Last night after the ugly loss to the Titans, Bucs coach Greg Schiano and running back LeGarrette Blount downplayed what looked to be a major leg injury to Blount late in the first half.

Blount layed on the ground, writhing in pain for some time but walked off — with help — and in the second half was spotted pacing the sidelines in full pads, though limping.

Joe even noticed in the locker room that Blount was not wearing any type of wrap around his left knee, which initially looked to be where the injury occurred.

The injury was deemed a groin injury and today when meeting the Tampa Bay pen and mic club at One Buc Palace, Schiano again stressed how Blount’s injury isn’t major.

“I don’t know how long [Blount will be out] but I don’t think it is going to be serious,” Schiano said. “Will [Blount only miss] this week? I don’t know but I don’t think it will an extended period of time.”

This is big news for the Bucs. Schiano has made no secret that he wants the Bucs’ offense to be a two-headed running back monster, pound the ball early and often, the anti-Greg Olson.

If Blount was unavailable, the Bucs top two running backs would be rookies, Doug Martin and Michael Smith — a backup his senior year at Utah State — with largely unproven yet talented Mossis Madu as your No. 3 back.

Joe’s going to guess that Blount will be shut down for the next two weeks of preseason and that Michael Smith will get some extended work with the first team offense.

Joe would love to see what that guy can do behind the blocking of Carl Nicks or Davin Joseph.