BUCCANEERS
DE William Gholston – Biceps – DNP
RB Doug Martin – Hamstring – DNP
RB Jacquizz Rodgers – Foot – DNP
WR Russell Shepard – Hip – DNP
DT Clinton McDonald – Hamstring – Limited
FALCONS
RB Tevin Coleman – Hamstring – DNP
DE Dwight Freeney – Quad – DNP
DT Grady Jarrett – Shoulder – Limited
WR Julio Jones – Knee – Limited
G Andy Levitre – Foot – Limited
CB Brian Poole – Foot – Limited
TE Jacob Tamme – Shoulder – DNP
Incredible what the Failcons do almost every year … Their biggest injury is either Jacob Tamme or their backup RB…they just never get anyone hurt…meanwhile at points this year we’ve played with 4 starting Dlinemen from the scrap heap; we’re on RB #4; our starting LG hasn’t seen the field; our #2 WR is done…
The Bucs coaching staff is reported to be taking a hard look at their strength and conditioning programs and practice routines to see if they can identify one or more root causes that are contributing to our excess of soft tissue injuries this year. As well they should. Granted, luck is also a factor and some teams just experience bad luck with injuries in a given season, while others enjoy good luck. It’s possible we’re just unlucky this year. But if there is a systemic cause at work here, then we’d damn well better figure it out ASAP.
If we don’t win this game, better just punt the rest of the season away as well. My gut feeling in this game is that even though we won in Atlanta, we will find a way to get blown out at Ray-Jay in prime time.