Tag: Chris Godwin

Throwback Thursday: Chris Godwin breaks onto the scene in 2019

Check out some of the best highlights of the year from Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin had quite the season. The third-year pro out of Penn State lit up the league, finishing the year with 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl and All-Team Second-Pro honors.

Godwin’s big year helped make him a household name, especially among NFL fantasy football owners. And, you can be sure he’ll be one of the top receivers taken when fantasy drafts come back around next season.

For now, though, enjoy a little throwback Thursday action with some Godwin highlights, courtesy of the Buccaneers’ official Instagram account.

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Which Buccaneers player leveled up the most in 2019?

Find out which player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stepped up in the biggest way in 2019.

Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston had one of the most entertainingly spectacular seasons in NFL history this year, throwing for over 5,000 yards while also tossing 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, becoming the first player ever to do that.

But, let’s not forget about the breakout season of third-year receiver Chris Godwin. The former Penn State star entered the 2019 season with a mountain of expectations after a big 2018, when he had 59 receptions for 842 yards and seven touchdowns. Head coach Bruce Arians even said last offseason that Godwin would be close to a 100-catch guy this season.

Arians couldn’t have been more right. Despite, missing the last two regular season games with a hamstring injury, Godwin finished with career numbers across the board, 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine scores.

Not surprisingly, in ESPN’s list of the 32 players who leveled up the most in 2019, Godwin was the Bucs’ pick.

Per Jenna Laine:

“In his first season as a full-time starter, Godwin finished with 1,333 receiving yards — third most in the NFL despite missing the final two games of the season because of a hamstring injury. His nine touchdowns were also tied for fourth among the league’s receivers. Godwin benefited from a move inside in coach Bruce Arians’ offense, the same role once occupied by Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Arians said the priority is ‘high’ to re-sign Godwin to an extension: ‘He’s earned it.'”

I think Bucs fans would agree with Arians on that one.

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Redskins’ WR Terry McLaurin tops Michael Thomas, Kenny Golladay, Chris Godwin in this stat

McLaurin’s contested-catch rate was better in 2019 than players like Michael Thomas and Chris Godwin during his rookie season.

When you can be mentioned in the same sentence as NFL wide receivers like Michael Thomas, Kenny Golladay, and Chris Godwin, it’s probably a sign that you’re doing something right.

When you’re mentioned ahead of all those names in that sentence, something special is happening.

That’s how things are currently going for Washington Redskins rookie wide receiver, Terry McLaurin. After starting off his NFL career on a raucous pace, McLaurin continued a steady tear through the 2019 season, and he finished his rookie campaign with over 900 yards and seven touchdowns, which is second among rookies in the same draft class.

However, McLaurin ranked first among ALL receivers in the NFL when it comes to this stat.

That’s right, when it comes to catching a ball in traffic, there was nobody better than McLaurin in 2019. Of 19 passes that were deemed ‘contested,’ McLaurin came down with 13 of them, giving him a 68.4% catch rate on such passes, highest in the league. What seems most incredible in this is that McLaurin finished ahead of Thomas, who seemingly comes down with every ball that is thrown near him.

It may be a lesser-known stat, but it’s another number that goes to show how impressive McLaurin was in his rookie year and gives hope for what’s to come.

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Take a look at just how good the Bucs receivers were in 2019

Take a look back at the 2019 season to see some of the best highlights from the Buccaneers’ receivers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew they had a stud wide receiver in Mike Evans, who entering the season already held the distinction of being the franchise’s all-time leader in receiving yards. After another 1,000-yard season this year, Evans became just the second player ever after Hall of Famer Randy Moss to start his career with six-straight 1,000 yard seasons.

But, Tampa Bay also had the good fortune of witnessing a breakout season from third-year receiver Chris Godwin. The former Penn State star finished with career-highs across the board this year, totaling 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns. Not surprisingly, Godwin was named to his first Pro Bowl and also earned Second-Team All-Pro honors.

The Bucs led the league in receiving this year, averaging 320.4 yards per game, and ranked third in receiving touchdowns with 33. Evans, himself, retweeted the below tweet from the Buccaneers’ official Twitter account today, highlighting the greatness of the team’s receiving corps this year.

Take a look.

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Pro Football Focus grades Chris Godwin as the best overall receiver of 2019

See what grade Pro Football Focus gave Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin for his breakout season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin seemed poised for a breakout year entering the season. After all, in 2018 — Godwin’s second year in the league — he finished with 842 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. New head coach Bruce Arians even said last offseason that Godwin would be close a 100-catch guy.

Arians couldn’t have been more right.

Despite missing the final two weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, Godwin finished the year with career-highs across the board: 86 receptions, 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns. Godwin’s breakout season earned him Pro Bowl honors and Second-Team All-Pro honors. You have to imagine, too, that had he not been injured those final two weeks, Godwin would’ve had more than a fair chance of hitting 100 receptions.

Still, it seems the best is yet to come for Godwin. And, as Pro Football Focus notes, Godwin graded out as the best wide receiver in the NFL this season (90.7).

