Three Bucs players out, three questionable against Falcons in Week 8

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play a crucial game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday for first place in the division, and they will do so shorthanded.

The Bucs will play the Falcons in what is almost a must-win game for their NFC South chances, who are already down 0-1 to the Falcons this year, and they will have to do it with a depleted team at wide receiver. The Bucs lost Mike Evans for at least three games with a hamstring injury on Monday night, and that only got worse when receiver Chris Godwin went down with a dislocated ankle late in the season-ending game. .

Those two players won’t play, obviously, but they aren’t the only ones who will be out. According to Tampa Bay’s injury report on Friday, defensive back Tykee Smith (concussion) and defensive tackle Greg Gaines (calf) will also be out. Smith will likely be replaced by defensive back Christian Izien, while Gaines may be replaced by several rotational defensive tackles.

READ MORE: Ravens linebacker fined for tackle that injured Bucs WR Chris Godwin

In addition to those players, three are also questionable. Running back Bucky Irving (toe), tight end Payne Durham (calf) and receiver Rakim Jarrett (knee) are questionable. Irving is expected to play, according to Todd Bowles, and Durham’s full participation is encouraging for Sunday — the team may need all the help it can get on the tight end. Jarrett can play, but the team will decide if they would like him or catcher Tanner Knue to be the sixth active catcher on Sunday.

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