Report: Tampa Bay Buccaneers' WR Antonio Brown 'Day-to-Day' Following MRI
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' wide receiver Antonio Brown did not suffer a serious knee injury and is considered day-to-day ahead of the NFC Championship vs. the Green Bay Packers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Brown, who had been a key contributor during Tampa Bay's five-game win streak entering Sunday's NFC Divisional matchup against the New Orleans, was limited in action after suffering a knee injury early in the game. Brown caught one pass for 10 yards seeing the field for a mere total of 27 snaps vs. the Saints.
Head coach Bruce Arians said Monday that there were no early indications of the severity prior to the MRI, but the latest news bodes well for Tampa Bay and Brown.
In Brown's absence vs. the Saints, receivers such as Scotty Miller and rookie Tyler Johnson made big catches throughout the night for Tampa Bay.
Johnson's eye-catching grab early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game converted a 3rd and 11 for the Bucs when the team only led 23-20. The drive resulted in a field goal, but it would have ended quickly if not for Johnson's impressive catch.
"That’s what it’s all about. You get your opportunities, you’ve got to make the best of them," Arians said Monday. "You don’t know when they’re coming and this time Scotty [Miller] jumped out there. It was really a play designed for Antonio [Brown], but Scotty ran a great route [and] beat him. Tyler [Johnson] makes a great catch, [Aaron] Stinnie steps in there and does a great, great job. It’s everybody just doing their job and that’s what we went down there [to do]. All we’ve got to do is do our job. We’re good enough to beat anybody.”
If Brown is available to play for Tampa Bay against the Packers, it would provide another weapon in the passing game for quarterback Tom Brady.
Brown played in eight games during the regular season but caught fire down the stretch for the Bucs. He recorded 45 catches for 483 yards while hauling in four touchdowns, with all four scores coming in the final three games of the regular season.
