Tag: Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving leading rookies in one major category heading into the Bye Week

This left some scratching their heads after the team went and drafted Bucky Irving in April’s NFL Draft.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the 2024 NFL offseason with a running back who looked to be a complete back behind Baker Mayfield. Everyone believed in Rachaad White, and his production was expected to be repeated.

This left some scratching their heads after the team went and drafted Bucky Irving in April’s NFL Draft.

Bucky Irving was not used very often at the start of the season, as they let him carve out a role behind White. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen eventually found a good mix of both their talents, and now, as we enter Bye Week, Irving is leading the league in a major category.

Compared to all the other rookie running backs in the NFL, Irving leads them all in rushing touchdowns (4). Overall, Irving has 680 total yards and is on pace for 1,156 total yards and eight touchdowns.

If the team can get that out of a rookie alongside White, then Liam Coen and Baker Mayfield may have all the help they need in the backfield.

Where is Sean Tucker and where has his usage gone?

In recent weeks, Liam Coen and the offense abandoned the run game and have since lost three straight games. 

Early on in the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a run-heavy team that controlled time of possession and helped out the passing game. In recent weeks, Liam Coen and the offense abandoned the run game and have since lost three straight games.

Although two of the three losses came to the teams in the Super Bowl last year, that is where the moral victories start and stop.

One major question in the abandoning of the run game is where Sean Tucker has gone. Tucker was the NFC Player of the Week after his performance against the Saints, where he ran for 136 rushing yards, had three receptions for 56 yards, and had two total touchdowns. It seems insane that a player could do that and have just ten carries since then.

In week 10 against the 49ers, Tucker had no snaps played at all, let alone touches. It will be interesting to see how things stand coming out of the Bye Week if he can work his way back into the fold.

5 key takeways from the Bucs 23-20 loss to the 49ers

In a game that was not nearly as close as the scoreboard would indicate, here are 5 key takeaways as the Bucs continue to look for answers.

In what was sort of a midseason battle of attrition of under-performing teams between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, the Buccaneers once again fell short, this time in regulation as Jake Moody hit a game-winning FG as the clock expired.

In a game that was not nearly as close as the scoreboard would indicate, here are 5 key takeaways as the Buccaneers continue to look for answers following their fourth-straight loss.

The Buccaneers are not built for close games

Close games are traditionally won by out-coaching your opposition. Todd Bowles is unable to do that and has proven it time and time again. Whether it is poor clock management or just simply playing without a killer instinct and playing to win, Bowles is overstaying his welcome among fans. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who would be the front-runner to take over the team should the Buccaneers make the unlikely midseason move at head coach, has continued to show flashes of great calling, followed by headscratchers. On the season, the Buccaneers

Bucky Irvin should be RB1 from now on

Of that headscratcher, as mentioned above, decisions would be why the Buccaneers have not named rookie RB Bucky Irving the clear-cut RB1 after routinely out-gaining Rachaad White on running plays. White is dynamic in the passing game; however, splitting nearly 50% of carries every week is less than ideal as Irving is not only the team leader in rushing yards but out-gains White by over a yard per carry, which is a lot considering how close the Buccaneers games have been as of late.

Defense is poorly indescribable

Injuries be damned. Players get hurt weekly, and there is no excuse for how poor this Buccaneers defense is, especially with the number of self-inflicted wounds we see weekly. That falls back on coaching. Bowles continued odd-man substitutions rarely allow for his best players to be on the field at the same time, namely on the defensive line. In last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Yaya Diaby, Vita Vea, and Calijah Kancey all saw more than 55% of defensive snaps, which was the highest for all three players all season. Antoine Winfield Jr. has to put 120% effort into every play, not to account for a lack of talent but for a lack of effort from his teammates, which is a recipe for disaster as the season progresses.

The lack of depth at WR should’ve been addressed

The NFL trade deadline came and went, and all the while, the Buccaneers were missing superstar WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. This left Mayfield solely to rely on a young and unproven wide receiver corps, as Jason Licht and the Bucs front office chose to stand pat and not make a move. TE Cade Otton has emerged as Mayfield’s favorite–and most reliable– target over the last several weeks; outside of Otton and the Bucs running backs being utilized in the passing game, it’s become a total crapshoot if and when someone else will step up. Luckily for the Buccaneers, Mayfield continues to toe the line as an outlier in the MVP conversation. Evans will likely return following the bye, which should help open up the offense more.

