TAMPA, Fla. -- With the exception of a shin laceration suffered by cornerback Brent Grimes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers escaped training camp nearly injury-free.
But now an injury bug (and a flu bug) has hit them in all the wrong places, and it will seriously test their mettle on defense. As will going up against Eli Manning and Tom Brady -- two quarterbacks with a combined seven Super Bowl rings -- in the next 11 days.
Three Pro Bowlers at all three levels of the Tampa Bay defense are suffering from significant injuries, along with middle linebacker Kwon Alexander, who led the league in tackles last season.