The Book of Baker Mayfield gets more improbable by the page, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback overcoming a slew of injuries to the offense and leading his team to a 5-1 record following Sunday's 30-19 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The early MVP contender is exhibiting splendid rapport with players who were previously in the background, and judging by the latest injury news, that may have to continue heading into Week 7.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Monday that running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin are highly unlikely to play against the Detroit Lions (4-2) next Monday night, per Evan Closky. Outstanding rookie Emeka Egbuka will have an MRI on Tuesday after suffering a hamstring injury versus the 49ers. The hope is that franchise great Mike Evans can return to practice this week after missing the last three games with his own hamstring issue.
Godwin is nursing a fibula injury, and Irving has yet to suit up in October due to shoulder and foot ailments. The Buccaneers can only survive this level of misfortune for so long, but the team has perfected the art of shattering expectations again and again.
Can the Buccaneers stay strong?
There was a time when it would have been absurd to picture a scenario where Tom Brady left the New England Patriots for another franchise. The American sports icon chose Tampa Bay and immediately helped the squad win its first championship in 18 years. Few people believed that Mayfield could keep the Bucs interesting after No. 12's retirement. He resuscitated his career and is now flourishing after consecutive divisional titles and Pro Bowl appearances.
Skepticism has remained during the 2025-26 campaign. They said four game-winning drives in five weeks was not a sustainable way to succeed in the NFL, and they said trouble could befall them when their most important skills position players landed on the shelf. These were logical claims to make, but that's just it. The Buccaneers defy logic.
Based on their present circumstances, they will need to keep doing so in order to maintain their first-place standing in the NFC. Rolling out a painfully shorthanded offense in Detroit sounds quite demanding, but it seems mighty risky to doubt them now.
