What are your predictions for the Tampa Bay game?

This is how PFF sees the match:

    


Taking this chart and trying to make sense of it on the D, these are my thoughts:

Maulers vs Monsters:
Hicks and McPhee vs Marapet and Dotson
On the defensive front, it looks to be a battle on the right side of the Tampa O-Line with Dotson and Marapet going up against Hicks and McPhee. That might be one of the premier battles to watch because if we can conquer the right side of Tampa's O-Line and force them to make adjustments there, Floyd and Young will have a good game off the left side in a more favorable matchup. If McPhee and Hicks can't get it done on the right side, look for chip blocks and dbl teams on the left edge which will neutralize Floyd and Young.

I think Hicks is well suited, especially with the addition of Goldman , to make his presence felt in his matchups with Marapet and Smith in pass rushing and run stopping situations. According to Football Outsiders, Tampa Bay has a successful run game through the middle and off the right edge. McPhee has shown himself in the past to be a dominant force in the run game and need to show his presence in this regard as Doug Martin looks to make a come back this game and will need to do so up the gut or toward McPhee. If McPhee can keep contain on that right edge, it will be up to hopefully healed Goldman and veteran Hicks to hold the forces up the middle of the TB line keeping our LBs clean to make the hits on Martin in his welcome back game. 

A Man of Promise Finally Produces:
Washington vs Evan Smith 
Another X-Factor in this game is Washington. Bullard typically comes in as relief for Hicks (which I find strange) on the left side so Washington will get an opportunity to show some strength this game with Unrein out due to injury. I expect Washington to get increased reps and could see him having a strong performance this game going up against 7 year vet backup  Evan Smith who will be, for the most part, left in 1v1 matchups against the perennial man of promise not production, Washington. 

Will Porter carry Evans' Baggage?
The matchups in the trenches in both run support and pass rush for the Bear D will dictate a lot of their ability to contain Evans who will give Porter fits and starts (and we've gotta hope Porter covers Evans or we're in for a long night of vertical passing). Safety help is going to be huge this game as well especially in containing Evans. If Fangio can dial up enough dbl coverage or overlapping zone coverage to keep Porter supported, and if the D-Line and edge rushers can put some heat on Winston, we should be able to limit - though not stop - Evans' impact. Given that TB is down Sheppard who is their second leading receiver, Chicago should be able to give enough in coverage to help Porter with Evans which should allow the Bears to shut down long TB possessions. 

Monsters of the Middleway
Freeman and Trevathan vs Martin
Keeping Evans' honest and humble this game will go a long way to winning the TOP battle and keeping the D-fresh. Given Evans can be contained (not stopped) we should be able to limit the rushing attack and stopping the short and intermediate passing game. Freeman and Trev have proven themselves time and again to be reliable strong coverage backers with exceptional diagnostic skills especially in the screen game and with Goldman back (presumably) both backers should be clean enough at the LOS to make the run game stutter for the Buccs. 

KEYS:

• Win the trench battle on the right side
  
• Allow Young and Floyd favorable matchups on the left edge
• Help contain Evans through effective zone coverage schemes, dbl teams, and consistent pressure on Winston
• Control the middle of the field in coverage and prevent the screen game from developing
• Prevent Martin from mauling up the middle

 

There are many exercises you can do to keep in cardiovascular shape when you have an injury like this: water jogging, 0 gravity jogging, cycling, high intensity interval training (weighted or unweighted), etc. 


I'm not a PT, but I work with one and anytime I suffer a running injury I enter active recovery mode with increased cycling, water jogging, high intensity interval training, etc. I can only imagine that at the professional level, the options these guys have are extensive. 

With that said, the biggest part to coming back from this kind of injury - I would guess - is redeveloping the strength in the ankle itself. THey've been working on rebuilding this strength for sometime. Taking time off the ankle is important, but that's only going to work for so long. Rest can help but restrengthening the support muscles, reengaging the ligaments and tendons has to begin pretty soon after an injury.

What is frustrating is that the remaining schedule is not tough.  If we had a halfway decent team we should rip right thought most of these games.  But, of course we don't have a powerful team
:-(

I think they will.