Todd Bowles isn’t interested in the bigger picture right now. With NFC South play beginning Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach kept the focus locked on one thing: winning this week’s game.
The Bucs should have Baker Mayfield available under center after he got through a normal week of practice without any setbacks. That clears the way for him to run the offense as Tampa Bay looks to establish itself early against a division opponent.
But the injury picture is much rougher in other spots. Right tackle Luke Goedeke has been ruled out, leaving a hole on the offensive line. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will also miss the game, taking one of the defense’s top playmakers and communicators off the field.
Rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is expected to sit as well. He remains in the NFL concussion protocol, and Bowles said only an extraordinary, rapid recovery would have given him a chance to play.
The team has gone back through the film trying to determine exactly when the injury happened, but no single hit stood out. There was speculation about a collision with Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen over the middle, though Bowles said multiple plays may have played a role.
There was some good news on the practice field. Cornerback Benjamin Morrison and running back Sean Tucker were full participants all week, giving Tampa Bay some additional flexibility heading into Sunday.
Bowles did not tip his hand on who will replace Goedeke at right tackle. That decision remains in the air and will be made at game time.
With the division schedule opening up, the questions naturally turned toward the larger season outlook. Bowles wasn’t biting. He brushed aside any talk about long-term record swings and kept bringing it back to the task in front of his team: getting a win on Sunday.
In Other News...
Baker Mayfield Carries One Huge Buccaneers Question Into Panthers Game
Baker Mayfield has carried the Buccaneers through the first part of the season with the kind of toughness Tampa Bay has come to expect, and now he heads into Week 7 with a little extra attention on his right hand. Officially listed as questionable against Carolina, Mayfield was a full participant in practice all week after dislocating his thumb in Week 3, leaving the team to sort through the usual pregame injury-report suspense around its quarterback.
Todd Bowles said Mayfield looks ready to play, which is the key development for a Buccaneers offense that also has to navigate the absence of top receiver Emeka Egbuka, who has been ruled out with a concussion. Mayfield is expected to wear a custom glove on the injured hand, a small but notable detail for a team that would rather keep the conversation centered on the game plan than on what its quarterback is wearing when he takes the field. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Face A Season Pressure Game In Carolina Shorthanded
Sundays trip to Bank of America Stadium carries a little extra weight for Tampa Bay, and it comes with a depleted roster on both sides. The Buccaneers head to Carolina on Oct. 25 with several players unavailable, adding another layer of difficulty to a division matchup that already has plenty riding on it. Fans who want to follow along can catch the game locally on FOX, with streaming options on NFL+ and NFL Sunday Ticket, while radio coverage is set for WXTB 97.9 FM and SiriusXM Channel 380.
The injury list is the bigger story for Tampa Bay, though, because it trims away some of the teams margin for error at a time when every AFC South-style slip in the division feels magnified. Carolina has its own absences to manage, but the Buccaneers challenge is figuring out how to get through a road game without some key pieces available, and how much it can still demand from a shorthanded group in a matchup that could shape the tone of the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Get The Weather Break They Needed In Carolina
A much-needed break is waiting for Tampa Bay in Charlotte, where the Buccaneers are set to play the Panthers under sunny skies and mild temperatures around 65 to 70 degrees. After dealing with some less cooperative conditions in recent weeks, the setting at Bank of America Stadium should be about as clean as it gets for an offense trying to get back on track, with no rain expected and only a moderate breeze in the forecast.
The wind, listed around 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph, should not force any real changes to Tampa Bay's game plan, especially with Baker Mayfield on track to return after missing three games because of a thumb injury. It could still be enough to add a little difficulty on the edges of the operation, particularly for the kicking game and for any longer punts, but the bigger picture is simple: the Buccaneers should be able to lean on their passing attack without the weather getting in the way. [Read more 🡒]