The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be reeling after a 41-31 Monday night loss to Baltimore in which both of their star receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, suffered potentially significant injuries, but they don't have much time to wallow in their sorrows. Following a short week, they will welcome the Atlanta Falcons to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, October 27, for an early battle for NFC South supremacy.
Both teams are 4-3, tied atop the division, after the Falcons also lost at home to Seattle in Week 17. However, Atlanta won the first game of the home-and-home set in Week Five, rallying for a 36-30 overtime victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Whichever team prevails next Sunday in Tampa will have a one-game lead in the division, but the Falcons have a shot to lock in a hammer of a tiebreaker with a head-to-head sweep.
The Buccaneers will take a red-hot offense into the matchup, but will have to find some new ways to move the ball after Evans left Monday's game early with a hamstring injury and Godwin suffered a dislocated ankle with a minute left in regulation. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who leads the NFL with 18 touchdown passes, still found a way to throw for 370 yards and three scores against Baltimore.
"We have to find a way," said Mayfield. "Short week. We're going to be playing for first place in the division next week at home against Atlanta. Got to have guys step up. That's the nature of this business. I'm going to be thinking about Chris and Mike for a while here, but we're going to have move forward. This group is going to have to be resilient. Going to have to have guys step up. That's just the way it is. There is no other way around it. Going to have to look this thing in the face and take it head on."
The Bucs may rely more on a rushing attack that has produced 562 yards over the past three games, including 125 on Monday against the Ravens' top-ranked run defense. Tampa Bay's coaches found a way to get Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker involved, as that trio combined for 226 yards from scrimmage and three scores.
