In Week One, the Buccaneers decidedly beat the Commanders 37-20 at Raymond James Stadium. En route to victory, wide receiver Chris Godwin spearheaded the attack in Liam Coen's reimagined offense. He finished with eight catches (eight targets) for 83 receiving yards and a touchdown. Five of those grabs were on third down – all conversions – and seven of his eight catches resulted in a first down. Godwin became the catalyst and Baker Mayfield's go-to in crunch time.
"Just this offense, it plays into his strengths," said Mayfield. "He has always been a smart football player, and he is going to do whatever the coaches are going to ask, and this is now his opportunity to really shine. He has always been a stud, but Chris looks really good and the more J-MAC [Jalen McMillan] can come along, the better it is going to be for Mike [Evans] and Chris as well."
This season, Godwin reverted back to a full-time role in the slot. Coen, the Bucs' new offensive coordinator, saw potential in a similar role for Godwin as one of his former players: Cooper Kupp. Coen served as the Rams' assistant wide receivers coach in 2019 when Kupp had a stellar campaign with 94 catches for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns. Godwin has assumed the 'F' position, which allows him to not only have a less restricted release and option routes, but also helps to supplement the run game by concealing his blocking duties.
"I am back to doing the things that I am accustomed to doing," noted Godwin. "It was fun, and it felt good to be put in a lot of those tough positions. Obviously if you are in the slot, it is easier to disguise run blocking or running a route, going inside or outside. It gives you a lot of flexibility."
On Sunday, Godwin did it all as the bonafide chain-mover. Whether a 14-yard gain off a square-in route, nine-yard gain off an out-breaking route or a 24-yard momentum-builder off a tunnel screen, Godwin ignited the offense. Midway through the third quarter, Godwin helped the Bucs achieve a 16-point advantage. From first-and-goal, Godwin ran an out and caught Mayfield's pass, giving the home team a 23-7 lead. With that score, Godwin broke a tie with Jimmie Giles (34) for the second-most receiving touchdowns in franchise history.
The physical receiver is adept at boxing out defenders and making challenging catches over the middle of the field. He is a RAC-artist, creating after screens and sweeps down the perimeter. Godwin is an effective crack blocker against linebackers/safeties and plays with outstanding body control. He is the embodiment of an 'unselfish player,' and approaches everyday with an unrivaled work ethic. In the season opener, Godwin was in peak form between the hashes.
