It's been a tough few weeks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a number of different fronts, but none tougher than how much the injury bug has chewed through the roster. The Bucs have already lost both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to injuries that will keep them out of Monday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and the barrage doesn't end there.
SirVocea Dennis was placed on season-ending IR with a shoulder injury, Bucky Irving has popped up on the injury report these last few weeks, and Jamel Dean has been out since the Ravens game with a concussion.
The last thing the Bucs needed was to have more key players pop up on the injury report, which is unfortunately what happened this weekend. Both Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr., two of the team's most important players on defense, were revealed to be battling injuries.
Thankfully, it sounds like Bucs fans won't have to sweat their status.
Antoine Winfield Jr. expected to play vs. Chiefs on Monday Night Football
Despite Winfield popping up on the injury report, and as a troubling late addition, Todd Bowles brushed off the idea that he wouldn't be ready to play on Monday night.
"He's sore, but he'll be fine for Monday," Bowles said, and deflected when asked about whether it was the same foot injury as earlier this year. "He's feeling good and will be fine."
#Bucs got probably the best news possible as Antoine Winfield Jr. Lavonte David, Tykee Smith and Ben Bredeson are all playing.
— Matt Matera (@matty4_matera) November 2, 2024
Only players out are Mike Evans, Greg Gaines and Evan Deckers.
Todd Bowles said Winfield is sore but fine. Smith cleared concussion protocol today. pic.twitter.com/krx7wdCKEd
Lavonte David is also expected to play, and it's impossible to overstate how huge it is for the Bucs to have them both in the lineup for Monday night. The game is already a steep uphill battle, not only thanks to the injuries but how outmatched the Bucs are against the best team in football.
We all knew this would be the toughest stretch of the team's schedule, but the Bucs are staring down the very real possibility of heading into the bye week 4-6 and fighting for their playoff lives. The good news is the schedule eases up the rest of the way, but at the very least Tampa Bay needs to put up a good fight against the Chiefs so as not to fall too far down into the darkness of the hole they're in.
Having Winfield instantly gives the Bucs a better chance of winning than would otherwise be the case, and David out there also helps a pretty dire linebacker situation in terms of available depth.
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