The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t go quietly into the night in their defense of the NFC South crown.
At 4-6, the Buccaneers may be down, but they aren’t out of the divisional race entirely. After all, the first-place Atlanta Falcons only hold a one-game lead in the loss column. And judging by Tampa Bay’s latest actions coming out of the bye, they still believe there’s a chance.
Bucs star wide receiver Mike Evans and stalwart left tackle Tristan Wirfs returned to practice on Wednesday in limited capacities, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former reportedly intends to suit up in Week 12, though the latter’s status remains up in the air. Regardless, having one of them in the mix would be a tremendous boost for Tampa Bay.
Buccaneers getting Mike Evans and possibly Tristan Wirfs back amid push to catch Falcons in NFC South
Evans re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Week 7 and has been out since. The five-time Pro Bowler told ESPN’s Jenna Laine he “could have tried to push it for Week 10” but ultimately chose to play it safe. So, barring any setbacks, Tampa Bay should have their alpha receiver back in the lineup without limitations.
Wirfs suffered an MCL sprain in the Bucs’ Week 10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Despite avoiding a long-term ailment, initial intel suggested he’d be sidelined for some time. Nonetheless, the bye came at an opportune time for the standout blocker, potentially allowing him not to miss any contests.
Set to face a fierce New York Giants pass-rushing unit that ranks second in the NFL in sacks (36), the Bucs need Wirfs. His ability to protect quarterback Baker Mayfield’s blindside is imperative, especially in a matchup like this. He’s one of the better offensive linemen in football, as demonstrated by Pro Football Focus assessing him with an 83.5 overall player grade.
Meanwhile, Mayfield gets his top target back in Evans against a Giants squad that’s struggled to stay in front of the opposing team’s top wideouts. Add Wirfs’ imminent comeback, and the Bucs are getting healthier, which might be enough to propel them to a late-season push.
