The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting healthy, starting with starting quarterback Baker Mayfield’s retirement last week. This week, they have a lighter injury report. The Atlanta Falcons, meanwhile, have three injuries that could be important. Who will miss the game in Tampa this week?
Backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. has already missed Week Seven against the San Francisco 49ers with a hamstring injury. That injury lingered, and he’s out this week. Khalil Herbert will continue to back up starting running back Bijan Robinson in the backfield.
The absence of Robinson Jr. doesn’t seem like that big of a deal until you consider how much rest the Falcons have given Robinson this season. Herbert has yet to prove the ability to give Robinson breathing room on the sideline without the offense sacrificing production. That can play under the hot Tampa Bay sun.
The other two major injuries were on defense. Inside linebacker Divine Deablo will miss his second game with an arm injury. Last season, things changed, as Deablo was heavy in the middle. This season, his injury allowed linebacker Kendal Daniels to break out, who had a breakout performance last week that included an interception and a fumble recovery.
Defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. was downgraded to out with a hamstring injury. With veteran safety Jessie Bates III, veteran defensive back Sydney Brown, and young safety Xavier Watts making the middle of the field a tough place to play against on offense, Bowman Jr. has enough reinforcements to heal.
On the Buccaneers side, veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield is back from his hand injury but still seems to be on the mend. Tampa Bay leaned heavily on the run game in Week Seven in its first game back. Makefield completed just seven passes for 64 yards in their blowout game against Carolina. The Falcons will see how good Mayfield’s arm is.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is out again with a foot injury. Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. has been a one-two punch for Tampa this year, with nearly identical stats. The main difference is that Egbuka has touchdowns, with two this season. We’ll see how much this affects Tampa’s offense on Sunday.
Backup running back Kenny Gainwell and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke are both questionable and could also miss Sunday’s game, hampering the offense. Last week’s game plan leaned heavily on the run game, which will be more difficult without a backup running back and an offensive lineman.
On paper, the Falcons have the advantage heading into Sunday’s game. But you don’t know how these things work. It bodes well for the Falcons to take advantage and win on Sunday, as it would give them control of the NFC South.