The Tampa Bay Bucs can thank the NFL schedule-makers for a perfectly placed bye week this season. It could have fallen, based on a complex formula of factors, anywhere from Weeks 5 to 14. But at essentially the halfway point, the bye gives them an ideal chance to get healthy after a barrage of injuries – and get set for the critical second-half stretch run.

“We’re kind of banged up, so it’s very important now,” head coach Todd Bowles said Monday following his team’s 23-3 win over the New Orleans Saints. “…I think you like to have it in the middle of the season and it came at the right time for us. Those guys are fighting hard and a lot of guys are playing banged up, as is everyone in the league. So … it couldn’t be better timing.”

The Bucs head into the bye leading the NFC South Division at 6-2, despite injuries that have plagued them on offense and defense throughout the season. They hope to regain the services of starting tailback Bucky Irving after play resumes Sunday, Nov. 9 with a home game against the 6-2, AFC East-leading New England Patriots. But that’s not a lock, and the status of veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin, offensive guard Luke Goedeke, linebacker Haasan Reddick and others remains up in the air.

“I think those guys will start doing some things this week, depending on the progress they make,” Bowles said. “We’ll see how practice goes next week, if they can get some things done this week. But I don’t have a timeline on it, either. (We just have) to see how they are progressing.”

Asked if any thought would be given to trading for reinforcements, Bowles didn’t rule that out but stressed the challenge such a move might present.

“I think the discussion is more of how much do you have to give up to get somebody who you really want,” he said. “And that’ll be the discussion more or less going forward. We feel like hopefully guys can come back, but at the same time, if there’s (someone) out there (who’s) available, … it would depend on whether you have to rob Peter to pay Paul. And then we would have to weigh those options.”

Meanwhile, Bowles takes heart in how his team has performed under the weight of frequent injuries. The defense, which dominated Sunday’s game with four takeaways, is now Top 5 in the NFL in that category.

“We practice it all the time,” he said. “They come in bunches. I can’t tell you there’s any one thing we do differently that we haven’t been doing. I’ve been around when we practiced it daily and did everything we could, and got none. I’ve been around when we hardly practice it, and we got a bunch of them. … These guys start seeing it, and they feed off of it. And we just have to keep that going.”

The Bucs’ D appeared to have a second pick six on Sunday against the Saints, in addition to the one by linebacker Anthony Nelson that gave them a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. Later in that quarter, Winfield intercepted a pass by Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler and raced down the right sideline for an apparent 47-yard touchdown. However, the officials insisted that a whistle had blown the ball dead, negating the score and giving the Bucs possession at the spot of Winfield’s interception.

Nobody heard the whistle that was blown from the far side of the field – including broadcasters Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma, or apparently anyone else in the vicinity. After the game, head referee Rob Torbert confirmed that am official had blown the whistle “erroneously.”

“That was the word they used,” Bowles said.

Asked if he had any further clarity about what happened on that play, which could have been a very costly officiating mistake, he replied, “Absolutely none.”

Meanwhile, even missing starters at running back, receiver and the offensive line in various combinations, the Bucs have excelled in not giving the football away.

The unit has its fewest turnovers ever after eight games – a total of four. In fact, the Buc seasons with the fewest turnovers at this point have all been under Bowles: 2022, 2023 and 2025. How does he account for that?

“(It’s) probably the quarterback (Baker Mayfield) understanding where he has to go with the ball, understanding making those decisions (of) when to throw it away, when to eat it, not putting the ball in danger and not putting us in harm’s way,” Bowles said. “Baker has a good feel on how the game is being played, not just offensively but defensively as well. So he knows when he can take shots and when he doesn’t. ... I think he’s been doing a good job taking care of the football.”

The evaluation process of his team is ongoing, but he’s been particularly pleased with the play of younger players accustomed to much shorter college seasons. Though he didn’t mention them by name, rookie wide receivers Emeka Egubka and Tez Johnson, have played integral roles in the offense, especially with the injuries to Mike Evans and Godwin. And on defense, cornerbacks Jacob Parrish, Benjamin Morrison and Elijah Roberts have seen plenty of action as well.

“It’s a long season for those guys coming out of college,” he said. “When you throw in three preseason games and the 17 regular-season games, it’s almost two college seasons. But those guys are very mature from a mental standpoint. They’re executing very well. They’re playing like they’ve been in the league for a while. … the production has been great for us.”

Bowles did single out Egbuka for his stellar play to date: 34 catches for 562 yards and five touchdowns, playing both as the third receiver, the second and now the lead in Evans’ absence. “I think he’s been great,” Bowles said. “It doesn’t matter whether he’s one, two or three, He’s come in and been very consistent at everything he does. He plays injured. He plays well. He blocks. He runs great routes. He has great hands. And he’s a heck of a competitor.”

If he had a State of the Union assessment for the team, it would be enthusiastic but with the caveat that there’s a need for improvement.

“I mean, I feel good,” Bowles said. “We play tough. We’re 6-2. We can do a lot of things better. Obviously, we have to work on fundamentals. We have to self-scout as coaches. We have to make sure we don’t forget the fundamental part of it. (The players) have to make sure they continue to take care of their bodies. Our confidence is … strong, but we have a long way to go. And we understand that it’s going to be a big second half when we come back. So we’ve got to be ready.”