Bucs playoff hopes dwindling

Per The Athletic, the Buccaneers entered Week 10 with only a 21% chance of making the playoffs, and with another NFC loss to a team in the Wild Card picture, that only makes things harder. Five of the remaining seven games are against fellow NFC teams, making each a must-win bout. As the Bucs enter the bye week, they will look to address some of the problems in hopes of shoring up the defense. In Week 12, the Buccaneers will play against the New York Giants, who have been a mess all season, with the caveat that Bowles has never won a game following a Bye Week.

Two Bucs rookies mentioned by The Athletic’s All-Rookie team

Dane Brugler published his mid-season All-Rookie Team on Wednesday, and two Bucs rookies made the cut. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jason Licht have a good history of drafting players into the NFL and getting them producing immediately. In their 2024 NFL Draft Class, Licht’s work is being recognized by The Athletic.

Dane Brugler published his mid-season All-Rookie Team on Wednesday, and two Bucs rookies made the cut.

Running back Bucky Irving and linebacker Chris Braswell were mentioned by Brugler in his piece. Irving has been very productive anytime he gets the ball in his hand, producing 593 total yards of offense and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Braswell has just 11 tackles playing in a limited role but has produced with injuries popping up at times for the linebacker group.

Jason Licht and the entire Bucs front office have done a great job building this roster’s core in recent years. Irving looks to be a long-term player in the offense alongside Rachaad White.

Like most linebackers, Braswell needs some more years to develop but shows promise.

Bucs running back group remains without a leader through Week 9

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not one but three running backs who are more than serviceable in their backfield. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not one but three running backs who are more than serviceable in their backfield. The issue the Bucs are now dealing with is deciding which one is worth giving the bulk of the workload to.

A few weeks ago, when Rachaad White was injured, Tucker emerged and was the NFC ground player of the week. Rookie Bucky Irving is making the most of every single touch he gets. Meanwhile, Rachaad White continues to find the endzone one way or another.

Against the Chiefs in Week 9, Irving had 10 touches for 34 yards, White had six touches for 35 yards and a touchdown, and Tucker had four touches for 17 yards.

That type of production, or lack thereof, has to be fixed. The rotation doesn’t allow any one running back to get momentum going. Liam Coen is creative; perhaps he uses White out at the slot receiver position to get him touches. Regardless, the running backs have to find some sort of consistency.

Right now, all they have is chaos and a lack of results.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving (toe) active against Falcons in Week 8

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have started to rely heavily on the running game and with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans out they will again. 

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.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving misses practice with toe injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found themselves a future starter at running back with the selection of Bucly Irving in April’s draft.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Bucky Irving in April’s draft, and they have found themselves a future starter at running back. They paired him up with Rachaad White and expected to have their own version of the thunder and lightning that so many teams in the NFL have success with.

However, it seems the Bucs may be without their emerging star at running back in Week 8.

In the team’s initial injury report of the week, Bucky Irving did not practice designation on the report. There were no specifics as to what the injury could be, but it is a less-than-ideal injury for a running back to have.

Rachaad White missed time earlier this year, and Sean Tucker proved to be a more than reliable option to step up in his place. If Irving misses time, look for Tucker to take his workload and work alongside Rachaad White out of the backfield.

Bucky Irving proving to be a lethal weapon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rookie RB Bucky Irving is quickly proving to be a lethal weapon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense

Going into the year the assumption in Tampa Bay was that veteran running back Rachaad White would become the bell cow of the Buccaneers’ rushing attack. Near the midway point of the season, however, it appears to be a three-man job, thanks in large part to the performance of rookie fourth-round pick Bucky Irving.

While Irving has had sustained success all season, his last few weeks in the league have really shown off his star potential inside the explosive Tampa Bay offense. In the last two weeks, Irving has accounted for 182 scrimmage yards and a pair of touchdowns on just 28 total touches. On the season, Irving has been extremely efficient, averaging a solid 5.2 yards per carry on 67 total runs, proving to be the most explosive member of a stacked backfield.

As the season moves along Irving is bound to be worked into the offense more and more with each game. While being in a three man backfield does hamper his production a bit, it’s hard to look away whenever Irving touches the football and he should continue to thrive for the rest of the season as one of the best rookie runners in the league.

5 takeaways from the Bucs brutal loss to the Ravens in Week 7

Here are five key takeaways from the Bucs’ 31-41 loss to the Ravens in Week 7.

