NFL.com: Playoff Lenny, Chris Godwin Got Shafted
December 23rd, 2021
Playoff Lenny.
Joe was surprised the Bucs got so many guys in the Pro Bowl when the rosters were announced last night.
And frankly, Joe hopes to none of the players in the Pro Bowl because that means the Bucs will be in the Super Bowl.
For a while there, Joe thought Ali Marpet was going to be in the same rut that Lavonte David had been in for years, top-shelf play but nothing to show for it. Finally, Marpet got in (David missed two games this year with injuries so Joe didn’t expect David to be named to the Pro Bowl).
Still, some folks think the Bucs got jobbed. Take Nick Shook of NFL.com. He thinks Chris Godwin and Playoff Lenny were hosed.
Leonard Fournette
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · RB · NFCWhat a turnaround for Lombardi Lenny. The running back who once questioned whether he wanted to be in Tampa Bay has blossomed in his second season with the team, morphing from just a one-cut runner to a back who is capable of producing on every down. Before suffering a hamstring injury that forced him out of action against the Saints on Sunday, Fournette was nearing his career highs in receptions and receiving yards, and he’d already reset his single-season mark for receiving touchdowns (two). He was also averaging a career-best 4.5 yards per carry. I’d replace Ezekiel Elliott, who has had a nice bounce-back season, with Fournette, whose importance to Tampa Bay was on display after he exited what became a shutout loss to New Orleans.
Chris Godwin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · WR · NFCSo the case for Godwin isn’t quite strong enough for him to replace any of the Pro Bowl selections at receiver in the NFC (Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Deebo Samuel are all rightly headed to Las Vegas), but I still want to include him for producing at a level that should make him first in line to be named an alternate, even if the torn ACL that ended his season on Sunday would render the honor ceremonial. Godwin broke 1,100 receiving yards for the second time in his career in 2021, and he played the perfect complementary role to Mike Evans in Tampa Bay’s loaded offense, ending his season ranked fifth in receiving yards. That’s good enough for me to recognize him here.
Joe is just going make a total guess — that since the NFL knew Godwin was out for the year and Playoff Lenny is out the rest of the regular season, that factored into the decision to keep them off the Pro Bowl roster. It would make sense if that did happen.
Yeah, you could make a case for Godwin and Playoff Lenny. Shook isn’t fully wrong.
Joe was slightly surprised Donovan Smith didn’t make it. But there is a lot of competition at tackle.
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:48 am
Left tackle had to have a big name or big name team. Smith is t there yet, even though he’s had a really good year. Biggest disappointment was David not even sniffing the list. I think his window has passed him by. It’s really too bad, all the years he got shafted. He needs another Super Bowl victory before his career is over.
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:51 am
Especially by The Saints bountyhunters…
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:51 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY STPETEBUCSFAN!!!!!!
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:57 am
Oh well. 5 pro-bowlers is honestly more than I expected for a small market team. Not that Brady cares but 15 pro-bowls is an all time record, beating Peyton Manning and a handful of others. He should be on at least 16 if Murray didn’t steal it from him last year.
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:22 am
Yeah 5 was more than I thought and I actually thought our selections were pretty fair. Lenny has played well, but not sure I’d have him replace anyone there. Godwin had a very strong case.. just based on this year I’d have prob at Keats replaced Evans with him. It feels like Evans is getting some props for his entire body off work
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:23 am
There are so many years david should have made it, but probably not this year. He’s been coming on stronger lately though
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:27 am
Lenny absolutely should have taken Zeke’s place.
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:29 am
I thought it was fair except for leaving David out didn’t think Lenny played at a pro bowl level Chris Godwin definitely did but seeing the other wr that made it could see why he didn’t.
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:44 am
if AB didn’t get injured he would be a pro Bowl too. he was our best receiver before he went down. gronk was also having a great year before his rib inury
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:58 am
The Bucs fully loaded offense needs to stop playing like they are loaded, fully.
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:20 pm
Just occurred to me, Brady announces the other day that Evans Godwin and Lenny are some of his best friends on the team. All of them are lost in the same game
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Yeah beeej kinda sad. Payyon was listening carefully making his top bounty targets.. I kid I kid.
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:49 pm
Some of those hits Sunday night were very sketchy. I know they were legal hits, but I don’t remember Godwin ever getting tackled that way or other Saints trying to tackle other Bucs the same way. They thought Winston’s hit was dirty and it ain’t the only time Payton has done some dirty stuff in the past. It’s too bad that a non playoff team caused multiple injuries on a Super Bowl favorite team.
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:17 pm
yeah lenny and chris were getting better and better as the season wore on…
both got shafted
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:19 pm
even donavan smith coulda went…the whole line could be pro-bowlers without real debate
December 23rd, 2021 at 6:31 pm
Lmao if Zeke played at a pro bowl level this year then Lenny sure as sh1t did.
December 23rd, 2021 at 6:58 pm
I thought Lenny would make it because of touchdowns and yards from scrimmage. I did not think Godwin would because lack of touchdowns and there’s just a lot of receivers with big ears going on.
Donovan Smith was close. I’m surprised Jensen made it. He has way too many bad snaps throughout the year and the majority of the Sacks given up by this line is from Cappa and Jensen
December 23rd, 2021 at 8:57 pm
Lol! No way. Godwin is good, not great. Not even close. Lenny is decent because he has a top 5 o line blocking for him. He has zero instincts as a runner. He’s just a big strong dude.
December 23rd, 2021 at 9:53 pm
Jeff- Have you ever watched a Bucs game this year ?? And if so , then you OBVIOUSLY don’t know anything about football 🏈!!! “Godwin is good but not great ” and “Lenny is decent because he has a top 5 Oline blocking for him” ???
REALLY ?? First of all , ALL GREAT RUNNING BACK’S HAVE TO GET SOME TYPE OF HELP FROM THEIR O-LINE !! BUT HE WAS/IS WHAT YOU CALL A 3 DOWN , ALL PURPOSE BACK .. He was having one of the best seasons in the NFL !! He is what EVERY TEAM DREAMS OF FOR A RUNNING BACK !! A lot of RBs can run the ball , but can’t catch or BLOCK “ROJO” .. Lenny does it all and extremely good. AS FOR GODWIN , IM NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY AND EXPLAIN WHAT/ HOW MUCH HE MENT TO OUR OFFENSE BECAUSE YOU JUST WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND IF YOU CAN’T ALREADY SEE IT.. WOW .. GO BUCS
December 24th, 2021 at 9:08 am
LoL. Godwin is good not great? What a clown statement. Fournette has no instincts? All he does is stay patient and follow his blockers and pick the right path instead of just trying to hit the hole before the line ready, or trying to outrun the play
December 24th, 2021 at 10:37 am
I agree neither are Pro Bowl caliber yet you have to prove yourself in this leg.