(via ESPN):

“Godwin was every bit the best receiver in football, despite missing the final two games with an injury. He still finished second in total yards after catch and third in yards after the catch per reception among qualified receivers, as he was the only receiver with over 100 targets to also average 6.5 YAC/reception. Separating him further from the rest of the league’s receivers, Godwin’s safe hands saw him drop just one of the 87 catchable passes thrown his way, and his drop rate of 1.1% stood as the second-best mark among 69 receivers who saw at least 35 targeted passes.”

Godwin flourished in his first year playing under Arians, and if quarterback Jameis Winston returns in 2020, the connection between Winston and Godwin will only be that much more effective on downfield attacks. Oh, and let’s not forget that the Bucs also have Mike Evans on their roster.

The 2020 regular season can’t get here soon enough for Bucs fans.

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Two Buccaneers named to 2019 AP NFL All-Pro Second Team

Find out which two Tampa Bay Buccaneers were selected to the AP All-Pro Second Team.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a bright future ahead of them after their 7-9 season. With a young defense that came on strong in the second half, coupled with the emergence of third-year receiver Chris Godwin as a bona fide superstar, the Bucs have a legit shot to end their postseason drought next season.

Today, two Buccaneers, Godwin and linebacker Shaq Barrett, were named to the 2019 AP All-Pro Second Team. Here is a complete list of the players selected.

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Lamar Jackson, Baltimore

Running Back — Christian McCaffrey, Carolina

Flex — Christian McCaffrey, Carolina

Tight End — George Kittle, San Francisco

Wide Receivers — Michael Thomas, New Orleans; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston

Left Tackle — Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore

Right Tackle — Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans

Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis

Right Guard — Zack Martin, Dallas

Center — Jason Kelce, Philadelphia

DEFENSE

Edge Rushers — Chandler Jones, Arizona; T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh

Interior Linemen — Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams; Cam Heyward, Pittsburgh

Linebackers — Bobby Wagner, Seattle; Demario Davis, New Orleans; Eric Kendricks, Minnesota.

Cornerbacks — Stephon Gilmore, New England; Tre’Davious White, Buffalo

Safeties — Jamal Adams, New York Jets; Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh

Defensive Back — Marcus Peters, Baltimore; Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City; and Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker — Justin Tucker, Baltimore

Punter — Brett Kern, Tennessee

Kick Returner — Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago

Punt Returner — Deonte Harris, New Orleans

Special Teamer — Matthew Slater, New England

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Russell Wilson, Seattle

Running Back — Derrick Henry, Tennessee

Flex — Derrick Henry, Tennessee

Tight End — Travis Kelce, Kansas City

Wide Receivers — Julio Jones, Atlanta; Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay

Left Tackle — David Bakhtiari, Green Bay

Right Tackle — Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City

Left Guard — Joel Bitonio, Cleveland; Joe Thuney, New England

Right Guard — Marshal Yanda, Baltimore

Center — Rodney Hudson, Oakland

DEFENSE

Edge Rushers — Shaq Barrett, Tampa Bay; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans

Interior Linemen — Grady Jarrett, Atlanta; DeForest Buckner, San Francisco

Linebackers — Luke Kuechly, Carolina; Darius Leonard, Indianapolis; T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh

Cornerbacks — Richard Sherman, San Francisco; Marcus Peters, Baltimore

Safeties — Justin Simmons, Denver; Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker — Josh Lambo, Jacksonville

Punter — Tress Way, Washington

Kick Returner — Mecole Hardman, Kansas City

Punt Returner — Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh

Special Teamer — Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago, and J.T. Gray, New Orleans

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Buccaneers rule two players out for Sunday’s finale against Falcons

See which two players have been ruled out by the Buccaneers for Sunday’s Week 17 finale against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have ruled out two players for Sunday’s season finale against the Atlanta Falcons (and no, Bruce Arians is not one of them).

DL Beau Allen and WR Chris Godwin will miss the action. Godwin has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 15’s win over the Detroit Lions, just one week after Mike Evans was lost for the year with his own hamstring injury.

Tampa Bay has the chance to finish the season on a high note by beating the Falcons. A win would put them at 8-8 on the year, making it their first non-losing season since 2016, when they went a surprising 9-7.

Quarterback Jameis Winston needs just 92 more passing yards to hit 5,000 on the season, which would make him the first Bucs quarterback ever to hit that mark. He’ll have to play with a thin receiving corps, but, as he’s proved all year long, he isn’t afraid to throw the ball.

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Latest USA TODAY Power Rankings gives an ominous look at Jameis Winston’s future

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found themselves as home underdogs heading into last week’s game against the Houston Texans, who were desperate for a win to secure the AFC South title and clinch a spot in the playoffs. The Bucs, meanwhile, were without …

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found themselves as home underdogs heading into last week’s game against the Houston Texans, who were desperate for a win to secure the AFC South title and clinch a spot in the playoffs.

The Bucs, meanwhile, were without their top two wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, both of whom were sidelined with hamstring injuries. Quarterback Jameis Winston was also battling a fractured thumb, which might explain (in part) why he threw four interceptions in the team’s 23-20 loss to Houston.

