Two of the Buccaneers’ best playmakers sustained injuries on Monday night during Tampa Bay’s 41-31 loss to the visiting Baltimore Ravens, as Mike Evans hurt a hamstring before fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin had to be carted off the field because of a ankle issue.
Evans was the first one to go down, clutching at his right hamstring after failing to hold on to a potential 24-yard touchdown reception with 7:31 left in the first half. He was able to walk to the locker room under his own power but did not return to the game.
Godwin’s injury was more serious. It came with about a minute left in the game and Tampa Bay trailing by 10. The cart had to be brought out after the 28-year-old had his left ankle get caught under Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith at the end of a 21-yard reception.
Godwin was crawling on the field following the hit from Smith, and medical personnel put his foot in an air cast once he got into the back of the cart.
Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said after the game that Godwin sustained a dislocated ankle and is out indefinitely.
“Chris is a hell of a player, and he’s a hell of a human being even more so than that,” Bowles said. “There’s not much you can say. … Unfortunately they’re not gonna cancel the games and we gotta step up and move on, but our hearts are heavy.”
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said, “Gonna be thinking about Chris and Mike for a while here, but (we) have to move forward. This group is gonna have to be resilient. We’re gonna have to have guys step up. And that’s just the way it is.”
Prior to exiting, Evans only had one catch, a 25-yard TD. Godwin hauled in seven receptions for 65 yards.
Evans, 31, snagged his 100th career touchdown on Monday night — becoming the 11th player in NFL history to achieve that milestone. He has found the end zone six times in seven games (all starts) this season, amassing 335 yards on 26 catches.
In seven games (all starts) this season, Godwin has 50 receptions for 576 yards and five TDs.
The Buccaneers fell to 4-3 with the defeat.
