Hosting Buccaneers, WFT Will Be Without Key Players

The last time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to the DMV, they left with a Wild Card win en route to becoming the eventual winners of Super Bowl LV.

This time, they’re a 6-2 team coming off an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints featuring turnovers and penalties aplenty. Bucs beating Bucs, you might say.

In January, the Washington Football Team was led by quarterback Taylor Heinicke, and his performance led to his being crowned a fan favorite before he ever got a regular-season start for his team.

Originally, this game would be the regular-season return of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but a first-quarter injury in Week 1 derailed that idea. So now, young Heinicke will once again welcome the Buccaneers into FedEx Field, looking for an upset win.

And he’s going to be short-handed while making the attempt.

Wide receiver Curtis Samuel joined the WFT this offseason, reuniting with his former Carolina Panthers head coach, Ron Rivera.

Poised to become the team’s No. 2 receiver next to Terry McLaurin, Samuel has played in exactly two games in 2021, and had a total of 30 snaps between the two.

Not exactly what Washington expected when signing the 25-year old, but groin injuries have a funny way of not caring about what teams and players thought was going to happen.

Similarly, broken jaws don’t typically heal overnight, and WFT defensive end is facing at least a month of being inactive while his heals.

For a Washington defense that hasn’t been firing on all cylinders this season as it is, losing Sweat and his eight-sack pace for the season isn’t going to help matters.

Of course, this is all leading into a matchup where the Bucs will look to clean up their act, and get back in the win column, after a disappointing loss to the New Orleans Saints.