Why isn’t Chris Godwin playing for the Bucs against the Falcons in Week 8?

Chris Godwin’s absence from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineup this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons isn’t by choice. The star receiver is out with a dislocated left ankle, an injury that occurred late in Tampa’s recent loss to the Baltimore Ravens. In the final minute of regulation, Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith executed a hip-drop tackle, a now-controversial maneuver the NFL banned in March due to its high injury risk. While Smith escaped a penalty on the play, he will receive a $16,833 fine – although he may still appeal the league’s decision.

The severity of Godwin’s injury became clear following surgery on Wednesday, which is expected to sideline him for the remainder of the 2024 regular season at least. Godwin, who leads the NFL with 50 catches this year, took to social media, expressing a bittersweet acceptance of his situation, “Adversity reveals our true character,” he wrote, vowing to persevere.

Will Roquan Smith’s fine deter hip-drop tackles?

Hip-drop tackles, banned for their potential to cause serious lower body injuries, are still making their mark on the field despite a league-wide effort to curtail them.

In a postGame statement, Smith extended his sympathy to Godwin, calling him “a good family man” and stating that he’d never intentionally injure another player.

His fine, even if easy for these multi-millionaires to pay off, serves as an ongoing and important reminder that certain tackles, however unintentional, can carry consequences.

How long is Mike Evans out?

The Bucs’ injury woes don’t end with Godwin. Fellow wideout Mike Evans, sidelined with a re-aggravated hamstring injury, isn’t expected to play this Sunday and may miss three more games before Tampa’s bye week.

The injury first flared up in Week 7 against Baltimore when Evans attempted a catch in the end zone. Visibly in pain, he exited before halftime, leaving Tampa’s offense further weakened.