BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 02: Offensive tackles Rob Havenstein #79 and Andrew Whitworth #77 of the Los Angeles Rams walk off the field following the Rams win over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Sunday’s matchup just got a bit more complicated for both the Rams and Buccaneers, as the two teams will each be without a key offensive lineman.
The upcoming showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is sure to be a wild one. With that said, both squads are facing some adversity ahead of the contest on Sunday afternoon.
Moments ago, it was announced that the Bucs will be without star right tackle Tristan Wirfs, while the Rams also won’t be able to have veteran stud Andrew Whitworth out on the field either to protect the blindside of Matthew Stafford.
Both Tristan Wirfs and Andrew Whitworth have been ruled out of Sunday’s contest
This is of course a massive bummer for the Bucs, as the All-Pro Wirfs has been nothing short of sensational this season. Unfortunately for head coach Bruce Arians, Wirfs suffered an ankle injury recently. While he was able to get back on the practice field, the pain was clearly too much for him to overcome and he’s not ready to rock with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line.
As for Whitworth, the standout left tackle is dealing with a knee injury he suffered in the Wild Card Round win over the Cardinals. On top of that, Whitworth also has a bum ankle. He’s not the only key playmaker who won’t be playing, as Taylor Rapp has also been ruled out.
Having Wirfs and Whitworth unable to play is tough for both Tom Brady and Stafford. With that said, this contest is still expected to be a shootout. Both Wirfs and Whitworth will hope their teammates will be able to get the job done, so they can potentially get back on the field come next weekend.