a team that hasn't been given many this season. Wirfs will miss a few weeks but the Bucs are heading into their bye which means he'll have a built-in week of rest. If the timeline Rapoport tossed out is right, then it means Wirfs could return as soon as Tampa Bay's game against the Giants in two weeks.

Of course, there's no need to rush him back given everything that's at stake the rest of the way. Tampa Bay has limped into the bye with a 4-6 record after losing four straight games. Even though those losses came agaisnt four of the best teams in the league, there's zero margin for error from here on out.

Already Todd Bowles has been heavily criticized by fans, to such a severe extent that it borders on unfairness, and rushing Wirfs back and into another injury will be another nail in his coffin. Things are dire, but there's plenty of seaosn left and the Bucs have time to figure things out before it's too late.

Wirfs' injury not being as bad as it seemed is hopefully an omen for how things will go after the bye week for Tampa Bay.

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