Bucs remain banged up but carry confidence into Thursday’s Falcons clash

ATLANTA (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are riding momentum into Thursday night’s NFC South clash with the Atlanta Falcons but so far, the short game week has presented many challenges.

Tuesday’s practice injury report included 15 players, eight of them are starters. Three of the starting five offensive linemen are carrying an injury.

Right tackle Luke Goedeke will miss a fourth straight game, remaining in the concussion protocol.

Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey has yet to take the field this season, working his way back from a calf injury while safety Antoine Winfield Jr. continues to deal with his foot injury suffered in Week One.

The Bucs, however, are not strangers to inserting backups into the lineup. Neither the defensive line nor the defensive backfield has played all of its normal starters through four games, and Thursday’s game will be no different.

Last week, the team limped into its contest against the Philadelphia Eagles and dominated the entire game, walking away with a 33-16 victory to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield added to his season touchdown pass total, now sitting at eight, and also ran for a touchdown.

The Bucs hope to continue their progress on offense. They scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives to begin the game, a problem lingering back to last season.

Running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving continue to be the combination that Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen wants to expand, even as Irving appears to be emerging as the most effective ball carrier. The rookie has now burst for two runs of 30-plus yards and is elusive, the perfect compliment to White’s ability to break tackles.

The most noticeable return in last week’s win was Defensive Lineman Vita Vea, back after missing just one game with a sprained MCL.

Vea’s dominance inside against the Eagles helped lead the defense to a season high six quarterback sacks, an element of the game that was lacking in the first three games of the season.

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