The Bucs will be without their best offensive player in wide receiver Mike Evans when they take on the Detroit Lions this weekend.
Evans who injured his hamstring on a 61 yard touchdown catch in the third quarter was able to limp off the field, but Arians said that he would definitely miss this game and was hopeful that he would be back for the season finale against Atlanta, but didn’t sound optimistic.
Tackle Donavan Smith was also injured in the game against the Colts and has not practiced this week.
There was a lot of groaning and gnashing of teeth when the Bucs gave Smith that three year $41 million dollar contract last off-season to keep him in Tampa. Smith has had his issues at the position, but when Earl Watford entered the game to replace Smith, Jameis Winston was sacked for the only time in the game, and was under pressure on a couple of other plays from that side.
If Smith is not able to go this weekend, that would be another blow to this offense considering Winston is nursing a fractured thumb.
Winston injured his thumb in the first half and did not come out onto the field with the team to start the second half. Ryan Griffin saw his first NFL action in a regular season going 2/4 for 18 yards.
Winston was able to return and able to bring the Bucs back to get the 38-35 win as he threw for 456 yards and four touchdown passes. He was also intercepted three times.
Winston was throwing a tennis ball at practice this week, as to not aggravate that fractured thumb, but Arians said that Winston should be able to go against the Lions and that was the plan as of today.
Winston is on pace to throw 28 interceptions this season and also become one of only eight quarterbacks in league history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season.
In other Bucs news:
-Linebacker Shaquill Barrett was credited with a full sack after review of the game against the Colts. Barrett now has 15.5 sacks on the season which is one shy of Warren Sapp’s all time single season Buccaneer record of 16.5.
-Mike Evans has been nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. This award recognizes a player for his outstanding community service and his other charitable off the field activities.
Here is just a partial list of Mike Evans Charitable work in the community.
—Started the Mike Evans Foundation to support education and assist low income families in the community
-Gives financial support through his foundation to support women and families whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence.
-Through his Catch For Christmas initiative, Evans took 13 kids to breakfast, gave them a tour of the Bucs facility, and bought gifts for them from their wish list.
-Donated $40,000 dollars in scholarship money to his alma mater Texas A@M.
-Donated $25,000 to USF to start a scholarship fund for those students needing financial assistance.
On the field, this is the 6th consecutive year that Evans has gone over 1,000 yards in receiving as he has 1157 on the season.
