After suffering a knee injury against the Saints, head coach Bruce Arians announced that Antonio Brown has been ruled out the Bucs’ NFC Championship match-up against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
“We just talked to him this morning and to put him on the plane and fly up there and have it swell more just doesn’t make any sense,” Arians said on Friday. “He wasn’t as close as we had hoped so we’ll get him ready for the next one.”
Brown totaled 483 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 45 receptions over the second half of the Bucs’ season, returning to action in Tampa Bay’s Week 9 match-up with the New Orleans Saints, but he had started to reestablish himself as a dominant threat down the stretch. Over the Bucs’ final three games of the regular season and their Wild-Card Round game against Washington, Brown racked up 315 yards and five touchdowns before leaving the Bucs’ Divisional Round game against the Saints last week with just one catch on three targets for 10 yards.
In Brown’s place it will likely mean increased snaps for rookie Tyler Johnson and second-year receiver Scotty Miller, both of which made crucial catches in the Bucs’ win over the Saints last Sunday.
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About the Author: Taylor Jenkins
That sucks.
But be ready in a couple of weeks.
Bummer man. That’s a bummer.
Obviously you’re not a golfer.
How quickly people forget that Scotty Miller was torching backfields for the deep shot weeks before AB came in. Miller’s ceiling is nowhere near AB’s, but Brady and Scotty have awesome chemistry. I’m not super worried about it.
100000% perfect
In a game played in the cold and snow you need a guy like AB who can catch the ball in traffic and break some tackles. That’s not Scotty’s game. Not sure how many deep shots they will take with SM; if they hook up on one that will be surprising.
If the difference between beating the Packers and not is Antonio Brown, then this Bucs squad is not deserving of a Super Bowl.
Yeah but Tyler Johnson is a Minnesota boy, he’s seen that weather most of his life. Brown has been awesome, but one place we can afford it, is with our Wr core
Scotty also have 4.3 speed.
100% dude! Spot on! This offense at the halfway point was firing on all cylinders. Brady had 2200 yds, 22 TD’s vs 5 TO’s, 10 sacks, a 105 QB Rating, and Brady was in the running for MVP. The first 4 games after we got AB, Brady and the offense had their only rough stretch of the season( 1-3, 1100 yds, 8 TD’s vs 7 TO’s, and an 80 QB Rating)
This sucks, but we won without him the last time. One of the other guys will step it up for sure and take advantage of the opportunity. Go Bucs!
now they have to account for two players (Miller and Johnson) instead of one. I like the speed dimension Scotty gives us. The safeties have to play deeper, which opens up the run – which is what we need to do to win the game. I am fine with this. Get well AB!
While Brown did turn on later in the season, remember the Bucs offense before he came was starting to be smooth like butter by the time they played the Raiders. Kinda feels like the universe getting the Bucs back to basics. Vita back in, AB out. I do like AB and would love him to come back on a team-friendly deal unless it forces them to lose Godwin.
Yep! Agree!
Miller and Johnson got this. All teams must overcome adversity at this point in the season. With injuries and CoVid u have to be prepared for the unexpected. Take care of business! We got this. Go Bucs!
Damn, that sucks. We need all hands on deck. They need to give Godwin some of those quick screen passes they had AB doin and we will be fine. Miller and Johnson are reliable and Brate getting more passes is a welcome site. The Offense is gonna go or not but the Defense locking things down is still the key. Hopefully he heals up just fine with the two week break before the Super Bowl. No traveling for that either 😉
Damn.. big blow.. we’re really going to need TJ and Scooter to step up now..
This shouldn’t be a deal breaker by any means. Character aside, it’s never a bad idea to add a player like Brown. Because if he’s the player he’s always been, he’s a game changer. Problem is, I felt like adding Brown, disrupted the flow of the offense. In the 8 games before we had Brown, we were 6-2, and Brady had 2200 yds, 22 TD’s vs 5 TO’s, 10 sacks, and a 105 QB Rating. The first 4 games after we got Brown, we went 1-3, and Brady had 1100 yds, 8 TD’s vs 7 TO’s, an 80 QB Rating.… Read more »