The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the No. 3 seed in the NFC and will host the Washington Commanders on Wild Card Weekend. Since the Bucs advanced to the postseason, will they be able to get back star wide receiver Chris Godwin at any point during their playoff run?
What Is Chris Godwin’s Injury?
The Buccaneers were 4-2 and looked like the top team in the NFC South entering Tampa Bay’s Week 7 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, and Godwin’s play was a big reason for the team’s success.
Unfortunately, Godwin suffered a devastating ankle injury late in the fourth quarter against Baltimore.
Shortly after, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Godwin suffered a left ankle dislocation that caused him to miss the remainder of the regular season.
Recently, head coach Bowles provided an update on Godwin’s chance of returning.
“You guys have asked a lot, but Todd Bowles said neither Chris Godwin nor SirVocea Dennis are in position to return from longterm injuries, even in a deep playoff,” Fox Sports writer Greg Auman posted.
You guys have asked a lot, but Todd Bowles said neither Chris Godwin nor SirVocea Dennis are in position to return from longterm injuries, even in a deep playoff run.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 6, 2025
Godwin had previously said that he was aiming for a return during the postseason, but apparently, that goal wasn’t realistic.
Godwin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
MORE: NFL Analyst Reveals Dark Horse Team That Could Pursue Chris Godwin
Before suffering the injury, Godwin was on pace for the best season of his NFL career, catching 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns through seven games.
Todd Bowles Criticized For Playing Godwin in Garbage Time
Bowles took a lot of heat after he left Godwin in the game against the Ravens, as the Bucs were basically out of the game, eventually losing 41-31.
Bowles defended his decision at the time, saying the Bucs still had a slim chance of winning.
“He’s a player. We’re trying to win the ball game,” Bowles said about the decision to keep Godwin in the game. “We were still down 10. We’re trying to get extra points and kick another onside kick. [The injury] just happened.”
Bowles did not appreciate the media questioning his decision to keep Godwin in the game because he thought his team still had a chance to pull off the victory.
“You can say that because he got hurt. We don’t second-guess,” Bowles said in October. “We’ve got our guys. We’re playing everybody we’ve got. It’s unfortunate he got hurt, but he’s a football player and he wants to be in the game, just like Baker [Mayfield] and everybody else wanted to be in the game.”
Godwin’s injury hasn’t affected the Bucs too much, as rookie Jalen McMillan has stepped up and Mike Evans continue to produce at a high level. Since Week 12, Evans leads the NFL in receiving yards (669), while McMillan is tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns (seven).
Still, Bucs fans were holding out hope that Godwin would return, giving the Bucs all of their weapons.
Dennis’ absence due to a shoulder injury has arguably impacted the Bucs even more than Godwin’s injury, as he was their best coverage linebacker and Tampa Bay isn’t nearly at deep at linebacker as they are at wide receiver.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Commanders Game Preview
- Location: Tampa, Raymond James Stadium
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC/Peacock
The Commanders finished the season with the sixth-lowest turnover rate in the league, which puts the offense in a position to succeed as often as any. This fuels their fourth-place ranking in points per drive.
Jayden Daniels is already one of the elite dual-threat quarterbacks after one season. His scrambling has led to a ridiculous 56.0 EPA, while no other QB has more than 35.7 EPA on scrambles this year.
The Buccaneers had to sweat it out, but they got everything they could have hoped for in Week 18. The Bucs clinched the NFC South and got Mike Evans his record-tying 11th straight 1,000-yard receiving season.
The offense certainly earned the right to play postseason football. Baker Mayfield had a career year, joining Tom Brady as the only two players in franchise history with 40 passing touchdowns in a season. That allowed Tampa to post a top-five ranking in both EPA per rush and pass success rate.
On the season as a whole, the Commanders’ offensive line has done a good job in pass protection, given just how long Daniels holds the ball (3.01 seconds; seventh). Whether it’s in the face of the blitz or not, Daniels is in the top 10 for both in terms of time to throw (or be sacked).
The Buccaneers’ offensive line has undeniably been one of the most improved units in the NFL this season. They have been the NFL’s second-best unit over the past four weeks, including three games graded as B- or above.
Tampa Bay’s pressure rate (24.4%) is the lowest in the league, and they have impressive numbers whether facing the blitz or not.
The Commanders were a below-average defense for most of the season, which their final Defense+ ranking reflects (17th overall, Grade: C). Ultimately, Washington’s performance was largely fairly consistent based on their level of competition.
For the season, the Commanders ranked 24th in defensive EPA per dropback, the third-lowest among the 14 playoff teams.
Quietly, the Buccaneers defense has improved since returning from their bye in Week 12. A soft schedule helped, but the Bucs rank third in EPA per play, first in third-down defense, and fourth in red-zone defense over that span.
A Wild Card matchup against the likely Offensive Rookie of the Year will be a bigger test. However, the Bucs did hand Daniels and Co. a convincing defeat in Week 1.