Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints Injury Report for NFC Divisional Round
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night at 6:40 PM ET.
- A number of big names are listed on the injury reports but most of it is just load management; there are just a few questionable players on each team.
- The Saints are a 3-point favorite for this contest; see the full injury roundup below
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints complete their trilogy on Sunday. The two NFC South foes have already squared off twice and the Saints stomped the Bucs, winning 38-3 and 34-23.
NHL lines for this Divisional Round affair but how much will injuries factor in this game? Let’s take a closer look.
Buccaneers Injury Report
| Player | Position | Injury | Thursday Practice | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Cappa | G | Ankle | Injured Reserve | OUT |
| Jeremiah Ledbetter | DL | Calf | Did Not Participate | OUT |
| Andrew Adams | S | NIR | Did Not Participate | QUESTIONABLE |
| Ronald Jones | RB | Finger/Calf | Limited Participation | QUESTIONABLE |
| Jordan Whitehead | S | Knee | Limited Participation | QUESTIONABLE |
| Chris Godwin | WR | Hip/Quad | Did Not Participate | – |
| Carlton Davis | CB | Groin | Full Participation | – |
| Mike Evans | WR | Knee | Limited Participation | – |
| Ali Marpet | G | Pectoral | Full Participation | – |
| LeSean McCoy | RB | Illness | Full Participation | – |
| Jason Pierre-Paul | EDGE | Knee | Did Not Participate | – |
| Ndamukong Suh | DT | NIR | Did Not Participate | – |
All information taken from the Official Injury Reports
Bucs Banged Up With Two Out, Three Questionable
The Bucs got a win over Washington during the Wild Card Weekend but it would be hard to say they exited the game unscathed. The team lost starting right guard Alex Cappa to a fractured ankle and he’ll now miss this week’s game. Defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter is also out, although he’s not much than a depth piece.
While those two players are out, the Bucs will also have a trio of players who are questionable. On offense, running back Ronald Jones was mysteriously out last week as many speculated that he wasn’t injured. He threw some shade at the team via Twitter and some figured that he was merely benched.
#GoBucs QB Tom Brady says G Alex Cappa didn’t make any sound when he broke his ankle Sat. Said he planned to keep playing until he couldn’t put any weight on it.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 14, 2021
As we’ve moved through this week, the Bucs are still without Jones, who is a true game-time decision on Sunday. He had limited participation on Friday. On defense, the team has a pair of safeties who are questionable as Andrew Adams and Jordan Whitehead aren’t certain to play. Whitehead, the starter, was added to the report on Friday.
Late-week injuries can be a concern and for now, it’s unclear what happened to Whitehead. He was still a limited participant, so he either tweaked something in practice or has a lingering issue and got some time off. He started all 17 games this season for the Bucs, finishing fourth on the team in tackles.
Saints Injury Report
| Player | Position | Injury | Thursday Practice | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Robinson | CB | Hamstring | Did Not Participate | Out |
| Taysom Hill | QB | Knee | Limited Participation | QUESTIONABLE |
| Latavius Murray | RB | Quadricep | Limited Participation | QUESTIONABLE |
| Terron Armstead | T | Elbow | Full Participation | – |
| Jared Cook | TE | Back | Full Participation | – |
| Trey Hendrickson | DE | Neck | Full Participation | – |
Saints Have Some Question Marks
The Saints won’t be completely 100% on Sunday but they’ll be close to it. Their biggest absence will be cornerback Patrick Robinson, who is out with a hamstring injury. He’s more of a depth piece and has missed chunks of the season, so this won’t have much of an impact.
As for the rest of the Saints injury report, it’s fairly clean. Offensive weapons Latavius Murray and Taysom Hill have been listed as questionable. Murray missed practice and was labeled day-to-day midweek, while Hill has been fighting a knee injury that’s landed him with a questionable tag. Both got in a limited practice on Friday, though.
https://twitter.com/Kofie/status/1348406880402632713
We’ve had mixed reporting throughout the week as both players were trending in the wrong direction but the Friday limited practice might put them on track to play. Murray picks up tough yards in the running game while Hill is a useful gadget player. However, the team has Alvin Kamara and Drew Brees, so this won’t impact the betting line.
How Will The Odds Be Impacted?
The biggest loss of the bunch is the Bucs losing a starting guard. Cappa played 100% of the snaps in 15 of the 16 regular season games and graded out at 69.0, according to PFF. The Bucs already struggle to run the ball, so this won’t help. Priority No. 1 is giving Tom Brady a clean pocket and this won’t help in that regard either.
S Jordan Whitehead is added to the injury list with a knee issue and is questionable. RB Ronald Jones also is questionable with a quad injury after being limited Friday. S Andrew Adams (not injury related) is questionable. DL Jeremiah Ledbetter (calf) is out.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 15, 2021
Even so, no losses on either side – even if all of the questionable players don’t play – won’t change the line. That includes Jones and Whitehead for the Bucs, and Murray and Hill for the Saints. They all play important roles in terms of the game but nothing that will move the line.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