The loss ended the Bucs’ four game winning-streak, but given the injuries on the offensive side of the ball, it looks like Tampa Bay got a pass in this week’s USA TODAY NFL Power Rankings. The Bucs fell just one spot this week, dropping from 13 to 14.

Here’s the blurb writer Nate Davis had for the Bucs this week.

“Bruce Arians has said pending free agent Shaq Barrett ‘ain’t going anywhere,’ yet Jameis Winston’s contract is also expiring. Hmmm.”

Davis brings up a great point here, one that should not be overlooked. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday that the Bucs were planning on bringing Winston back in 2020, but after their loss to the Texans, in which Winston threw four interceptions, head coach Bruce Arians refuted the report, saying no decision has been made on any player, and that those decisions dont get made until the end of the season. Yet Arians had no problem saying Barrett wasn’t going anywhere.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Breshad Perriman steps up big in loss to Texans

With Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin not playing, the game plan for the Bucs was that Breshad Perriman would be the number one receiver for the team when the Houston Texans came to Tampa. Perriman, coming off of a …

With Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin not playing, the game plan for the Bucs was that Breshad Perriman would be the number one receiver for the team when the Houston Texans came to Tampa.

Perriman, coming off of a game where he had five catches for 113 yards and three touchdowns in the Bucs’ 38-17 win over the Detroit Lions, was not slowed down by the Texans defense either. Perriman saw 12 passes come his direction, and was able to haul in seven of them for 102 yards.

Throughout the game, Perriman had a series of toe-tapping catches on the sidelines and was clearly Jameis Winston’s go-to in the passing game. Fellow wide receiver Justin Watson saw 10 targets come in his direction and caught five of them for 43 yards and a score. When a team is missing their top receiver, there is usually a significant lull in the offense, let alone missing the top two targets, both of whom are over 1,000 yards receiving on the year. To have someone like Perriman that is capable of stepping up and filling the shoes left by Evans and Godwin, and effectively filled the void, is a blessing for any team.

On March 14, 2019, the Buccaneers brought in Perriman on a one-year contract for $4 million and he has shown what he can do for the team when he is utilized. This puts the Bucs in an interesting position on what to do with him going forward, but smart money says to bet on the team offering him another deal and get a full year of Evans, Godwin and Perriman in the Bruce Arians system, now that the team has seemingly fully bought in.

While Godwin has not been officially placed on IR alongside Evans, it’s assumed that Perriman will see the lions’ share of targets for the Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

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A solemn review of Jameis Winston’s six opening-drive interceptions

Jameis Winston continued his trend of opening-drive interceptions on Saturday. What do these picks tell us about Winston’s NFL future?

No quarterback has even thrown 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same season in the history of professional football. George Blanda threw 42 picks in 14 games for the 1962 Houston Oilers of the American Football League, and he managed just 27 touchdowns. Vinny Testaverde holds the modern and NFL records with 35 picks in 1988 for the Buccaneers, and he threw just 13 touchdown passes. Of the other quarterbacks in the 30-plus interception club, John Hadl of the 1968 San Diego Chargers (AFL again; this was a thing in this league) had 32 picks to 27 touchdowns. Lynn Dickey of the 1983 Green Bay Packers had 32 touchdown passes and 29 interceptions, leaving us all feeling a bit cheated.

Following his four interceptions in Tampa Bay’s Saturday 23-20 loss to the Texans, Jameis Winston is now very much on pace to become the first guy to do it. Winston already had the 30 touchdown passes, adding one more on Saturday, and he’s now up to 28 picks on the season. Just two more against the Falcons in the season finale, and Winston will make a very odd brand of pro football history.

Against Houston, Winston threw his first pass of the game to Texans cornerback Bradley Roby, who returned it for a 27-yard touchdown.

Those who have observed Winston all season would find this easy to believe. Winston has thrown interceptions on the Bucs’ opening drives six times this season, and for the fifth time in Tampa Bay’s last seven games. Unbelievably, the Buccaneers were 4-0 in the previous four games, and had Winston not thrown three more on this day, they might have easily been 5-0. Because Winston, as flawed as he is when warming up into a game, also has an rare ability to redeem himself. In Week 14 and 15 wins over the Colts and Lions, Winston became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 450 yards in two straight games, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio was 8-4.

The Buccaneers have a complicated decision to make with Winston, who is on schedule to be a free agent at the start of the 2020 league year. Should the team place the franchise tag on him and hope another year with Bruce Arians as his head coach will tame his rogue tendencies? Should they give him a long-term contract with major quarterback-level dollars and hope everything works out?

This is not a decision I would want to have to make. It’s easy enough to say that you’d jettison Winston, who will be 26 years old when the new league year starts. But if he goes somewhere else, figures it out, and becomes one of the pre-eminent quarterbacks of his era, you will, in the words of Ricky Ricardo, have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.

That said, let’s go through the six opening-drive picks Winston has thrown this season and see if there are any clues to his current maddening inconsistency, and perhaps his eventual football redemption.

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