After battling by a number of accidents in 2023, Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin is SO BACK. He leads the NFL in receptions, yards after the catch, and is tied for first in touchdowns whereas the Buccaneers put collectively one of many higher offenses within the league by six weeks. With Godwin wholesome, he’s displaying why he’s one in every of my favourite receivers within the league in addition to probably the greatest quantity two receivers a McVay-style offense has seen shortly.
With WR Mike Evans being on the staff, Godwin operates beneath, giving the Buccaneers’ offense layers. Now, with these layers, Godwin is confronted with the daunting activity of making after the catch. Among the many high ten receivers in targets per SIS, Godwin has the second lowest Common Depth of Goal behind New York’s Wan’Dale Robinson. But, a wholesome Godwin makes a lot of a distinction as a result of he takes these brief targets and converts them into first downs or explosive performs. Regardless of having the second lowest aDOT, Godwin has the very best First Down Fee among the many high ten goal leaders within the NFL and is properly forward of the pack in Constructive Play Fee.
Godwin is listed at 6’1 and 209 kilos, however he performs a lot greater and stronger than that. That is what permits him to be so good after the catch and nonetheless hold the Bucs offense on monitor. In opposition to the Saints, QB Baker Mayfield was flat out off. He was lacking targets in the course of the sphere and threw three interceptions within the second quarter. Moderately than letting Mayfield unravel himself by persevering with to throw downfield, Tampa Bay went to creating the short throws and run recreation, letting guys like Godwin hold this offense on monitor. Final yr’s Chris Godwin was preventing by accidents, however this yr’s Godwin is doing this on beneath routes. He goes in jet movement, and nothing is open downfield. Mayfield checks it all the way down to Godwin and he merely introduces CB Paulson Adebo to the bottom, turning this brief go into an enormous acquire.
He does the identical factor on his large landing, the place he pinballs off of principally the complete Saints’ protection en path to the top zone. With Godwin with the ability to do that and Evans nonetheless being probably the greatest vertical threats within the league, this offense has so some ways to beat you. It’s the very same play, however watching Godwin bounce off of the protection is such a cool approach to begin your day.
Within the pink zone, Godwin takes a backseat to Mike Evans, the fade route king, however his energy exhibits up on this space, creating separation and preventing by contact on in-breaking routes. His different TD on the day got here on a slant within the pink zone, one other play the place he goes in movement. Godwin units up the nook to the skin, then breaks again in earlier than Mayfield fires in a dart for six.
Above all else, what makes Godwin one in every of my favourite receivers to observe is the truth that he BLOCKS HIS ASS OFF. Receivers which are good and prepared to dam have a particular place in my soccer lore, and Godwin is without doubt one of the greatest blocking receivers within the league. On Tampa’s duo runs, they’ll convey Godwin tight to the road of scrimmage, the place he digs out safeties and nickel corners who get too nosy within the run recreation. Bucky Irving nearly scores on this run, as a result of RT Luke Goedeke and Godwin create this extensive open hole. That is the way you get on the sphere as a receiver, and keep there. No block, no rock child!
Tampa has one other large matchup arising, going in opposition to the machine that’s the Baltimore Ravens, however with a wholesome and fired-up Godwin Tampa Bay can actually make this recreation attention-grabbing.
