Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said that running back Leonard Fournette will likely be a game time decision for Thursday night's road game against the Bears, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Arians said that Fournette, who missed this past Sunday's game after sustaining an ankle injury during Tampa Bay's Week 3 win over the Broncos, may do some running on Wednesday in order to get a better idea of whether or not he will play on Thursday.
During his first three games with the Buccaneers, Fournette, who averaged 101 all-purpose yards per game during his three seasons with the Jaguars, rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. After getting just five carries in the team's season-opening loss to New Orleans, Fournette rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries in the Buccaneers' Week 2 victory over Carolina.
With Fournette out, fellow running back Ronald Jones rushed for a season-high 111 yards on 20 carries during Sunday's 38-31 home win over the Chargers. Rookie Ke'Shawn Vaughn, after not receiving a carry during Tampa Bay's first three games, gained four yards on three carries on Sunday. Veteran LeSean McCoy, who signed with the Buccaneers in August, had just one carry for three yards against the Chargers.
On Tuesday, it was reported that Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard will miss the remainder of the season with a ruptured Achilles. Receiver Chris Godwin, who missed last Sunday's game with an ankle injury, has been sidelined during this week's practices. Fellow receiver Mike Evans is expected to play on Thursday despite dealing with an ankle injury. Evans, a Pro Bowler each of the past two seasons, has been Tom Brady's most reliable target thus far, with five touchdown receptions through four games.
The Buccaneers, who are 27th in the league in rushing, will face a Bears defense that is ninth in the NFL in pass defense and 16th in the league in rushing yards allowed. Chicago's defense, led by perennial Pro Bowl linebacker Khalil Mack and All-Pro safety Eddie Jackson and defensive tackle Aikeem Hicks, are first in the league in red zone efficiency and third in third down efficiency. The Bears also lead the league with 10 interceptions, a stat that Brady -- who has already thrown four interceptions this season -- is certainly aware of.
