The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have started to rely heavily on the running game, and with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans out, they will again. To do that, they must have their emerging three-headed monster of Bucky Irving, Sean Tucker, and Rachaad White.
Thankfully for them, despite being on the injury report, Bucky Irving is not among the Bucs’ inactives on Sunday.
Bucky Irving had been dealing with a toe injury and missed practice earlier in the week. He returned to practice on Friday and worked his way towards being active against the Falcons in Week 8.
How much of his usual workload he can do is yet to be determined. If he can be the third-wheel, so to speak, behind Tucker and White. Earlier this year against the Falcons, the Bucs ran for 160 yards, but Baker Mayfield picked up 42 of them.
If they want to help out their quarterback and control time of possession, Liam Coen will be smart to rely upon his three running backs. If he doesn’t, Kirk Cousins could take advantage of a weakened Bucs secondary for a second time this year.