Brown won’t play against Packers
Knee injury sidelines veteran wide receiver
TAMPA — Bucs wide receiver Antonio Brown, whose resurgent recent stretch was halted by a knee injury sustained last week in New Orleans, won’t play in Sunday’s NFC title game, coach Bruce Arians said.
Brown hasn’t practiced this week and wasn’t seen during the limited practice window open to reporters Friday at AdventHealth Training Center.
“To put him on the plane and fly up there and have [the knee] swell more just doesn’t make any sense,” Arians said. “He wasn’t as close as we had hoped, so we’ll get him ready for the next one.”
With Brown sidelined last week, rookie Tyler Johnson and second-year teammate Scotty Miller made clutch catches during a fourth-quarter field-goal drive that put the Bucs ahead for good in their 30-20 win against the Saints.
Johnson made an outstretched grab on third-and-11 for a 15-yard gain. Miller, whose playing time dissipated significantly upon Brown’s arrival, had a 29-yard reception of a deep Tom Brady throw three plays later.
“I think you just looked to last week when Scotty and Tyler got in there and made those huge plays in the fourth quarter, the amount of trust that the coaches and Tom have in those guys, just because they’ve earned it,” Arians said.
“Yeah, Antonio will be missed, but we’ve got capable people stepping in.”
VITA CLEARED: Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea was having a breakout season until suffering a broken leg in a loss at Chicago in Week 5.
Remarkably, he will be activated from the injured list and available to play in Sunday’s NFC championship game in Green Bay.
The 6-foot-4, 347-pound Vea is a key cog in the middle of the Bucs defense and a big reason it has ranked No. 1 against the run the past two seasons. He also was beginning to evolve into a formidable pass rusher.
Prior to his injury, Vea had 10 tackles and two sacks. But it looked as if Vea might miss the remainder of the 2020 season after he suffered a broken leg when he collided with inside linebacker Devin White while making a tackle in the Bucs’ 20-19 loss at Chicago on Oct. 8.
Vea was designated to return from injured reserve on Monday and began practicing Wednesday.
“He’s looked real good,” Arians said earlier Friday. “He’s been running around for almost three weeks and had a real good practice yesterday and a good one today.”
That chance will turn into reality against the Packers, who rely heavily on their running game.
Incidentally, Vea did not play in the Bucs’ 38-10 win over the Packers in Week 6.
“Just to see him out there running around has been great for me personally [with] the relationship that we have,” defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said Thursday. “Hopefully we can keep winning and he can get back. That would be great if he can.”
WINFIELD UPDATE: Rookie free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was a surprise addition Friday to the Bucs’ injury report, where he’s listed as questionable for Sunday’s title game with an ankle injury.
Winfield, who has played all 18 games and finished third on the team with 91 tackles during the regular season, didn’t participate in Friday’s practice, according to the report.
Arians didn’t address the injury during his post-practice briefing with reporters but responded favorably to a question about Winfield’s inaugural season.
“He was as easy of a [draft] choice as there was with his bloodlines and the way he plays,” Arians said. “His tape was unbelievable. You know of his football intelligence, and he’s such a great kid. So really nothing there that surprised me that he’s having so much success.”
Winfield has 12 tackles (including two for a loss) and a forced fumble in two playoff contests. A second-round draft pick from Minnesota, he recently was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.