The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not had much luck with injuries thus far this season. On the defensive end, a few important players are gradually making their way back into the starting lineup, but their situation is still uncertain by midweek. The Bucs are optimistic about Antoine Winfield Jr.’s prospects in the upcoming weeks and are hoping to see Vita Vea return this week. Both would be very helpful when playing the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the NFL’s top offences.
However, this NFC rival has some offensive line injury concerns going into the game. While Devonta Smith continues to heal from a severe concussion sustained in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, A.J. Brown is still dealing with a hamstring ailment. Due to the placement of Britain Covey on injured reserve, quarterback Jalen Hurts will only have Jahan Dotson as a surefire receiving threat on Sunday.
Smith and Brown’s combined absence could be a difficult situation to overcome. But this Eagles offence is still strong enough to defeat the Bucs in Week 4.
With an average of 167.3 yards per game, Philadelphia has the third-best running offence in the league. This is a result of Saquon Barkley joining the team, who has blended in well with this offence. Barkley’s costly drop in the Eagles’ Week 2 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons garnered a lot of attention, but through three weeks, he leads all NFL running backs with 351 total yards and 117 yards per game. The mobility issues that Jalen Hurts brings to the table make any comebacks for this Bucs defence crucial.
Denver Broncos rushed for 136 yards against Tampa Bay last week. It won’t be good news for the home team if they put out a comparable effort against these Eagles, who are probably hoping to exact revenge for an ugly playoff loss. Hurts might also be without his best receivers, but Dallas Goedert, a tight end, is still a potent weapon in the passing game. The NFL viewers was reminded of his worth in this offence after a career game that culminated in a 61-yard reception on a crucial third and 16. Come Sunday afternoon, the Bucs defence will be faced with a formidable opponent. Even if the Eagles’ offensive alignment may not have all the stars aligned, there is still a lot of firepower that this team needs to take into consideration in the hopes of securing a
