Chris Godwin With NextGen Stats’ “Incredible YAC”

July 2nd, 2025

Had one of 2024’s top plays.

Chris Godwin wasn’t supposed to do this.

But as a Bucs fan, Joe has learned that Godwin is capable of making big plays from any corner of the field. One such play came against the slimy Saints on the road last season.

This same play qualified for one of the top NextGen Stats’ “Incredible YAC” plays. Incredible because Godwin should have been tackled for a modest gain.

Instead, he broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown that broke the game open for the Bucs and broke the back of the slimy Saints in a 51-27 beatdown.

What a fun Sunday that was!

Late in the third quarter Godwin took a short pass near the right sideline from Baker Mayfield. He looked like he was going to be stopped for maybe a nine-yard gain. Instead, Godwin blew up the right sideline, dodged several tackles and scored from 55 yards out.

NextGen Stats had that play as the No. 13 “Incredible YAC” play of the season. It all has to do with expected yards and other gibberish.

What is clear is how that play greatly impacted the game. The Bucs took a 31-27 lead on that Godwin play and never looked back.

Joe hates to type the following but Joe wonders if we will ever see Godwin make that kind of play again? The very next game against the Crows, Godwin destroyed his ankle.

It’s unknown when he will get back on a football field.

26 Responses to “Chris Godwin With NextGen Stats’ “Incredible YAC””

  1. KABucs Says:

    I remember that play, I remember that game.
    That was a bit more fun than the Broncos game.

  2. larrd Says:

    Terrible tackling, but Godwin was off to an All Pro start last season. I believe he’ll be back early, then full strength by end of year!

  3. Obvious Says:

    Nice job by 14. Also a reminder of what a clown show Dennis Allen was.

  4. Pickgrin Says:

    “Joe wonders if we will ever see Godwin make that kind of play again?”

    Probably not this year…. but I’ll take an 85-90% Chris Godwin over a lot of other WRs in this league.

    #14 was phenomenal and easily among the top 3 receivers in the NFL through the first 7 games of 2024.

  5. Lol Says:

    Great play but such poor tackling by the Saints on that. They did not look like pro’s.

  6. Usfbucs Says:

    CG will be back and as good as he always was. Reliable hands and good route running is what makes CG a good WR.

  7. BakerFan Says:

    Ah yes… the 3 interception game which didn’t really mean jack squat by the final tally of 51 points scored. Of course I don’t like them but you got to let a gun slinger sling.

    BTW, Peyton Manning had 20 games of 3 interceptions. Was Peyton Manning a good QB?

  8. geno711 Says:

    All for Godwin on that play.

    But put that on the other side and if that were Buc’s defenders. We would be picking out each guy that missed or took a bad angle on that play.

    Good on Godwin’s part. Just horrible on the Saints end.

  9. Warren Brooks Lynch Says:

    “Ah yes… the 3 interception game which didn’t really mean jack squat by the final tally of 51 points scored. Of course I don’t like them but you got to let a gun slinger sling.”

    Our defense forced 3 turnovers and added 7 of those 51 points. Has nothing to do with “gunslinging” and more to do with equalizing what would otherwise be turnovers that would’ve eroded our win probability. This was game 2 of a 4 game stretch we turned the ball over 9 times in 4 games and went 1-3 in that span.

    Furthermore, nobody in the Milky Way galaxy is confusing Baker Mayfield for Peyton Manning.

  10. Godlovesbucs Says:

    You are right about not confusing Manning and baker.

    Manning was much worse in the sb 50 season than baker is now.

    Thats the beauty of a team sport., that defense was elite. If tampa had that d last year with our offense, we would be undefeated.

  11. jimmy Says:

    godwin + evans has been a treat to watch all these years….two lethal receivers….

  12. Fred McNeil Says:

    Maybe it’s improved this year.

  13. geno711 Says:

    Bakerfan — A pet peeve of mine has been all those Jameis fans that compared Jameis to Peyton Manning and the interceptions.

    Really the fair comparisons are to quarterbacks exactly in the years that the QB is playing.

    Using historical comparisons to today’s current standards there are currently 10 QBs better than Peyton Manning and 20 QBs better than Brett Favre and Troy Aikman and 40 QBs better than Johnny Unitas.

    Bakers had two wonderful years for the Bucs. Don’t take todays ability to complete passes and score so easily in the passing game as making Baker better than the greats of the past. It is just not so.

    If he has a great career compared to today’s competition at QB, he will be a 1st ballot HOF like Peyton Manning. Right now, he is a ridiculously long way from Peyton Manning.

  14. BakerFan Says:

    Nothing like a comparison to bring the Haters out. I pity you fools.

  15. Jeff Says:

    That’s all Liam. Be very careful folks. Godwin is severely injured and will begin the season on the IR. Liam is gone. All the great scheming went with him to Jax. You’re looking at a 9 win team here.

  16. geno711 Says:

    BakerFan. Like I said — make comparisons all day long.

    Just make them to same generations.

    There is a reason Peyton was a 1st ballot HOF. Really enough said.

    So, who is really being foolish. Might want to look in the mirror.

  17. Aqualung Says:

    Godwin’s ankle was destroyed by scumbag dirty player Roquan Smith and he deserves reciprocity.

  18. MadMax Says:

    And thats the main reason i was hoping we would draft a wr high. I was calling for 2nd rd but the guy i wanted went way before we wouldve picked. Jason one upped me and hit it with our first. And apparently EE was sought after because trade up calls from some receiver needy teams stopped once we got him. Hes gonna be great while Godwin takes all the time he needs to heal the right way.

