It's a short week for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the last 24 hours have been about as big of a nightmare as anyone could have imaginged.
Both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were lost to serious injuries, with the former likely out for the rest of the season. Godwin was the victim of a potential hip drop tackle by Roquan Smith, a play that resulted in him suffering a dislocated ankle.
That injury cast a dark shadow over the entire night -- as well as the season up to this point -- but it wasn't the only tough break of the night. Earlier in the game Mike Evans needed to leave after reaggravating his hamstring injury.
Godwin's injury was pretty obvious in terms of its severity, but Bucs fans weren't sure how long Evans would be out. An MRI on Tuesday morning seemed to confirm that the nightmare won't be over any time soon.
Latest Mike Evans injury update is another big blow to the Buccaneers
According to Buccaneers insider JC Allen, the MRI that Evans underwent revealed that he'll miss at least the next four weeks. He could return to the lineup for Week 12 against the New York Giants, but nothing has been set in stone.
Per Sources, #Bucs WR Mike Evans will be sidelined with his hamstring injury until after the team’s Week 11 bye. Anything sooner than a Week 12 return against the Giants is considered unlikely.
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) October 22, 2024
Rick Stroud reported that the Bucs do not plan on placing Evans on IR, which is the first bit of mildly positive news we've heard in the last 24 hours.
It's an absolutely brutal loss for the Bucs, who are heading into a three-game stretch against the Falcons, Chiefs, and 49ers without Evans or Godwin.
Evans missing time has an even bigger impact than simply what happens to the offense. He's attempting to reach 1,000 yards for the 11th consecutive season, which is a streak that is very much in doubt now.
He has 335 yards through the first seven games of the season, which means if he returns in Week 12, Evans will need to average 95 yards per game to reach the 1,000-yard mark. It's a tall task, but if anyone can ball out over a seven-game period, it will be Evans.
Everything about the situation stinks, from the injuries to the ramifications they have on Tampa Bay's season. At the very least the team has some closure in terms of how long they'll be without Evans and can hopefully adjust accordingly in the meantime.
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