Even though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to win last night, Mike James injury is another sign that the year will continue being a struggle for the team.
The Buccaneers managed to come out on top against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football to win their first game of the season, but the offensive production was far from being effective and James’ injury could only mean more trouble for Tampa Bay.
Per several reports, the rookie running back suffered a fracture in his ankle in the first quarter of yesterday’s game. James started the game on a tear, rushing for 41 yards in the first snap of the team that ended with a TD. He was poised to be an offensive force for the team through the rest of the year, so the injury came at an awful time.
With Doug Martin already out for the season, James is probably going to see some time off the field, and it shouldn’t be surprising if he ends up missing the rest of year. Considering there are only seven weeks left and that the Bucs aren’t going anywhere this season, the wise move would be to let him rest and heal properly so he can come back at full strength next year.
With their two options in the backfield sidelined, Brian Leonard will see most of the carries and Bobby Rainey will have the backup role. Leonard had a decent game yesterday with 57 yards on 20 carries and 16 yards on two receptions, but he’s clearly a downgrade to James so the Bucs will have to rely even more on rookie QB Mike Glennon, who hasn’t been very accurate in his first season.
The Buccaneers’ season was over a few weeks ago, but the injury of James means that the rest of the year will be even longer for the Bucs fans. It couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Juan Pablo Aravena is a sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @jparavenarant or add him to your network on Google
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