A quick 10-0 start for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the Baltimore Ravens sent Raymond James Stadium into a frenzy.

However, 34 unanswered points from Lamar Jackson and the Ravens had fans leaving the stadium at the end of the third quarter. While the Buccaneers may have lost the game, they would go on to lose much more as the game went on.

Here are five key takeaways from the Bucs’ 31-41 loss to the Ravens in Week 7.

Consistently inconsistent

Wins are hard to come by in the NFL and are even more challenging to earn when you do not play consistently, which is precisely what this Buccaneers team lacks. On both sides of the ball, through all seven games, it’s hard to determine which Buccaneers team will show up and how many quarters will last.

Wide receiver depth is a glaring hole

When you have the luxury of superstar wide receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, there should never be a discussion about issues at WR for the Buccaneers. A worst-case scenario for the Bucs happened as the team lost both Evans and Godwin on the same night. While Evans reaggravated a hamstring injury, he should miss minimal time, whereas Godwin will likely be done for the remainder of the season.

You cannot replace receivers the caliber of an Evans or a Godwin, but who on the roster will step up and assert themselves as leaders inside the wide receivers room? Baker Mayfield and Sterling Shepard showed a rekindling of their former college teammate relationship in Week 4; however, that has been routinely non-existent since then, leaving a real issue at wide receiver for the Bucs.

Defense is still an issue

This season, the Buccaneers have needed to play nearly perfect offense more often than not, as their defense has been unable to slow down their opponents. For added context, the Bucs defense even allowed the Detroit Lions to control the clock and generate more offensive yards in a winning effort in Week 2.

Sure, they’ve battled injuries, but it’s a recipe for disaster when you force your offense to play mistake-free, and this was on full display for the Buccaneers against the Ravens. Through seven games, the 4-3 Buccaneers defense has allowed opposing offenses to outgain them four times.

Good problem in the running back room

The good news for the Buccaneers is that Rachaad White showed flashes of why he was the clear-cut starting running back coming into the season. This gives the Bucs an embarrassment of riches in the backfield between White, Bucky Irving, and Sean Tucker, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. As the Bucs will need to do some serious soul-searching, particularly on offense, with the loss of their top two leading receivers, OC Liam Coen may start leaning on the emerging three-headed monster in the backfield.

It all boils down to coaching

The Buccaneers showed they would not give up when they recovered the onside kick with 3:46 remaining in the game. On a drive that would result in a touchdown and bring the Bucs within 10 points as they trailed 31-41, there were no attempts to get out of bounds or throw toward the sideline to stop the clock— they still had all three timeouts, plus a potential of being ahead of the two-minute warning. The following Ravens series was an attempt to run out the clock, with the Bucs defense forcing a punt.

Todd Bowles kept his starters in the game, which was already out of reach with 1:34 remaining and no timeouts remaining. The result was a gruesome injury to Godwin, and the early expectation is that he will not return for the season as his lower left leg was immediately put in an air cast.

When teams are inconsistent, it comes back to coaching. Ironically, this has been a consistent theme among Bucs fans, with their general distaste for Bowles as the team’s head coach. As the Bucs await to hear the prognosis on Evans’s hamstring injury, it will be a tumultuous finish to the second quarter of the season for a Bucs team who have a gauntlet of the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers.

Two Bucs rookies up for Rookie of the Week honors for Week 6

Week 6 saw a lot of rookies making debuts or having impact performances with two of them coming from Bucs players. 

In Week 6, many rookies made debuts or had impact performances, two of them coming from Bucs players. The Bucs dominated the New Orleans Saints, and two performances from that game stood out.

Running back Bucky Irving and cornerback Tykee Smith both showed why Jason Licht and this Bucs front office drafted them. Their performance in Week 6 has them up for the Pepsi Rookie of the Week Award.

In his first start of the season, Bucky Irving ran for 81 yards and found the endzone twice. He and Sean Tucker helped the Bucs rush for 272 yards against the Saints’ defense in what was considered a tough matchup for them on the ground.

Tykee Smith pitched in with two forced fumbles and one interception that sealed the game for the Bucs in the fourth quarter. Smith benefited from the return of Antoine Winfield Jr. to the secondary allowed him to be more aggressive in his play.

Smith and Irving are joined by Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Tyron Tracy Jr., and Caleb Williams on the ballot for the award.