  19. Davyboy Says:

    Mike and Chris Godwin are some of the best ever. I am interested in watching Tez J. this year. He is going to be to receiving what Bucky was to the running game. They are the same height only TJ is a little lighter which won’t matter because he won’t be taking the punishment Bucky does. They are the same speed and quickness and Tez is uncatchable in the open 1 on 1. If they get him where he is 1 on 1 he is going to be awful fun to watch. If he does work out like that and Bucky has another year like last, wow!! I bet Grizzards mind is going non-stop running all the possible schemes he could run with this group he has at his disposal. #1 scoring offense in ’25!!!

  20. Davyboy Says:

    Who is it that has the rookie record for TD in 14 games all while playing on a team that hadn’t won a game in 26 years before he arrived? Oh that’s right it’s Bake Mayfield. Who finished in the top 4 in heisman voting for 3 year in a row and won it his senior year? Only done by 2 other athletes. Yes thats BM also. And who has been voted twice as the best college qb of the 21st century by ESPN? Darn, that’s right slow a** Baker Mayfield again. I could go and on but it wouldn’t matter to these haters. Just know this Baker Mayfield is a whole lot better than these people will ever give him credit for. He is the one with the records, the heisman and the vote. No one else, just Baker Mayfield and he is NO where near finished with his NFL career.

  21. Davyboy Says:

    Well, nobody in the Andromeda galaxy would ever say Baker Mayfield isn’t at least comparable to Peyton Manning and I love Peyton Manning. To say something like that is one of the most unambiguously moronic comments I’ve ever heard. Time will be the judge and Baker just got his second wind and he is in his prime right now. He has 6-8 to finally be in a good organization.
    It’s kind of like what you haters said about comparing Baker to Mahomes back in 2023. Oh that was blasphemy!! But yet for the last 2 years, Mahomes for the first time in his advantageous career, hasn’t had a top 5 OL and it certainly shows. Baker has played considerably better than him but 2 years ago, Oh you can’t say that you said. Time will tell boys. Time will tell.m

  22. geno711 Says:

    Davyboy.

    Some of us don’t watch college football. This is a pro football site.

    If you want to say that Baker is the best college football player and/or a better college football player than Peyton Manning, so be it.

    In pro football, no need to say that Baker is better than Mahomes. Mahomes worst seasons have been ridiculously better than Bakers worst seasons.

    In theory to get to Peyton Manning level he (Baker) has to be better than Allen and Jackson and Burrow.

    If you are counting on time to make your argument, so be it. However, Manning already has in his time shown year in and year out that he was a great QB. Not for 2 years of pro ball but clearly 15 years of pro ball.

    Love Baker – 6 times the player of the week in 7 seasons.

    But Manning – 37 times the player of the week. 5 MVP seasons. 3 times finishing 2nd in the league in MVP.

    It is not hating to say that Baker is a far cry from Peyton Manning. Either you did not watch, or you forgot how Manning changed the game as much as any quarterback with his changes of plays at the line of scrimmage. He revolutionized pro football in that way.

    But thanks for the debate. If you want to debate further – I’m up for it.

  23. Kenton Smith Says:

    geno711, Allen and Jackson both were drafted along with Baker in the first round of the 2018 draft. Mahommes and Burrow bookended that 2018 draft. All 4 absolutely improved their teams. All 4 are still with those teams. Only Mahomes is a Super Bowl winner. Mayfield has to play 5th chair in the group. He improved his team ( the Browns). Must have shocked him to get replaced. But he’s stuck with it. Now, since he stuck with it, and since Allen, Jackson and Burrow haven’t won a Super Bowl, he’s in perfect position to leapfrog all but Mahomes by winning a Super Bowl this year. Of course Baker isn’t even in a Manning comparison. He’s capable of winning games and hanging gaudy numbers. But can he do it for 7 or 8 more years? We’ll just have to see. Go Bucs!

  24. Kenton Smith Says:

    But this story is about Chris Godwin. And Joe, “It’s unknown when he will get back on a football field.” I am going to expect him back opening day unless I get some inside information from my crack reporters to the contrary. And you guys have reported he should be back opening day. I will believe anything else is speculation. Until you guys report otherwise.

  25. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    This was all before his injury.

  26. Davyboy Says:

    Debate huh. I’m quite sure college bleeds over into pro ball no matter what you say it does, first off. Just because Baker dominated college and you don’t like it, doesn’t erase that fact. I’ve read an awful lot of post talking about college, I guess they didn’t get your memo that it’s not fitting here. Second, NO ONE said Baker was better. I’ll say this and save a very long post. People like you just see what is easy to see. You refuse to see how hard Cleveland is on quarterbacks. Baker took that organization kicking and screaming from 35 losses out of 36 to 11-5 and if not for the worst no call targeting hit, Cleveland would have beaten Kansas City and Mahomes that day and that’s a fact and it would have been Cleveland in the superbowl that year. I don’t think Peyton ever did that. In fact, I’m not sure any quarterback has ever done that. Then compare Watsons experience at Cleveland. He was top 5 before Cleveland. That place chewed him up and spit him out. But Baker thrived. I think I’ll end it here since I have already proved Bakers ability to unambiguously raise a sinking ship of an organization that hadn’t been to a playoff win since before he was born. But I guess in your mind all the quaterbacks have done that huh?? Sit back and watch. Oh, yeah, one last thought, try having 9 OC’s in 8 years. Mahomes has had 2. It all matters but I know….you can’t see it.

 

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