Banged-up Bucs get six days off during bye week

The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for the Buccaneers.

They're banged up. Banged up so badly that the mandatory four-day break during the bye week has become a six-day respite.

In his weekly appearance on WFLA-TV (via JoeBucsFan.com), coach Todd Bowles said that he scrapped two days of practices due to the health of the team.

“We got to get healthy first,” Bowles said. “I don’t think we could practice if we were to practice on Wednesday, we were probably walking through, so it didn’t make any sense.”

The Buccaneers had 13 players on the injury report entering their Week 10 loss to the 49ers. They also have 10 players on injured reserve.

After a 3-1 start, Tampa Bay has lost five of six games. The good news is that the Bucs have three winnable games after the bye, against the Giants, Panthers, and Raiders. After a visit to the Chargers, the Bucs face the Cowboys, Panthers, and Saints.

They should win at least five if not six of the final seven. If they can get healthy enough to put their best players on the field.

A 5-2 finish would get them to 9-8, which could be enough to get a wild-card berth. If they go 6-1, a 10-7 finish should get them there.